Description

Everything's coming up roses at Sylvan Belle this week! Check out my listings for a bouquet of pretty vintage and designer clothing with rose prints or happy rosy colors!

Here is one of my favorite dresses ever, from my personal collection.

This dress is so fabulous, and is the epitome of bombshell elegance.

Here are the details:

• Label: Harzfelds Kansas City
• Fabric: Silk chiffon
• Era - I believe this is from the late fifties to very early 60s.
• Oooo la la! Where do I start to describe this dress?! First, the fabric is luscious. Sheer silk chiffon with a watercolor print of hot pink full-blown roses and moss green leaves. (PLEASE NOTE The colors are more vibrant than showing on my monitor - Auctiva's picture hosting service tends to wash out pinks and reds. Please refer to the gallery image there at the top of the listing for the truest representation of the color - I uploaded that picture directly to.)
• The fabric is studded all over with prong-set rhinestones in green, pink, and clear.
• The dress has straps, gathered at the shoulders.
• Low v-neck.
• The fitted bodice has darts and a waist seam with piping.
• The straight fitted skirt is slightly gathered at the waist and has waist darts.
• The houglass bombshell silhouette is enhanced with marvelous gathered flourishes at the side - silk chiffon ruffles that float and swirl with every movement. Kind of a mermaid effect...so sexy!
• The back has a plunging v neckline and a perfectly-functioning metal zipper. Hooks and eyes at top, and at waist.
• Little thread lingerie loops with snaps to hold your underpinnings in place.
• There are gathered scarf-like chiffon straps as well as the dress shoulder straps - elegant back interest.
• The lavish use of rhinestones all over the dress add sparkle and flash. Believe me, you will be the center of attention in this fabulous dress. I can see it as the centerpiece of an elegant garden coctail soiree - add hot pink ruched elbow-length gloves, seamed stockings, stiletto heels, and a fabulous hat, and you'll really turn heads.
• Completely lined in blush pink silk charmeuse.
• This dress was from the French Room at Harzfelds in Kansas City. Long gone now, this was a very exclusive and iconic department store here in Kansas City. department store. Harzfelds went out of business in the 1980's, ending a nearly 100-year history of providing elegant, designer clothing to fashionable women. The French Room was their luxurious enclave of couture fashion, where women could special order custom-made designer creations. This particular dress appears to have been custom-made. It has meticulous detail, and a lot of hand sewing.
• There is a wonderful website about Harzfeld's history - if you want to read more, check out "Harzfeld's Kansas City" on Google - its the first search result. Sorry, rules prevent me from providing a link.
• Please check the measurements below for a general idea of fit. This dress HAS BEEN ALTERED at one point to make it smaller through the waist and hip area. There is a huge seam allowance. There are THREE inches of available seam allowance at the waist (still allowing for 1/2" seams) and FIVE inches available thru the hip area (still allowing for 1/2" seams.) Please refer to the last photo - the seam allowance is to the left, the dark line shows the present seam, the two lighter lines show creases where the previous seams had been. These seams would be a simple matter to let out to make the dress larger. The bodice is quite busty, and the bottom of the dress is extremely narrow. It will be very easy to let out the bottom to be more in proportion to the top, and accommodate a more modern fit. The fabric is in beautiful condition, very sound, and I don't believe the stitching, if removed and altered, would be visible.
• THAT SAID, here are the MEASUREMENTS
• Bust 39 (not alterable.)
• Waist 25 (could be let out to approx 28)
• Hip 36 (could be let out to approx 41)
• Back length, from shoulder seam to waist seam 17"
• Back Length, from waist seam to hem 25 1/4
• CONDITION: This dress is generally in wonderful condition. There are two minor issues to note, and believe me they do not detract. First, there is some slight yellowing at the underarm. It is actually more noticeable in the pictures than in person, and I do believe that if you have a trusted cleaners that is experienced with fine vintage clothing, that it could most likely be improved. It is perfectly wearable as-is - this issue is very minor and not noticeable. The other issue is there are some pale brown stains on the LINING ONLY that do not show in any way on the outside. They appear to be water stains, perhaps.
• The rest of the dress is in very excellent condition - very sound and completely wearable. The silk is strong. It has been lovingly preserved. I have had it in my own collection for a number of years, but must now pass it on to a loving home. I hope it brings glamor to its new owner's life!
• From a smoke-free home.
• I know you will adore this dress - it is an exceptional vintage piece.