The Roaring Twenties certainly gave ladies a wonderful new freedom in fashion!This original 1920s beaded flapper dress is striking with the black beaded dress over a teal green “slip”!  It dates to about 1924.

The overdress of black crepe is covered with stars and designs done with steel colored or metallic “rhinestone” shaped beads or stones and faceted black carnival glass beads.  Smoky gray velvet trim at the neckline and armscyes of the crepe overdress adds just that little extra “Wow!”  At each side, on the hip are medallions covered with steel colored beads that hold looped up, loose crepe streamers.  The teal green underdress allows the beaded design to show superbly.

This antique beaded flapper dress has an interesting story about alterations and how the flappers of the day watched hem lengths.  You can read about it here in our blog.

The condition of the dress and underdress is very good.  There is very minor bead loss on the silk crepe overdress, mainly a couple at the neckline.  There is a small hole in the front, at the bustline and a very nearly invisible horizontal line at the level of the side medallions that shows from where the dress went through a period alteration (see blog).  The coloration keeps these from being particularly obvious.

The underdress shows some marring at the hemline in the front, which is barely visible through the overdress, especially given the location.  There is a silk ribbon drawstring at the top allowing the wearer to adjust the fit for modesty.  It is fragile and should probably not be pulled. The underdress shows the most evidence of period alterations (all removed) where tucks were taken at the underarm area and the straps were shortened – one was cut and moved, but it seems to have been an improvement!  There are a few places where old stitch marks remain, but again are unseen through the overdress.There is light underarm stain, but it occurred while the dress had been altered and two small light brown stains on the front, below the waist.Again, these are not apparent when worn with the overdress.

You are encouraged to take a look at the blog entry for this dress.  I learned a great deal about 1920s fashions while delving into this dress’s past.

This antique beaded flapper dress is very strong and would be considered wearable, although I do not personally encourage doing so.

Bust       33”

Waist     26 ½”

Hip        37”

Shoulder to Hem:     48”