Like most affairs, the one you're about to have with this vintage early '50s Hattie Carnegie dress starts out innocently. You feel positively giddy as you flirt with this creamy, dreamy silk satin textile. The rich champagne color is something you begin to crave. It's so decadent and luxurious. What first seemed like a mere dalliance, turns into something serious. Examining the intricate seamwork and beautiful hand craftsmanship of this dress, you begin to realize that this isn't just a casuall affair. You try it on and notice how beautifully it accentuates your figure and that's when it hits you. This is The Big One. You've fallen in love with this exquisite dress. And, really, who could blame you?

There is a wealth of information available on Hattie Carnegie, but the take-home today is that when you buy Hattie Carnegie, you're getting one of the most legendary names in American fashion. Hattie Carnegie's empire employed some of the most important designers in American fashion--Norman Norell, Claire McCardell, Gustave Tassel and Pauline Trigére, to name a few. This Hattie dress is meant for a special buyer or collector who appreciates high fashion elegance.

This dress features wonderful princess seaming and lots of hand sewn finishing touches. There's an interior shot of the bodice at right. The elastic band you see at the top of the photo hooks at the center of your back. Slide the bodice up, put your arms into the armholes and you have this beautiful shelf-bust with intricate, sculptural seams. The bust is truly phenomenal and original! The fit and flare silhouette is stunning. The skirt is made of perfect large gores that flare out from a fitted smooth, waistline. Inside, there's a peterhsam belt and a Zita, Inc. label along with the 1950s Hattie Carnegie label. The dress closes with a long metal zipper. Divine.

Now that you're in love with the dress, may we suggest you get married in it? It would, after all, make the most perfect wedding dress. If you're not nuptially inclined, that's fine, too. You deserve the best vitnage party dress and this one is surely a contender.

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Condition:
VERY GOOD to EXCELLENT. The dress has been dry cleaned. It's got a few minor spots. The worst one is shown so that you can see just how faint they are. Three faint spots (each less than 1/4") were found after a thorough inspection of the dress. There are some minor pulls in the satin that are not noticeable. A thread from the silk got pulled and created an irregularity which is hard to discern since the textile has a slubbed effect to it. There are 4 such thread "pulls". There is a small dent in the back by the shoulder. See that in the last photo. These flaws are so negligible that you might not find them. Keep in mind--quality is important to us and we think that the few flaws found are minor.
Era: 1950s

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Designer/Label: Hattie Carnegie

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Color: Champagne
Fabric: Silk Satin with a very slightly slubbed effect

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Size: M-L
Measurements: Bust  = 40 (may fit a C cup best) " Waist  = 29 " Hip  = 52 " Shoulder to Waist  = 16 1/2 " Shoulder  = 17 " Sleeve  = approx. 4 " Length  = 44 1/2 " Additional Notes  = The elastic band may need adjustment. It's still stretchy, but you might have to customize the fit to get it tight to the body. "