Catch of the Day: March 22, 2011 80s 1950s Styled Prom Dress

If there is a single word that will get me to look at a garment (aside from certain designer's names, of course), that would would have to be bronze.  If a garment is bronze it's almost always lame', charmeuse, sequins, or - when you are very very lucky - taffeta.  This particular bronze dress from eBay is a stunning shark skin taffeta created mostly of a bronze with a delicate black stripe and accented with a solid bronze waist. 

Made in the 1980's, the dress is decidedly of the 1950's "New Look" style created by Christian Dior.

The dress has lovely, slimming puffy sleeves, an apparent sweet heart neckline (hidden by jewelry), a great full skirt which demands a crinoline (heavy on the the starch) and - most notably - a wonderfully executed ruched waist.

Doesn't that ruching make the waist look like Scarlet O'Hara's?  And this is on a size 9!  I also adore the textured effect given by the almost pencil thin black stripes interrupted by the solid fabric.  

The dress is as gorgeous from the back as it is from the front.

The dress was designed for Misty Lane and closes at the back with a nylon zipper (the real dead give away that it is a 80's and not a 50's dress!)  

Alas, this dress does have on tiny little flaw.  A pea sized hole and smudge close to the hem.

I think the answer to this dilemma is obvious.  Take up the dress 3".  There is more than ample length.  Also, you might consider doing nothing.  It is unlikely anyone would notice a flaw so small on a skirt so voluminous.  

The dress is sized 9/10 and is of recent enough vintage for that to be true to size.  However, always read a garments measurements before buying on eBay.  EBay has no dressing rooms,  so what you buy is what you get.

The one thing about the presentation of this dress is the unfortunate use of what the photography at least made to appear very cheap imitations of pearls.  I like the idea of multiple strand necklaces for this very simple neckline,  but for them all to clasp on a single strand precludes any possibility of wearing your hair in an "up" do.  If one does go with pearls, I'd prefer to see multiple single strands, draped as much down the back as the front ala' Coco Chanel.  Or, for my own entertainment, I went shopping for the perfect necklace to go with this dress.  I believe I found it in the "Autumn Haze Torsade" at Sweet Romance Online.  

Isn't that stunning?  And take a look at a close up of this smashing clasp!

The dress is brought to us by Mocha_Chocolate_Vintage for an unbelievably low opening bid of $24.99.  The necklace is available from Sweet Romance Online for $125.00.  This line of jewelry, while not vintage, is vintage inspired, and made as true to vintage as is possible.  It is used by Hollywood and television as costume pieces, and is collected by everyone from wannabe fans like me to a veritable who's who of America's Stars.

I hope you've enjoyed today's Catch of the Day as much as I've enjoyed writing about it.

Happy Shopping Darlings,

Second Hand Roze

Catch of the Day: January 28th 2011 Sweet Romance Jewelry

Today's catch(es) of the day are not vintage; but they are vintage inspired. And they are also the door through which I came into love with vintage costume jewelry. My idea of costume jewelry was the occasional string of faux pearls and perhaps something vaguely stylized with gold toned metal. Think Monet. Not the Artist, the brand of Jewelry.

My interest was piqued a bit by the release of the 1929 brand of jewelry, but the reality never quite lived up to the dream.

Then, in 2000 (a new millennium and a new obsession), I innocently followed a link on a search engine to a site that made my heart stop. Or perhaps it made it beat faster. Whichever, my heart was captured, and has remained captured to this day.  I found Sweet Romance Jewelry by Shelley Cooper.  I fell instantly in love, and I've been in love until this moment.

So today, I thought I would share with you my favorite "new vintage" stuff:

This necklace, this masterful joining of crystal leaves, rhinestone, pearls, and bronze, is called the "Glass Garden Necklace ".  It comes in a color too, but who wants color when you can have something this classic. There is no outfit this would not flatter. No neckline that this would not improve. No bride should ever walk down the aisle without this, and no lady should ever go to a party without it to dress up that Little Black Dress.  Look at this close up and in detail:

Look at the detail of this necklace!?!  Could Louis Comfort Tiffany have rivaled this work? Can you live another minute without owning this?  Can you imagine what this will do for your favorite strapless dress?  All this glorious garden, this riot of rhinestones, can be yours for the oh-so-reasonable price of $91.00.

And to wear with it?

This lovely ornament is "The Glass Garden Bracelet",  designed lovingly by Ms. Cooper to go with this triumph of a necklace, and available for the amazingly low price of $79.00.

I had intended to include the earrings too, but alas, they've been sold out. This is not a problem. This classic combination of rhinestones and pearls in an aged bronze setting will go with so many things. So! I just through in my favorite Sweet Romance earrings, "The Girandole Earrings."  

Are those a knock-out or what?  And kittens these can be yours for only $45.00.

Shelley Cooper is clearly one of the most talented designers in American Jewelry today.  In fact, the only contact I've ever had with her is once I turned the world upside down for her email address, and sent her the URL to an auction. A necklace she made, which sold for less than $100.00 had closed on eBay for over a thousand dollars. Two women were each determined that they should be the owner of that particular piece of art glass. What was amazing was that the necklace had not been retired. It was available on her website at the very time these two women were determinedly bidding against each other on eBay.  What a thing to watch!

So kittens,  shop not just happily, but smartly!

And I leave you with beauty this morning!

Second Hand Roze