This sweet 1950's dress with the "Betty Barclay" label is a follow-up to the "Hourglass Corsage Silhouettes" post on vintage dresses with fitted bodices that hint at a corset shaping. I have a few examples of this style, and thought it might be fun to take a look.
This "Betty Barclay" design was a junior division of the Jonathan Logan group. I wrote an earlier post that included this dress, and have wanted to give it a full review ever since.
This close up view of the front and collar shows the cute butterfly print clearly. It seems to be screen printed on a fabric with some sheen that is probably acetate. Tiny rhinestones are scattered on the collar. With these details, I'm guessing it was not an everyday school dress, but something special for dates and family events.
The bodice is closely fitted in both front and back, without a belt or seam around the waist. It closes up the back with a simple metal zipper, which was common at the time. The gathered skirt is emphasized by the lower dropped level seam line. This creates the corsage fit and hourglass silhouette.
The small Peter Pan collar provides a demure look that was very popular. The sleeves are cut in one with the bodice (small kimono style sleeves) and they have a narrow turned back cuff to compliment the collar detail.
The simple cut of this dress would have made it cheaper to manufacture for the junior budget. While the rhinestones are few, they provide a bit of embellishment on a conservative collar. Overall it's a very cute look, perfect for a high school girl to wear.
Measurements:
Bust: 35" / 89
Waist: 26" / 66Hips: full skirt
Length: 35.5" / 90 from shoulder/over bust/to hem