I seem to have amazing luck finding things at goodwill recently. Dresses in great shape or in need of minor tweaking. These are 2 that I've found recently that I am really excited about.
This first dress is a fun 80s shoulder pad wonder. I however, am biased towards shoulder pads and almost always remove them. Maybe someday I will be able to get past this. But today is not that day. The fabric I am in love with though- knit with floral print on a dark green background. The print reminds me a lot of the canopy in my parents bedroom, which is probably what attracted me to it in the first place. Its difficult for me to describe the bodice because there is just so much going on...it has princess seams but they run into the obnoxios shoulders and the gathers that compliment them. There are four gold and pearl imitation buttons down the front and one on each sleeve. The sleeves are just below the elbow and are gathered a lot at the shoulder. There is a matching belt at the waist and the hem is just above my knees. The tag says "Whirlaway Frocks est. 1942." Isn't that just the most whimsical name? I love it. I couldn't find too much about the company online except for similar dresses being sold on ebay or vintage shops. I love this dress and I hope it gets warmer soon so I can wear it!
This dress was really exciting because it was practically brand new! Apart from being about 50 years old. Let me clarify- when I say brand new I meant it has all it's original tags. It has a circular neckline and sleeves that go about halfway to the elbow. Theres is a zipper in the front of the dress (different, but fun) that is hidden by a flap that snaps on the opposite side. The bodice is fitted by side darts and pleats. This one also has a matching belt (jackpot!) and some pleats in the skirt. The hem comes down to my knees. It is made of 100% nylon jersey and the color is a beautiful sky blue. The print sort of reminds me of brush strokes...kind of a starry night type effect. I like it a lot! The label says "Shelton Stroller." Theres a tag from the original store "This ticket must accompany garment if returned for credit or alteration." Wouldn't it be neat if most department stores still offered alterations? Then the best tag is tied to one of the belt loops. Theres a lot on this one so i'll summarize. The left side of the card stresses the "carefree nylon" and how you can wash it at home, it dries quickly and needs little ironing, and packs easily. The right side has a 50s woman asking "what shall i wear today?" and there is a detachable card to mail into the company so that you can recieve information on all the latest trends.
These will not be altered in the slightest- they fit like a glove and the hems are the perfect length. Except the shoulder pads.
