Vintage 1960s linen blend 1960s Peter Barron London MOD shift dress with ARROWS Navy and Yellow AMAZING! The ultimate Mod dress!
 
First of all just to say the dress is a modest UK size 10 but also fine for a UK 8. Between the two I'd say. Measurements to follow. 
The dress is an almost navy blue, in linen, with almost a half belt look at the back that the arrows then come round the front and point up to the bust. Sensational, it really is especially for those who love the Mod aesthetic. Two brass buttons on the arrow heads and at the back. I'd say the dress was c 1966. 
I am also including in this the scarf and the two pairs of vintage gloves one yellow and one navy blue.
Arrows are for aiming at targets, and the Mod explosion of the mid 1960s had grown out of Modernism (enthusiasts of Modern Jazz, rejection of demob suits and corseted dresses, and emulating both continental including scooters and sporty stripes, and American ivy league style, sharp suits and aspirational clobber) into an explosion of pop art and graphics in clothing via The Who and Pete Medean. Then other hardcore Mod bands like The Action. Targets and Arrows were among their metaphoric symbolism for aspirational targets for young working class people and used by both of those bands. Goes back to Peter Blake's target painting ('The First Real Target') not RAF roundels. After they'd grown out of the ruckus of fighting rockers on the beaches on bank holidays in 1964/1965, an exaggeration by press anyway, Mods concentrated on their latest styles that were coming out in Carnaby Street , designers Foale & Tuffin (Mods themselves who even did Mod outfits for Sindy dolls!)  Mary Quant and the like for girls. Finally boutiques especially for women in Carnaby Street like Lady Jane opened 1966, and all these designs were worn in the clubs like Tiles (where they even had boutiques IN the club!)  & The Scene,  and on tv shows like Ready Steady Go. 
For girls, it was a particularly great period as they had been to some extent in  the shadow of the Mod guys, and a whole host of fashion companies local to Oxford Street the hub of the Mod lifestyle re clubs and shopping, brought out Mod inspired dresses coats shoes etc to satisfy their hunger. This was still prior to mass produced fast fashion, so they tended to be quality garments and indeed both Mod girls and boys wouldn't accept anything less. This dress with Arrows is by Peter Barron, and in linen blend. For girls there were suddenly bright colours and black and white bold graphics. But they are rarely available and if the real thing does come up then to be expensive. A real Yves St Laurent Mondrian dress could set you back now over £20k btw. Most couldn't have afforded the French fashion houses at the time anyway, but it was the dawn of Ready to Wear (Pret a Porter) and stores like Harrods sold lines from French designers who had been influenced by Mod to start with. Alongside Harrods new international designer room of pret a porter, would have been medium range British made quality fashions like Peter Barron. Who also supplied to most other Oxford street departments stores. These dresses were pricey, but not as pricey as even the French pret. And, being based in Eastcastle street almost parallel to Oxford street, the company had its finger on the pulse. While they still did very fine dresses in silk etc for sophisticated women . they very much 'targeted' the young market they could see all around them in that area clubs shoes etc: the Mods. 
Patte Boyd was one of their models for their younger dresses, a Mod icon style wise, and wife to be of George Harrison of The Beatles, and models Paulene Stone and Jean Shrimpton also modelled Peter Barron dresses in various shoots. These were models the Mod girls emulated and identified with. The dresses ranged in price from around £4 to £15 , and sold in 'guineas'. No self respecting Mod male or female would look for cheap clothes. so a guinea was £1 and one shilling and used to sell higher end goods. 'It's not your seven shillings and sixpence' was a Mod ' expression and denoted a source of pride in paying for the best they could. They'd have lapped up paying in guineas. 
So the arrow, is a metaphor for social aspiration in ones own terms. That is, not via the established 'knuckle down and defer gratification' route which they wholeheartedly rejected. Mod was hedonistic and they spent their money on clothes and good times, and scooters. A wholesale rejecting of establishment notions of success; and their spending power as young consumers eventually dictating the styles and prior to that usurping them, the same as they did the scooters. When a Mod rode a scooter it wasn't simply a functional mode of transport, but a statement, it was subversive and hence the customized decoration to make them different. So it was with the clothes. Mods had to look better smarter and edgier than their social 'superiors' style wise and they did. 'Gab up' meant to dress up, though Mods had casual wear too. Notably Fred Perry t shirts levis Harrington jackets and for the girls ski pants and slacks. But for going out at night, they'd ...gab up!  
And why not indeed. So targets and arrows became a symbol of that (down to Pete Meaden and The Who)  but it is so special to find a dress with arrows as part of the garment not a print. Early days, often Mods would go to the seaside to get prints done in the news iron on transfer large graphic letters and symbols. But now, 1965-68, fashion companies had noticed and were producing the stuff they wanted. 
The Action were a band that had started in Kentish Town as backing group for singer Sandra Barry, but changed their name and became a hardcore Mod band playing to enthusiastic but relatively small audiences. Other Mod bands loved them, and Phil Collins eg was a particular big fan back in the mid 60s. The Action used arrows like The Who. They even supported The Who early days, but they were 'too' good and perhaps a bit of a challenge to The Who. So they had their own residencies including at The Pontiac club on Upper Richmond Rd, and also played venues such as The Goldhawk Club. If you don't know them, have a listen. Most underrated band of the 1960s for sure. Their harmonies are sublime and so suited for the American soul & (proper) R&B sound the British Mod bands attempted to recreate. They released this song in 1966 and it was a cover in fact, the Marvellettes releasing it the year before (famous for Mr Postman) with The Action changing .Guy' for 'Girl' in the lyrics, and carrying the song with a faster edgier sound but still great harmonies. 
So have chosen the song 'I'll Keep on Holding On" for the 'Spirit of the Age and Garment' song for this AMAZING Peter Barron dress. Keep on holding on to the dream and as the Mods say to this day...Keep the Faith! Gab up!  Make her yours!
(I'll keep on holdin' on) oh yes I will
(I'll keep on holdin' on)
I know that you're the kind of girl, you've got too much pride
You're scared you love someone, run & hide
Each & every day, & each & every way
My love is growin' stronger
& I know that you can't hold on much longer
When there's no place left to hide
I'll still be by your side
And I'll be (waiting) oh yes, sure 'nough
(Looking for a chance) a chance to make you mine