70s diane von furstenberg ruffle collar print smock dress

the look

a late 1970s diane von furstenberg day dress, made in usa. a deep violet ground is scattered with lilac dashes and sprays of teal, periwinkle and peach flowers, all on a fluid acetate and rayon challis. a ruffled stand collar tops a round yoke, and the body falls from it in soft gathers to a straight knee-to-midi hem, with gently puffed shoulders and long sleeves finished in button cuffs. self-covered buttons close the back neck. von furstenberg launched her company in 1970 and made her name with the 1974 jersey wrap dress. from 1977 on she built out a wider licensed collection under the "milan-paris-new york" label. this softer, prairie-leaning smock shape belongs to that period, a less common side of the house than the wrap.

details

• era: 1970s
• designer: diane von furstenberg
• origin: usa
• design: long-sleeve smock dress with a ruffled stand collar, round front and back yoke, gathered body, softly puffed shoulders and button cuffs. back-neck opening with self-covered buttons, straight knee-to-midi length, unlined. violet print with lilac dashes and teal, periwinkle and peach floral sprays. ILGWU union label. materials and percentages - 53% acetate, 47% rayon
• condition: excellent: print and color bright, no visible stains, holes or pulls, light general wear consistent with age
• size & fit: tagged size 6. best modern fit estimate is women's xs to medium, approximately us 2-8 depending on desired ease. the smock cut is roomy through the body and falls straight from the yoke, so it works loose on smaller frames or skims on a medium. shown on a dress form measuring 17 in shoulders, 35 in bust, 30.5 in underbust, 25 in waist and 35 in hips.
• flat measurements: bust 20.5 in flat, hem 21 in flat, shoulder 16.5 in, sleeve 23 in, length 42.5 in