Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Heirloom 1924 Wedding Dress

Elizabeth's Wedding Dress - Worn October 25, 1924
Who could have guessed what kind of treasure hid away, inside this tattered art deco Christmas box? I lifted the lid, and what I found inside took my breath away! The most well preserved piece of fashion (and bridal) history I may ever lay my hands on. I can only imagine this is what it might feel like to win a jackpot.
As I uncovered layers of bridal attire, the story deepened. At the bottom of this box full of treasures, I found the invitation to the wedding! Thank goodness for Google Street View! You can take a look at the house where the bride's parents lived, and at the church where the wedding took place.
This bride had it all planned out. From stories I've heard, weddings were not as elaborate then as they are now. Well this particular wedding was no small affair. The bride, Elizabeth, had everything in order. Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.... and a six pence in her shoe!
The only thing truly missing from this collection is a picture of the bride in the complete ensemble.
If you are looking at those pearl beads and flowers wondering how they were made and what from, then we think a lot alike! Glass seems like a possibility for the beads, but that would be very heavy! So I did a bit of research and found out that wax flowers were commonly used in clothing decoration. Surprisingly, the pearls used on the dress and headpiece are also wax. It's a miracle that all that wax is still intact after years in that old Christmas box. Some of the pearls are a little discolored, but still very beautiful. I can't find any missing beads or pearls.
Everything (except for the coin) is for sale. Please visit my Etsy shop to view the listings. I have not included any measurements. So if you are interested, don't hesitate to ask! I will measure anything you like. Click here to email me. Click here to view the listing and more details about the dress.


If you'd like to Google the church where the dress was worn, it can be found here:
St. Luke's Episcopal Church
210 E 4th Ave  Roselle, NJ 07203

2 comments:

Allie said...

I just found your blog. It is a very nice place to visit. That vintage keepsake box is filled with so many beautiful things. Makes you wonder about what that special day was like, for a bride from so long ago. A truly a magical find.
www.skylarkmanor.com

christina said...

I can't believe you found that dress in an old Christmas box! for real, jackpot.

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