Vintage late 1940s 1950s western style dress silk & velvet front with lasso embellishment mauve rodeo rockabilly divine wing stand up collar
This is a truly fabulous piece in a silk like fabric with a dusky dark blue velvet front and buttons with an absolutely sublime wing collar, and has a lasso like embellishment known as soutache braiding around that bust bodice area. Dress appears sheath shape with belt, but it can flare out a fair bit in movement A line as is long to mid calf, and front hip pockets also with the soutache trim. The colour is a lovely shade of violet blue grey, a colours known as violet storm or Independence blue at the time, and a silky likely rayon fabric. It has a side metal zip, a cap sleeves.
Sometimes a dress just speaks to me and tell me the sound of its spirit, and this one did just that!
A dress with a western spirit from the 1950s, the song that came to mind was 'Last Train to San Fernando', which was actually originally a calypso song to start with, about San Fernando in Trinidad by Duke of Iron , but it was covered by British sniffle band Johnny Duncan and the Bluegrass Boys in 1957, who gave it a western rockabilly feel, so most people in Britain assumed it was San Fernando in California, near Los Angeles.
And I can just imagine this dress riding on the 'Iron Horse' of the fabulous 1940s and 50s trains in that area, the finest of which was the 'The Super Chief' which took passengers from LA to Chicago in some considerable comfort and became know as the train of the stars. And in San Fernando itself, which retained much of its western & Mexican heritage back then.
The dress is a UK size 12 but fine for a 10 too with the belt.
Bust- 37"
Waist- 32"
Hips- Full
Length- 47"A very special dress indeed
Spirit of the age song
'Last Train to San Fernando by Johhny Duncan and his Bluegrass Boys 1957
"Last train to San Fernando, last train to San Fernando
If you miss the one, you'll never get another one
Bee-dee-dee-dee-bom-bom to San Fernando.Well, I married into high society
Be carefull of the places you're a-takin' me
'Casue if you slip, I'll slide and I may never be your bride
Bee-dee-dee-dee-bom-bom to San Fernando. "