the look

a 1970s star of india dress in paper-light indian cotton gauze, block-printed in rose, teal, and deep red with rows of peacocks, scattered florals, and paisley borders, all threaded through with woven gold lurex stripes that catch the light. star of india was one of the indian gauze labels that flooded american boutiques in the 1970s, when lightweight block-printed cotton from india became shorthand for the decade's bohemian, back-to-nature dressing. these gauze dresses were block-printed in india and imported in huge numbers, yet the named pieces with metallic lurex and figural peacock borders are the ones collectors chase now. this one carries the romantic empire silhouette of the era: a gathered yoke spilling into a full, floaty skirt, long bishop sleeves, a tie neckline, and a crochet-lace trimmed collar. the bird-and-flower border print runs around the hem the way the best of these were engineered, so the pattern reads as a whole when worn.

please note: a faint spot or two from age, in keeping with delicate vintage gauze (visible in the close-up).