Tag: Bespoke dressmaking

An early 1930s style silk crepe back satin evening dress

Irma RomeroLeave a comment

Here I present a beautiful early 1930s inspired evening dress in powder blue silk crepe back satin, that I originally designed and made for the lovely and talented Rosamund Pike.

There is a slight Ancient Grecian feel to it, favoured by the designers in the 1930s, combined with the art deco style of the period, here the bias cut gown with the asymmetric diagonally cut neckline and the diagonally cut panels in bodice and skirt forming a peak at the left side of the waistline, a feature very typical of the era. With two deep long darts along the sides of the bodice and low cut back.
The straps feature lovely sewn on original vintage sequin trimming, as well as on the waist.
Closure with snap fasteners at the side seam.

Mid-1930s style wool crepe darling

Irma RomeroLeave a comment

This lovely bottle green wool crepe mid- 1930s inspired dress is an adaptation from an earlier design of mine from 2009, here presented with long raglan cut bishop sleeves and contrasting cream silk cuffs.
The striking large cream silk bow down the front of the bodice with a deep v neckline is typical of the 1930s style and a fantastic contrast to the deep green of the mid- calf length dress. The vintage cream button attached to the little flap on the bodice with an art deco style cut panelling also adds to the eye-catching front. It also features two kick pleats down the front of the skirt. The bodice is gathered at the back. The belt has an original vintage buckle. Two darts at the back of the skirt. Snap fasteners at the side seam.

The mid-1930s style darlings

Irma RomeroLeave a comment

Here I present a couple of designs with variations from a previous one I made a couple of years ago. “Ruth” and “Eleanor” are made in wool knit lace fabric with unusual large collar and triple decorative vintage buttons. The puff sleeves also feature buttons as do the waistband of the blouse. Hook and eye closure at the back.

“Alma” and “Edna” are bias cut cotton blouses, very popular in the 1930s, with short sleeves featuring geometric cuffs and a pair of vintage buttons. The collar has a central flap, secured by a vintage button, and the belt has a vintage bakelite buckle. Hook and eye closure at the back of the round collar. They also have a little side pocket with a button and darts down the front of the blouse.

“Violet” is a mid- 1930s style blouse in viscose rayon, in the same style as “Alma” and “Edna” but without the side pocket. The cuffs, collar flap and the little detail in the belt in light cream viscose create an interesting contrast to the burgundy of the blouse. Vintage buttons adorn the cuffs and collar flap. The belt also features a vintage buckle.

All available here.

Ruth

Eleanor

Alma

Edna

Violet

Vivian revamped

Irma RomeroLeave a comment

Here’s a golden oldie from my 1930s bow dress collection from a few years back, the “Vivian”, an early 1930s style dress in burgundy silk crepe de chine with its dramatic large bow in original vintage rayon bringing interesting contrast to it, typical to the era. It also features the unusual detail in the shoulders of the half moon shaped “wings”, that were also a popular style detail in the 1930s. The long sleeves have small cuffs in the same fabric as the bow. The belt features an early vintage plastic buckle. Closure at the side with snap fasteners.

My homage to Helene Schjerfbeck’s “Girl from Eydtkuhnen II” (1927)

Irma RomeroLeave a comment

Here’s my interpretation of the dress of the wonderful abstract painting “Girl from Eydtkuhnen II” (1927), by the amazing Finnish artist Helene Schjerfbeck which I wore for the exclusive preview of opening of the new exhibition “Schjerfbeck and Fashion”, which opened at the Villa Gyllenberg in Helsinki on February 14th 2024. See my previous post about how I became involved in this project.

This rather unusual bolero dress, which was a novelty in the 1920s, in silk crepe de chine, features joining panels of fabric, in this case, in different colours with the technique known as “faggoting”, a very popular thing in the Twenties, which could be made by hand or as in this case, by machine. It creates an interesting patchwork effect. The bolero top attaches to the front only. The light yellow main dress also features a beautiful accordion pleating on the skirt, in this case my homage to Clara Bow, and the skirt she wore in the film “It”, also made in the same year as the painting. The light blue belt, with a bakelite vintage buckle, fashionably placed on the lower hip brings a lovely balance to the elaborate bolero front.

Early 1970s style hostess dress

Irma RomeroLeave a comment

This beautiful early 1970s Grecian style hostess dress in peach silk chiffon and silk satin has the lovely floaty effect with the long and asymmetrically cut chiffon butterfly sleeves and the low cut neckline both front and back emphasising the empire style cut along the bust line with a silver metallic braid trim and the collar. It fastens with a zip at the back. Perfect for those summer garden parties.

Early 1920s style hunting outfit with jacket and jodhpurs

Irma RomeroLeave a comment

Here I present an early 1920s style jacket and jodhpurs combo making for a fetching hunting outfit. The jacket is made of a lovely basket weave wool blend fabric and the jodhpurs are in cotton needlecord. The slanted side pockets and the square breast pocket on the jacket make a nice design detail. The wide belt fastening the military style jacket also makes this rather masculine style a bit more feminine. The corduroy jodhpurs which were so popular for leisure wear are high waisted with vintage button closure at the sides and the legs. The balloon style legs give freedom of movement.