Vintage Stunning 1955 Tea Length Fit and Flare Satin with All-Over Embroidered-Over Floral Tulle Bridal Wedding Dress - 4 Layers

I love vintage fashion!  It's getting harder and harder to find, and it isn't inexpensive any more, but if I find something that grabs me at a reasonable price, I tend to take a chance on it for resell provided my hand doesn't go through it from rot, has no mildew, and doesn't smell like smoke or animals.  My hopes are that someone that loves vintage as much as I do can find a purpose for it..... whether it is to wear, recondition and resell in a shop, use the fabric from it, display it, use in theater, or to study it for design..... hopefully to carry on the rescue and keep it out of the landfill.  98% of the time dresses of this age need TLC repairs and mends and will have flaws and need some cleaning.  I purchased this wedding dress, along with the 2 pink bridesmaid dresses (separate listings) from an estate closet.  They were worn in a 1955 June wedding.  They are all 50's fit and flare style dresses.  

This listing is for this stunning wedding dress!  A white, very fitted and flared style dress that features a satin bodice and inner slip for the base, and an additional 3 layers of tulle and netting for the flair.  The outermost tulle skirt features a floral embroidered-over floral design and it is layered and fitted over the entirety of the dress, and forms the unlined portion of the boat-style neckline and sleeves.  It is fitted smoothly over the lined V shaped bodice.  The short, slightly side-rouched sleeves and front and rear full-length center split layered skirts are this fabric only, and they have an attached scalloped flower edging to finish it off like lace.  The skirt/bodice joining has a satin piped cording, and the dress back features satin and the embroidered tulle covering the buttons for closure up the back.  The loops for the buttons are of the same satin cord trim.....and that does make a differenece in ease of fastening.  I'll give you measurements below, but IMO this would have been a length designed to be tea length, or hit just above the ankle.  A beautiful style!

The dresses I got in this lot were a mess.  I still wonder why someone goes to the time, trouble, and expense to get the perfect party or bridal gowns, and then doesn't properly store or clean them after they are worn, but it is more often than not the norm, unfortunately.  This gown was not cleaned or stored properly.  It was stored hung with a loose plastic cover in a sort of rolled up mess over a couple of hangers in the back of a closet for nearly 75 years.  I was very drawn to it for the over-embroidered tulle skirt and the favorite tea length fit and flair style.  In examining it, I found a tear near the hem in the outermost embroidered tulle, but these are fairly easy to whip shut and repair.  Mostly the biggest problem on this dress was that the bride must have taken her shoes off and danced all night letting the dress sweep the floor.  The satin slip was very, very soiled, and there were spots and soiling near the hem of the outermost embroidered tulle as well, probably from food/drink drips.  Because of the covered buttons, I knew I couldn't wash or soak it entirely.  Much to my despair I have lost the only good dry cleaner in my area that really knew what he was doing when it came to vintage and antique clothing restorations, so I am on my own to do what I can.  Here's what I did:  I pulled all the layers up over the head except for the satin slip dress.  I dropped the slip down into the tub and wet-Biz soaked just the lower slip for two 24 hour periods.  I did the same to the outermost embroidered tulle slip.  Shockingly, most of the soiling came out...... amazing after 75 years, but there is still some left and I've provided a photo.  You won't really see it on the slip if it were to be worn, but it can be repaired by either just adding a matching satin ruffle over it, or by cutting off the bad area that is mostly near the hem and sew on a new section.  As far as the embroidered tulle, the spots did lighten considerably, and I think they could be embroidered over to hide the spots.  There is some light pit marks, but I've seen much worse.  If you have a reliable, experience dry cleaner in your area, you may wish to get an opinion before you do anything else to it.   

I fit this dress on my junior size mannequin and through the waist and bodice sides it fit pretty perfectly.  My mannie doesn't have big enough breasts, so I stuffed the front so you could get a better idea of what it would look like filled out.  The original bride was tiny and a little on the busty side for her frame, it appears.  While the dress is on the mannequin, I look for additional areas/spots that may need addressed and try to get photos to include, but I can 100% say that I didn't capture or find every tiny flaw and there are yards and yards of fabric here and this is a near 75-year-old dress, so perfection is not to be expected.  I show the worst that are notable to me as I am working with it and displaying it for you to see.  There are not enough photo spots in this ad to include pics of the measurements, so I listed them below.  This dress is a vintage size SMALL - the measurements for my mannie are 11 inches across the shoulders and 30-26-32 and other than the bust the dress fit it very well.  The following measurements were taken as it displayed on the mannequin, or lying flat when I took it off, and they are over the top outside layers of fabric, not from the inside.  If you are planning to wear, you need to consider your own measurements and deduct an inch or two for the amount of snugness you want in your fit.  

 
Measurements: 


In final, this is a beautiful 50's era wedding dress in a gorgeous tea or cocktail length!  It appears to me that it was seamstress made for the bride, not off-the rack, and incorporates some specific bride design requests that I have not seen in similar same era gowns or patterns.  It was assuredly a tailored fashion made to fit a specific bride with a smaller 1950's figure.  As it is, I think you could wear it carefully for a short time if it fits you and the repairs are minor.  The fabric integrity seems to be good yet.  I would recommend further cleaning advice if you don't have any tricks of the trade yourself.  For display and study purposes, it has much to offer.   It is sold as is, no returns.  There is very little profit margin on dresses like this, so finding and spending all the time on them, and offering them is pretty much my personal labor of love.  Please message me if you have any questions and I will answer back..... even if I don't have an answer.  

Shipping:  USPS with tracking, insurance.  I gently fold/roll garments like this, wrap them with a covering of clean pattern tissue, then bag and box them for the best shipping safety. 

Thanks for Looking!