1920s Silver Cobweb Lame Flapper Culottes Dress

Tailored to a classic 1920s drop-waist silhouette, this is a rare surviving culottes dress from the earlier part of the flapper era and our oldest ever jumpsuit design! This antique piece features wide lame ribbon straps in shimmering silver. Intricate cobweb lame mimics the appearance of lace, with flowers, shell motifs and geometric shapes woven throughout. The top layer is sheer and the dress is lined with champagne silk with hook-and-eye closures at the rear. The bottom layer forms a pair of culottes. Very unusual for a piece of this time, these shorts are tailored and flared to a relaxed fit that means they could be mistaken for a midi-skirt. Falling delicately over the top of these, layers of petals form a skirt and create a scallop-like effect.

A century old, it is rare that a piece of this delicacy survives.  No labels are left in the dress but she has been very well manufactured.  Please note that we have expertly repaired some of the breaks in the dress torso since she was photographed so refer to the model shots as these better reflect the condition.  Overall, the dress is very good for her age and she can be worn with care.  The lining is original and in excellent condition with no stains or holes - quite remarkable.  The straps are a well matched replacement and could be quite modern.  The silver lame is good to very good overall and without tarnish; the colour has mellowed over the years and the silk mesh interwoven with the lame threads has darkened allover. There a number of areas where this element of the fabric is splitting but due to the extraordinary design of the lame this isn't noticed when worn - large areas of the lame are excellent.  It's painstaking work but the mesh could be backed to strengthen through conservation or replaced.  We're comfortable with the level of preservation and effort we have put in to get her wearable or for display purposes but anymore than this should be decided by her future owner.  She can certainly be enjoyed just as she is.   

The dress is very petite and would best fit a UK 6 or US 2, but please double-check the measurements below.  Our model (5ft 4in / 163cm) is a UK 6-8 or US 2-4 and this was a tight fit. 

MEASUREMENTS 
Bust - 32 in. (81.2 cm)
Waist - 26 in. (66 cm)
Hip - 32 in. - 34 in. (81.2 cm - 91.4 cm)
Length- 47 in. (119.3 cm)