Now this is what I'm talking about

This is what I think of when I think "1930s evening gown." The sleeves! The covered buttons! The ribbon along the bottom of the bolero! Even, I must admit, the butt-bow! (Somehow the butt-bow here isn't as shudder-inducing as it should be; this must be the source from which ten thousand unfortunate bridesmaids dresses mutated and began shuffling across the dress landscape like polyester zombies.)

Never mind that I, personally, would look like I was in (bad, fraternity-pledge-hazing) drag if I wore this -- the excellence of this as an objet d'art trumps any petty concerns of mere suitability for my phenotype.

And this dress has the added thrill of being a realio-trulio mystery dress! Yes, the Drexel University Historic Costume Collection (click on the image to go there) is looking for help in sourcing this dress. Do you know who the designer is? Email them. Tell them A Dress a Day sent you. They'll have no idea what that means, but it sounds good.

Comments

[vintagecrochetgirl]

I think this is pretty...and would look breathtaking with crocheted gloves and a matching cocktail hat with Russian veiling. Sorry to say I have no idea who the designer is.

[Jonquil]

I blame the late Princess of Wales for the bridal butt bow. She sported one, and soon it infected the globe.

[vintagecrochetgirl]

Oops,I forgot about the butt bow. I'm not a fan of that either.

[Anonymous]

I QUITE LIKE THIS victorian STYLED DRESS !--MEGSY

[caitlin]

So im going to prom in a couple of months, and im fascinated with this time era. So my grandmother gave me her dress she wore to her senior receoption in 1933. I was am so excited but i can find vitually no information on the dress. so i was poking around on google and i found your dress. ITS ALMOST THE EXACT SAME THING! its the same exact color, and tafetta. the buttons and the colar is the same. the only difference is mine has long sleeves attached to the puffy shoulder part and its not gathered down the sides of the jacket like that. Also i dont know about the dress on this page but mine you can take off the jacket and theres an evening gown under it. Ummm so yeah the fact that i found one SO similar online is very shocking and exciting. If you could respond to me i'd be estatic!

[caitlin]

i should take a picture to show you.