#simonetta

US Vogue August 1962

Tilly Tizzani wears wide hem sweater, by Simonetta, black and white leotard, by Capezio. The rabbit fur chain handbag, by Greta. Hairstyle by Michel Kazan.

Tilly Tizzani porte un pull à ourlet large, par Simonetta, justaucorps noir et blanc, par Capezio. Le sac à main à chaîne de fourrure en lapin, par Greta. Coiffure de Michel Kazan.

The Two-Piece Look of the Dress in the 1960s: Vogue 1466 by Simonetta

Why would a designer go to so much trouble to create the look of two-pieces in a dress? This is the second such effort I have spotted recently among 1960s patterns, see Vogue 1522 by Patou which I blogged earlier, so there must have been some reason. It could be mere novelty, it could be the satisfaction of fooling the eyes of the onlooker, the borrowing of an idea, or it could be separates were considered a bit less informal than a dress and thus easier to choose for day-time wear. It also could make it easier to wear as one didn’t have to worry about the two pieces parting company at the waistline if one should stretch or lean. What it did not do in this case was make it easier to get into.

This dress pattern by the Italian designer Sinonetta featured what she called a “bias-cut loose waistcoat effect” created with a center bodice pattern piece and then two side pieces which are then lined after they are attached. Then an underbodice which looks like a darted sloper but cut in lining fabric front and back is attached to the fashion fabric bodice, and shuts with tiny hooks in the back under the zippered back, making it extremely difficult to get on by one’s self. The underbodice exists in order to attach the gathered skirt front to it, thus creating the two-piece look and then the whole underbodice has an attached inner ribbon belt to hold it close to the body by closing with hooks and eyes. The back belt pieces then button in place, one through the other.  And did I mention the entire garment is first underlined to give it some stiffiness and keep the A-line shape?

Yes, a lot of work for this two-piece look, and one that tends to draw attention down towards the waistline. Notice how the sketch of the pink version has a large brooch and an up-do to draw attention back up towards the face. And notice how the photograph of the black makes it hard to discern any of the details which seems a waste of all that effort.

Cocktail Dress

Simonetta

c.1955

Name: Minami Urushibata