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Stunning authentic late 1950s mid-century cocktail dress sourced from the historic Davidson's department store of Indianapolis. This exceptional piece features a vibrant, sunny yellow structural crepe wiggle dress base with a beautifully draped, sheer chiffon overlay. The bodice showcases an elegant faux-wrap ruched sweetheart neckline culminating in a structural bow detail at the front waist, creating an effortless blouson silhouette over a sleek, form-fitting pencil skirt.
The mid-century craftsmanship of this garment is extraordinary, boasting a unique double metal zipper design—one for the inner structured base and a separate matching zipper for the outer chiffon layer—to ensure a flawless drape. The interior hem is meticulously finished with vintage pinked hem tape. Please note that the fabric content tag is missing; while it resembles silk, it feels texturally like a premium mid-century rayon or synthetic nylon chiffon blend. The dress is incredibly petite and is shown unzipped at the back because it is too small to safely close on our standard modern mannequin.
Given its age and the fine weave of the sheer overlay, this authentic piece is somewhat fragile and should be handled, tried on, and worn with gentle care. Overall, it remains in beautiful vintage condition. There are two tiny fabric separations/rips tucked directly within the folds of the front waist bow, which are naturally hidden by the ruched draping and do not detract from its stunning look. A few minor, faint pulls are present in the chiffon overlay, typical of age and storage. All original seams and both heavy metal zippers remain fully functional. A spectacular collector's garment ready for display or a very careful vintage styling!
**very faint light spots in the chiffon near the side seams, nearly impossible to see unless under direct spotlight
**a very small amount of stretch is present in the material, but do not rely on this to make the dress fit if the measurements don’t work for you; it’s for comfort only
**shoulders 11.5”, chest 13.5”, waist 10.5”, waist to hem 21.5”, total length 35.5”
