This incredible blouse was made in the 1930's.
The base is made from floppy cotton with a gorgeous weight which makes it fall perfectly. It has the most wonderful smocking detail with a wide band at the waist, across the front and back shoulders running into the sleeves and then the piece is finished off perfectly with neat bands of smocking on the sleeve ends. The smocking is incredibly intricate and has been meticulously worked in silk threads in purple, pink, cream and green and the the piece buttons down the front with 1930's faceted glass buttons.
A truly fabulous piece.
Measurements
It isn't meant to be super close fitting and the waist is very restricted due to the smocking. It will best fit up to a 38" bust and maximum 25" waist but to ensure that it will fit you properly, please compare the measurements below to a similar piece you already own;
Flat bust 19" with some extra fullness in the swathe of gathers
Flat waist 12" stretching to a maximum of 12.5"
Shoulders between sleeves 15.5"
Underarm sleeve length 7"
Flat cuff 6"
Shoulder to waist 15.5"
Length 26.5"
Condition
Sturdy with the following points to note;
- there is some discolouration, most notably when you look between the folds - I can't tell whether it is fade or grub but I haven't washed as I don't know whether the silks are colour fast
- there are 3 small approximately 1cm square patches in the skirt section
- 2 pinhead holes in the right sleeve
- smattering of grazes and teeny pinholes in the skirt section - because the skirt section is so wonderfully full, most of them are lost within the deep folds and are only seen when the piece is held up to the light - darning them will make them more visible
The issues above really are minor and the piece is still utterly incredible.