A dress for dancing, from about 1924. The pattern starts at the dropped waist and opens outward like light through a door: long rays of gold sequins and glass beads, each one sewn by hand onto black silk. It must have taken many evenings to make. The dress is heavier than it looks, and the weight is part of its beauty. It hangs straight and swings when you walk, and the beads catch every lamp in a room. Today it would be wonderful at a winter party, with plain black shoes and nothing at the neck.
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Black silk evening dress with gold beading, 1920s
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Example piece.
A 1920s dancing dress in black silk, its dropped waist opening into long rays of hand-sewn gold sequins and glass beads.
The story
Details
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Decade | |
| Material | Glass, Silk |
| Color | Black, Gold |
| Condition | Good |
| Condition notes | A few beads are missing near the left side seam, and the silk lining has two small, careful repairs. The beading is heavy: the dress must be stored flat, never on a hanger. |
| Estimated modern fit | About a modern S, US 4 to 6 (approximate; please check the measurements) |
| Bust (flat) | 17 in (43 cm) |
| Waist (flat) | 16.5 in (42 cm) |
| Hips (flat) | 19 in (48 cm) |
| Shoulders | 14 in (36 cm) |
| Sleeve length | Sleeveless |
| Length (shoulder to hem) | 42 in (107 cm) |
| Fit notes | The cut is straight, so check the hips. |
| Label | None |
| Alterations and repairs | Two small repairs to the lining |
| Construction | Glass beads and gold sequins sewn by hand in a sunburst. Black silk with a silk lining. Dropped waist, straight cut; slips over the head. |
How we measure
Dresses are measured flat, seam to seam, in inches with centimetres; double a flat width for the full round. Compare with a dress you own that fits you well.
The condition scale
Excellent: worn or used with care; no flaws we can see.
Very good: light signs of age, each one named in the details and shown in the photos.
Good: visible wear or an old repair, named and photographed; still ready to wear or use.
Fair: clear flaws or a repair it needs, named and photographed; chosen for its beauty or its history.
Shipping and returns
Shipping and returns details will be published before the store opens.
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Previously collected
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