Lisa sent me the link to this eBay auction, ending Saturday. Go ahead and click through, you really owe it to yourself to look at this dress.

It's listed by Fast Eddie's Retro Rags (Their motto: Vintage for Your Inner Delinquent) and, at time of this writing, was at a Buy It Now price of $175 ... Bust 38.
Forget bicycles and rulers, I am now feeling a distinct lack of bongo-themed clothing in my life. I am also saddened to realize that my inner delinquent is pretty much my outer delinquent, except my inner delinquent 1) remembers to PUT ON the red lipstick she bought and 2) never gets it on her teeth.
It's listed by Fast Eddie's Retro Rags (Their motto: Vintage for Your Inner Delinquent) and, at time of this writing, was at a Buy It Now price of $175 ... Bust 38.
Forget bicycles and rulers, I am now feeling a distinct lack of bongo-themed clothing in my life. I am also saddened to realize that my inner delinquent is pretty much my outer delinquent, except my inner delinquent 1) remembers to PUT ON the red lipstick she bought and 2) never gets it on her teeth.


































That is too cool. Erin, you should look for a print like that and make something sleeveless to wear with a shrug. What a fun dress, but $175???
Posted by: Myra | 01/09/2009 at 08:03 AM
What a cute neckline! I love it.
Posted by: MadeByAmanda | 01/09/2009 at 08:10 AM
totally inspired to paw through my vintage fabric and pattern stash and sew...thank you!
Posted by: Simone | 01/09/2009 at 08:26 AM
I like the cut and style, but I'd need a special occasion to justify wearing the mambo theme to myself. Although, I am conjuring up images of big bead bracelets and a scarf tied around my head if I did wear it. ;) I think it's one of those dresses that has a mind of its own and would impose its will on the wearer. :)
Posted by: caseykoester | 01/09/2009 at 08:33 AM
...and she puts on the dress and realizes that she is compelled to dance the Mambo Italiano over and over and over again (like that girl in The Red Shoes). This is the Stephen King version of the Mambo Dress.
Posted by: Little Hunting Creek | 01/09/2009 at 09:23 AM
. . . or listen to Talking Heads' "Slippery People" on the Stop Making Sense album, with its bongo into.
Posted by: Elrond Hubbard | 01/09/2009 at 09:46 AM
Love the dress - the style and proportion are very nice; hate that chokey little collar, but it's cute. Looks like something Annette wore in a Frankie Avalon movie, or maybe it was some blond girl with a stubby pony tail dancing with Pat Boone at the hop. -Evalyn
Posted by: Anonymous | 01/09/2009 at 11:45 AM
Although I seem to be wearing a big, dark brown corduroy blazer over everything this winter (which I originally intended to dye navy), it is not a color I would normally seek out. I'd doesn't do anything for my coloring, or my spirits. I do think a chestnutty brown looks spectacular as an accent with turquoise, though. (This has inspired me to dye that stupid blazer this weekend, because I am wearing it with alarming frequency. It's really cozy!)
Posted by: Cookie | 01/09/2009 at 11:54 AM
Too Cool!!
Posted by: Julie The Vintage Goddess | 01/09/2009 at 12:06 PM
What a fantastic dress. It makes me sad to know that I have no access to fabric up here in Quebec until I return home in four months : (
Posted by: Lisette | 01/09/2009 at 12:29 PM
I LOOOVE that dress!!!Ang
Posted by: Ang | 01/09/2009 at 12:52 PM
I love the look of this print. I would change the neckline.If I cannot find fabric like this then maybe if I can come up with a design I can get spoonflower.com to create the fabric for me. That's something for me to work on.
Posted by: Lavon | 01/09/2009 at 12:54 PM
ONLY $175 is a steal for a fabulous vintage print like that; talk about your One of A Kind dresses for Viva Las Vegas?! I LOVE it.. wowsers, novelty dresses in a good, wearable size like this on auction sites or vintage stores in MY area seem to skyrocket to $200-$300 when theyre as unique as that one.. Pretty darn cool!I love the color combination; I seem to ALWAYS be drawn towards a chocolate brown black lately. Someone, tell me its not my old age??? hahaha!Kim, while Im in a loving mood, I LOVE your store slogan! And youve got some lovely things.. good luck to you with that dress!
Posted by: Jen ~ MOMSPatterns | 01/09/2009 at 01:25 PM
Erin, you may have seen these, maybe not:Court shoes with robot print and a robot buckle:http://www.schuhstore.co.uk/item_main_frameset.asp?s_ref=110566fav_size=0fav_colour=0C2_Ref=0C3_Ref=0junior=0dep=ref=s_group=0If the link doesnt work, go to the main page and look for Irregular Choice among the brands.
Posted by: Evis | 01/09/2009 at 02:24 PM
I think Doris Day just walked into the room. Geesh, it's fantastic.
Posted by: Cel Petro | 01/09/2009 at 03:01 PM
Fast Eddies always has the best stuff! :) Love it!
Posted by: Pinup Dresses | 01/09/2009 at 06:04 PM
I Adore this fabric. I can tell you, here in 1955, if I could get my hands on that fabric (in excess of this dress of course) you can bet I would use it on the curtains behind the bar and throw pillows in the 'rumpus room'. A bit of Beat in the Burbs, you might say.
Posted by: 50sgal | 01/09/2009 at 06:17 PM
Aww, thanks you guys! Lisa (AKA Vintage Fashion Library/Miss Helene's) told me to come and peep Erin's blog today and lo and behold, little ol' me gets a shout-out? Swell! Thank you so much, Erin! The print is seriously beyond cool, and the pink/brown combo is never wrong. (What *is* beyond cool, you ask? I don't know, exactly.)~Kim~
Posted by: Kim @ The Girl Can't Help It | 01/09/2009 at 06:44 PM
Ooooh how'd I miss THAT?! PINK and brown?! *drools*
Posted by: Jen ~ MOMSPatterns | 01/10/2009 at 07:00 AM
Nice... Vintage rocks!!!
Posted by: Run's House | 01/11/2009 at 07:01 AM
Must... resist... hypnotic charms of bongo dress...how amazing! And covetable.
Posted by: Musie | 01/12/2009 at 12:10 AM
wow so oldy worldy such a great style though brown is not really my favourite colour but this is nice. Did you manage to sell it?
Posted by: Faith | 01/13/2009 at 06:33 AM
Another great find. Thanks so much for sharing! And when you figure out how to wear lipstick without getting it on teeth, please let me know -- my daughters are constantly looking at me and pointing to their mouths in desperate attempts to clean me up.
Posted by: Coffee with Cathy | 01/13/2009 at 07:25 AM
holy heaven, yes! but what's with the crazy price? what happened to the days of $20 vintage dress finds?
Posted by: Pink of Perfection | 01/13/2009 at 12:10 PM
Never thought I'd live to say this but "Look at the bongos on that!!!".[Little bit of role reversal good for one.]
Posted by: Eirlys | 01/14/2009 at 02:27 AM