Black dress with blue embroidered puff sleeved and peplum

A black velveteen dress with blue embroidered puff sleeves (a) and peplum (b). The black velveteen full length dress features a boat neckline and a drop waist. There are two pieces for the front bodice, seamed together at the center front, and two side panels. There are two princess seams, one on each side, that end at the waist. The 3/4 length puff sleeves are gathered, machine sewn, and hand basted into the armscye. They are made from a single panel of blue synthetic organza with an all over machine embroidered pattern of abstract florals, leaves, stems, and swirls. The embroidery thread is made from synthetic straw (polypropylene) that has been couched down into the fabric.

There are seven thread loops encircling the waist, that correspond to the seven hooks on the peplum. The skirt of the dress is gathered at the waist and machine sewn to the bodice. A black 21" black zipper with a metal pull and plastic teeth that has been hand-basted into place bisects the two back bodice panels and the back of the skirt is made from two panels sewn together at the center back. One piece of synthetic plain weave lines the front bodice, two pieces line the back, and the side panels are lined with black cotton. Similarly, the skirt is lined with black plain weave cotton, one panel for the front and two for the back.

The peplum skirt (b) features a 2.5" wide waistband made from black synthetic twill with a black 1" synthetic Petersham ribbon sewn across the top. There are seven black metal hooks sewn across the top which latch onto the corresponding thread loops along the waist of the dress. Blue synthetic organza, stuffed with synthetic tulle and blue synthetic taffeta, is folded in half lengthwise and sewn to either side of the black taffeta band, creating the body of the peplum. Like the puff sleeves of the dress, there is black abstract embroidery of plants, stems, swirls, and flowers, made from black polypropylene straw that has been couched down into place. All layers of the peplum are machine sewn together at the top and hand basted into place with orange thread. There is no label.

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