Featured Questions About Chantilly Lace Dress

I'm wondering if the lace in this dress is from the 1920s-30s (the matching silk slip has a Chicago dress shop label, and I found the shop included in the "List of Domestic and Foreign Corporations for the Year 1930"). I think the dress is late-20s-early 30s and thought if it was made during the Depression, the dressmaker might have used older lace. I looked back at @Northern Lights Lodge Lace Lesson #6, and assume it's machine made Chantilly lace, but am wondering if I can assume it's the same age as the dress.

 

I'm also wondering if it's silk or cotton. It has a little bit of body--not super soft, and kind of sticks to itself.

 

oooooooww....swishy !! very seductive !!!!

 

if you're into grannies, that is!

 

if granny has that svelt figure.....then yes !!!

 

Unfortunately the dress has a lot of damage that doesn't show up in the photo. I had to underline the top with tulle before I could even put it on the dress form, and also patch a few big holes in the skirt, but thought it could be used for a photo shoot, display or costume.

 

following, it's a lovely dress

 

It's beautiful!
I look forward to seeing what NLL has to say about the lace.
For curiosity's sake, may we have a photo of the label?
I think you've got the dating right... it's after the boxy flapper look, when the svelte figure began to get shown off. (Unless you've clipped it at the back of the mannequin?)
Not "granny" at all!

 

Yes, agree re dating. On its way to 1930s bias. And I must say... It must have felt like heaven to wear that dress.

Debora

 

Thank you bluumz for your additional information on the dating. Here's the label. Yesterday I looked for information online and found the company listed in a publication "Domestic and Foreign Corporations for the Year 1930." The company was located at 112 E. Oak St., Chicago. I couldn't find any other information about the history of the company.

 

112 East Oak Street. That would have been an expensive address.

Debora

 

Thank you Debora. You'd think the slip would be bias cut, but it's not. I wondered if it was cut on the straight grain to keep the lace from stretching too much. The material is "sturdier" and heavier than typical silk slips. It looks like the type of silk that was used to line jackets and coats.

 

Thank you Debora for finding a photo and mentioning that it would have been an expensive address....another tidbit to add to my auction listing.

 

I just realized Geneva Seal Fine Jewelry & Timepieces is now at that address, and Jimmy Choo is next door. (Edit: According to the Oak Street District website, that area is known as Chicago's luxury destination.)

 

The Marilyn Miglin boutique was in that building too apparently. You can find more information on familysearch.org and by doing an internet search with owners' home addresses. Oh, and there's a lawsuit floating around the internet too. The ladies were well capitalized at $50,000 but suspect business died in depression.

Debora

 

Thank you again, Debora. It looks like I'd need to set up an account, which I hesitate to do even though it's free. I did run across something about a lawsuit when I was searching yesterday, and agree that it's likely the business died in the depression. I think the other information you've given me and helped me to find will be the most important for the auction listing.

 

It is gorgeous, Joan, and it must have looked wonderful on a girl going to a party.

 

Such wounded birds are often listed "for study".

 

The lining appears to be made of rayon.

Debora

 

Good idea bluumz, thank you....I'll add that to my listing