Item 26-258

The style, thread and construction of this dolls dress that we found in France suggest a date of approximately 1945–1965.

Several details support this dating:

• The use of mercerised cotton crochet thread, which has a soft sheen and was widely available after the Second World War.

• The delicate mint green and cream colour combination, a fashionable palette for children’s clothing during the 1950s.

• The carefully shaped bodice and full skirt, designed to echo the silhouettes of girls’ dresses of the era.

This is a handmade piece that measures 20x16cm. It is highly probable that the design was probably worked from a pattern published in a French women’s magazine such as Modes & Travaux, Le Petit Écho de la Mode, or another popular needlework publication. These magazines regularly included patterns for doll wardrobes that could be made at home.