50s IRENE Black Strapless Cocktail Dress S B36
$750.00

Extraordinary vintage 1950’s cocktail dress by famous Hollywood designer Irene Lentz for Bullocks-Wilshire. In 1947, Irene was the first American designer to allow department stores the rights to sell her designs in exclusive boutiques. This is one such dress.

This stunning dress is fashioned from crisp black silk taffeta. The strapless bodice has an added tucked band at the upper edge that closes at the back with snaps and hooks. Accordian pleated taffeta accents the waistline and continues in drapes down the skirt front left and around the hem. The dress closes with a hand stitched center back metal zipper and is unlined. The curving hem is faced with a deep self-fabric facing. Note: Necklace shown is not included.

Measurements:
Bust 36”
Waist 28”
Hips 36”
Length underarm to hem 39 1/2”
Underarm to waist 8”

Care and Contents: No labels – Silk taffeta – Dry clean

Condition: This dress is in very good to excellent condition. No stains, fading, or odors. The dress was altered by the Bullocks-Wilshire boutique to fit its original owner. The center back seam was taken in about 2” and the label was removed and resewn at that time. That is why the hand stitches on the label are not original, but this label does belong to this dress, as you can match up the original stitch holes. It appears that the bodice orginally had boning, but those bones have been removed. There is a 1/4” slit at the back upper edge, but this is hidden by the tucked band. There are some tiny pinpricks at the front waist where the accordian pleats meet the waist in the V. The original owner probably wore a brooch here. There is one tiny pinhead size hole in the tucked band at the back left. This is not at all noticeable.