Vintage early 1960s full-skirted cotton knit dress from Koret of California in turquoise-piped gold features the swirl patterned jacquard knit fabric the company introduced in the winter of 1961.

The scoop-necked, kimono-sleeved bodice is shaped with bust darts and piped in turquoise blue around the neckline, down the center front, and around the elbow-length sleeve ends. It has a 6” metal Talon zipper in back.

The skirt is gently gathered into soft box pleats front and back (in the fall of 1960, Koret had started offering flared skirt options in its knitwear, to accommodate women who, as a newspaper article put it, “liked the fabric but disliked the ‘poured in’ look created by some sheath versions of cotton knits”). There are belt loops at either side of the waist, and a 1.5” wide by 31” long self-fabric belt. Dress is unlined.

Label reads “Koret of California, Knit Division, Hand Washable, Made in U.S.A.” Period ads show that the fabric used for the “swirl knit group”--yet one more in Stephanie Koret’s never-ending quest for easy-care elegance--was Permathal Everglaze 100% cotton by Alamac. A January 1962 ad trumpeted its “crease-resistant and shape-retaining” virtues and said that the garments in the “sun swirl group” all had “Talon's new Zephyr closure that ends snags.” Other period ads for the swirl knits describe the color of this dress as “ginger”, and the color of the blue piping, variously, as “Caribbean blue”, “China blue”, and “bay blue”.

Measurements as follows: Bust 36”, shoulders (approx) 15”, sleeves (approx) 14”, waist 32”, hips 42”, bodice length 14”, overall length (center back to hem) 38”.

Very good/near-excellent condition, with some loose or missing stitches at the waist seam (photos #10 and #11).

Please note: For proper display, I’ve stuffed the dress' sleeves with tissue in most photos; photo #13 shows the dress unbelted and with unstuffed sleeves.

Proud Member of the VFG Vintage Fashion Guild