Fashion Love Affair: Vintage 1920's Lace and Embroidery Dress

This shouldn't be news to anyone, but I'm a costume nerd. You can tell so much about the zeitgeist of a particular era by looking at what people were wearing back then. What's great about the 20's is that the departure from the lace-heavy, buttoned-up Edwardian era was so incredibly in-your-face, like so much of what was going on during that time. The 1920's saw a swift change from the uber-femme corseted S-curve Gibson Girl to the boyish taping-her-breasts-down flapper in a very short period of time.

Edwardian Silhouette (left), Flapper Silhouette (right)

For so long, trends changed over a period of decades. In the 1700's and 1800's, silhouettes gradually morphed over the course of years. These days, cinched waists and shutter shades are in one season and out the next.

While costume history is pretty fascinating, it also generalizes. The subtle nuances tucked away in the broader tale of fashion history are pretty cool too. This dress, currently on Ebay, is the perfect example of merging a boyish silhouette with girlish nostalgia. The woman who owned this dress had a soft spot for the Edwardian era. She eschewed fashionable simplicity for Art Nouveau frou frou, yet stayed on-trend. Amazing. I wonder where she wore this dress...

So, I covet this lovely piece. Take a peek!