A special 1940s skirt and jacket suit made by Chappi for Goldies a store in Wichita, Kansas. Made from soft and lightweight woven wool in dark muted purple with beautiful aubergine silk lining on jacket inner and skirt back upper. The jacket has no shoulder seam but has built in shoulder pads, ¾ length sleeves, crescent pockets, and centre front closure of six self-fabric covered buttons. The shape is more boxy with a subtle peplum compared to the later 1950s nipped waist. It has a simple collar but the front yoke and double tabbed front closures shaped like tear drops are jewelled with crystal and aubergine bugle and seed beads plus rhinestones. The sleeves are raglan shaped and are gathered to layered cuffs that feature the same jewelled pattern as the yoke.
The skirt is a simple pencil shape in walking length with a short slit at the back hem. Its hem has been bound with a ribbon and its lining has a pinked hem. The closure is a metal zipper and medium hook and eye on the left side. The quality of this vintage suit is seen in the attention to detail, with a hook and eye at the collar to keep the tabs in place, functioning pockets on the jacket front (albeit small, coin purse size), hidden shoulder pads, a ribbon edged skirt hem and of course the stunning jewelled details on the yoke and cuffs.
Fits like modern size Jacket like a L, Skirt M
Measurements (lying flat):
Jacket
Shoulder to shoulder ~48cm
Underarm to underarm 53cm
Waist 47cm
Shoulder to hem 53cm
Arms eye 23cm
Sleeve length 49cm
Skirt
Waist 38cm
Hips 49cm
Waist to hem 61cm
Label: Goldies Wichita Kansas, Tailored by “Chappi”, both on jacket
Provenance: Sourced from U.S.A.
Condition: Excellent- three small moth hole repairs; on back lower skirt, on front lower jacket above one pocket and below the other. Light coloured staining of both lining underarms.
