1930s Black Silk Dress with Net Back

In the days before a designer label was the only thing consumer looked for in a garment, little neighborhood dressmakers created custom designs for women, using couturier techniques and finishing garments better than anything you can buy off the rack today. This is a beautiful example of that kind of quality: In black silk crepe de chine, the line is simple with a show-stopping treatment on the shoulder and back. Slipping on over the head, the dress has a deep décolleté that is slightly gathered at the vee of the bustline, with ties at center waist wrapping to tie at the back to cinch the waistline. The shoulder and entire back are ruched to create a cartridge effect with black net sewn between each cartridge - an amazing effect - and one you  would see only in a couturier piece today. There is a small hole at the back of the waist, and a tiny hole in the net. Bust 33", waist 25", hip 34", shoulder 14", sleeve 24", length 39".  $165