Breathtaking Royal Blue Original 1940s 40s Vintage Beaded Cocktail Dress

This beautiful dress was made from a royal blue rayon crepe in the 1940s. It was cut to be beautifully form skimming padded shoulders, short loose fitting sleeves and a nipped waist. The neckline features an unusual diamond shaped keyhole design with incredible iridescent starburst beading immediately below the keyhole. This gives the dress a real focus point at the neckline. A double line of large pleats just below the waist emphasises the wearer’s slim hips, almost giving a mock peplum effect and the fabric below skims the body gently. The dress fastens with a long metal zipper at the back for step in access preserving the wearer’s hair and make up perfectly. 

Bust: 36”

Waist: 28”

Hips: 38”

Length: 44” plus 1” hem

The dress is in very good condition with only two very faint marks and a single missing bead as pictured. 

This garment is available to purchase with or without dress shields. These clever little contraptions have been made by our seamstress to an original 1940s pattern and can be simply attached to your garment by tack stitching at the corners of the underarm seam, pinning (we wouldn’t recommend that, it hurts if it goes wrong, so if you try this, it is at your own risk only) or inserting tiny poppers. They then stand ready to absorb any sweat and body odours as needed and you can simply detach and launder them instead of your garment, saving you a fortune in dry cleaning bills.

They are equally suitable for suits, blazers and dresses and come in two different options:

1. Pure cream cotton for your heavier weight dresses, blazers and suits

or

2. White cotton muslin for lightweight summer dresses (so they don’t show through the fabric)

They are universally sized and super easy to use even for a sewing novice as only a couple of tiny stitches are required at each side to secure them.

We sell Dress Shields as a standalone item or at a discount if you purchase them with a garment. We will select the appropriate type to match the garment you have purchased.

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