The attractiveness of this dress is that it designed in very light shades of pearl and iridescent beads in an intricate lace-type of design. The very soft colors of the pearl beading is set in flourishes and cameos that pay exciting honor to the complex designs of Victorian fashions. It is clear that the specific beading pattern was the 1920s fashion interpretation of Battenberg lace and this dress is a exceptional piece for its very romantic lines and shading – the fashion antithesis of the roaring 20s decade. The pearls were set in such a manner that they gave the base and appearance of lace and then darker iridescent beading was used to provide shadow highlights and give the bead-lace description when viewed from someone other than the wearer. When seen from a 2+ foot distance, the dress almost appears to be made of chiffon and lace – a testimony to the skill of the dress’ designer.

This outfit was definitely made in a design very far removed from the hard angles and collections of the in-vogue art deco styles of that time and was designed particularly to bring out the beauty, grace, and femininity of the wearer. This dress is less about sparkle and glamour and more about reinstating a lost elegance to the age.

The development of the dress attests to the care that was taken during its creation. The dress is made up of two cuts of dusty rose chiffon – a top sheath and a different bottom section to create being full at the hips and to flare the hemline. The seams at the joining of the top and bottom were sewn jointly in a curve that matches the cut of the beaded design in the dress – making it clear that the dress was not made as a simple sheath and then beaded with a cookie-cutter pattern. This was definitely designed especially for an individual with their character and style in mind. I don’t find any breaks in the pearls or in the long iridescent beads – it appears the beading pattern is nearly intact in all places, which include the cameo-like clusters at the neckline and hips.