ARCHIVE - 1930s Cream Asymmetric Lace Bodice Wedding Dress

This beautiful, highly romantic dress was made in the mid to late 1930s in France and by a couture trained seamstress. Gowns of this era are extremely collectable, particularly when they’re in such rare excellent condition and this piece is particularly exquisite and of an unusual silhouette. It is tailored from rich cream silk crepe and detailed with an asymmetric layer of tonal guipure lace. Of an ankle to floor-skimming length at the front, the stand-out feature is the long train which adds unusual, whimsical detail. The straps are also crafted from champagne crepe, which flow over the shoulder and, at the bottom of the sensuous open back, give way to the train. Demonstrating masterful craftsmanship, the train can be styled in different ways; flowing out behind the wearer or cascading over the shoulder. This dress is unlined and, as a result, the top of the bodice has a peekaboo, skin-flashing finish. It's very possible that a support garment would have been worn underneath such as a corset. A modern replacement would work well here or a supportive body suit such as skims. The dress fastens at the back with snap closures.

A formidable choice for a bride seeking a usual wedding dress which is in excellent, antique condition and as good as it gets for a dress from this era. We've noted a handful of very, very faint markings and small too, generally towards the bottom of the hem or hidden under the lace. These would not photograph as they are too inconsequential to be seen by the camera lens. As the dress was couture made, it has no size or composition labels so please check the measurements below carefully. We believe it would best fit up to a size UK 8-10, US 4-6. The fabric has no stretch. Our model is a UK 8-10 or US 4-6 and 5ft 11in. This dress was a good fit on her. 

MEASUREMENTS

BUST - 34 in. (86 cm)

WAIST - 28 in. (71 cm)

HIP - 40 in. (102 cm)

LENGTH - 54 in. (137 cm)

TRAIN LENGTH - 84 in. (213 cm)