Awesome 1970s vintage maxi peasant skirt by Chessa Davis...this novelty themed patchwork skirt features all the bells (literally!) and whistles the label is known for...patchwork, lace, ribbons, and five small bronze metal bells that tie on to the ribbons throughout. Comes complete with a matching sash belt, is fully lined in lightweight cream colored cotton, and has a comfy and stretchy elastic waistband. See condition below for more details and learn more about the designer below from The Vintage Fashion Guilds website, written by thespectrum...
"Chessa Davis was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico into an old Spanish land-grant family. Her first career was as an actress, having been discovered at age 12 by Charles Laughton. She appeared in many films & hundreds of TV shows. She first got into fashion by giving her husband, Ellis Kadison, some wardrobe advice on a film he was making.
But what really got her design career into high gear was a peasant skirt she made for herself to wear to a party. A Beverly Hills shop owner ordered 6 on the spot & they sold out immediately. She made her garage into a workshop & hired seamstresses to make the unique skirts, which were based on old peddler skirts. Historically, they were stitched together out of odds & ends of fabrics & embellishments were added. These skirts then became popular among the rich, who tried to outdo each other by adding more & more ornaments, including intricate needlework patches, wedding rings, baby spoons, thimbles, rings & coins.
In the early 1970s these Peddler’s Cloak skirts, being manufactured in California by WW Duke, became wildly popular among the bohemians & artists. Thousands of them sold around the world, making Chessa famous for this rich peasant style. Some of the names of the skirts were Tinker Frau, Aunt Goldie, Captain’s Daughter & Georgetown. They were made in panels & included patchworks in cotton, gauze, lace & velvet. Many of the skirts came with blouses & sashes. Quoting Chessa: “they are romantic, feminine, comfortable, yet not a costume. And they make a woman look & feel young”. Some of her customers were Princess Grace, Dinah Shore, Mary Tyler Moore & Betty Ford."
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• designer: Chessa Davis
• era: 1970s
• origin: USA
• fabric: mix of cotton, velvet, lace, other
• color: cream, pink, navy, rose, green, lavender
• care: dry clean only - the color on the round velvet patches will bleed, and DID bleed as can be seen in the last photo. Some color bled onto the surrounding edges and trim as can be seen. Not obvious unless up close and looking.
• condition: very good with minor color bleeding in areas
* all measurements are taken flat - waist and hips are doubled.
• waist: 26-32" stretchy elastic waistband
• hips: 42"
• total length: 41"
• belt length: 87"
• 1" = 2.54cm
• recommended women's size: medium / large
• size recommendations may differ from the label or your expectations of that size. The best way to determine the fit of vintage clothing is to compare the measurements provided against a similar item that fits you well.
• the model is 5'8" tall with a 36” bust, 27” waist, and 36” hips and typically wears US size small or medium.
• orders are sent within 48 hours of purchase, Monday – Friday, via USPS First Class or Priority Mail.
• orders include complimentary insurance and tracking numbers within the USA and to most countries.
• USA orders arrive within 2-6 business days. International orders arrive within 10-20 days on average.
• store policies regarding returns, refunds, restocking fees, layaway, international VAT and more can be found within the FAQ section of the store. Please agree to these policies prior to purchase and get in touch if you have any questions.
• please feel welcome to message me any time, I'm always here and happy to assist you!
🖤🖤🖤
Katrajina
owner, curator, photographer, vintage obsessed human
https://www.kcovintage.com
https://www.kcovintage.etsy.com
instagram@kcovintage
Fidalgo Island, WA, USA
