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Anne Tyrrell for John Marks | (Very Rare) 1970s Tiered Floral Cotton Gypsy Style Dress | UK 12 £0.00

Biba | 1970s Blue Airforce Cerulean Stripe Deep Plunge Bias Cut Art Deco Influenced Midi Dress | UK 8-10

£0.00

“An absolute showstopper of a dress by the equally beautiful boutique label ‘Biba'”

Out of stock

SKU: 886c20cd0f21 Category:
Description
Biba 1970s Blue Airforce Cerulean Stripe Deep Plunge Bias Cut Art Deco Influenced Midi Dress

History

Fashion label heavyweight ‘Biba’ was the brainchild of Polish born Barbara Hulanicki, who with the help of her late husband Stephen, opened her first boutique in Kensington, London in 1964.

With a background in fashion illustration, Barbara was fortunate enough to share her unique visions with the likes of Vogue and Tatler, before selling her early designs through mail order columns of tabloid newspapers including the Daily Mirror.

With a reputation for decadence and art nouveau decor, her small shop was soon overrun by celebrities such as The Rolling Stones and David Bowie, while boasting affordable mini-skirts, felt hats, feather boas and trouser suits for the general public, a trend that showed no signs of stopping, and which led to a second store opening soon afterwards.

Drawing upon the mass appeal and overwhelming demand, Biba soon became available by mail order while the stores themselves remained popular, until Biba was relocated in favour of a much larger store on the Kensington High Street around 1973.

Here the Biba brand quickly spread to interior furnishings, food and makeup, while demand for the dresses and mini-skirts expanded to maxi coats and later high-end couture, thereby catering to a diverse range of clientele while slowly moving the brand more upmarket.

Unfortunately this drive for growth and expansion came at a price, and after years of unstable financial management, the majority Biba shareholding was sold to Dorothy Perkins and American singer Dennis Day. Now a limited company, Barbara soon found herself in creative conflict with her partners and sadly left Biba Ltd in 1975, shortly before its closure.

Barbara Hulanicki now resides in Miami, Florida, and following House of Fraser’s acquisition of the Biba rights in 2014, she has returned back to the label she once created, while serving as a consultant to its new owners.

Description

This is a beautifully biased-cut striped dress in an infamous ‘auntie colour’ airforce blue cerulean stripe, graced with art-deco styled sleeves while revealing a gloriously feminine point, swishy midi skirting, a deep plunge neckline with delicate mini padding and gathering at the shoulder, all amounting to an absolute showstopper of a dress by the equally beautiful boutique label Biba.

Details

Designer Biba
Fabric No label present however looks and feels like wool jersey
Size No label present but will fit UK 8-10
Alterations None although this dress has inner seams of at least 1″ in three areas including the full zip to the back therefore the size can be altered by a skilled seamstress

Condition

Excellent (see condition chart)
Imperfections None

Measurements

Measured flat without stretching (please double for complete size)

Neckline Opening 10″
Shoulder To Shoulder (across back) 13″
Bust (at widest point) 16″ (32″-34″ Bust) UK 8-10
Waist 14″
Hips 20″
Length (collar to hem) 44″
Sleeve Length (underarm to cuff) 19″
Sleeve Length (shoulder to cuff) 28″
Sweep 80″
Hem 1.1″

Additional Information

Mannequin is UK 8-10 | Bust 31.5″ | Waist 24″ | Hips 34.5″
The dress was not pinned for photography purposes

Condition Chart

Vintage Condition

Having typically enjoyed a previous owner and possibly years of storage, vintage clothes will naturally bear some evidence of their age and history

Barefoot Vintage excellence rests upon item quality and so has never knowingly sold an item failing to meet that strict criteria

All flaws are detailed within the ‘noteworthy’ section of the item description (and photos where applicable)

Condition Guide

All items display a condition rating based on Vintage Fashion Guild guidelines for purchaser peace of mind (see below)

Please familiarize yourself with the terms in the following tables so you can make an informed decision before making a purchase

Condition Rating

New-old / dead stock Unsold and back-stock merchandise from mid-century retailers with attached original tags
Mint Immaculate | may have been worn but bears no evidence
Excellent Excellent vintage condition | close to flawless with very few imperfections | has been worn but well maintained
Very good Very good vintage condition | light evidence of wear | wearable and flaws do not prevent use
Fair Imperfect in appearance | likely repairable with more financial investment than item is worth | remains wearable with care
Study Damaged beyond repair but suitable for study or costume use

The Small Print

  • All items are sold in the condition given in their individual description
  • Age, condition and fabric content are only offered as a professional opinion
  • Actual details may differ in person suject to visual settings on the purchaser’s computer monitor
  • All vintage items are old and pre-used by definition and will naturally bear some evidence of their age
  • Items sold by Barefoot Vintage are not new and will therefore not resemble new merchandise
  • Barefoot Vintage may decide not to clean certain items if they are deemed to have been clean at the point of acquisition
  • Most garments are professionally cleaned by our affiliate vintage dry-cleaning specialist
  • No warranty is given, expressed or implied regarding the survival of any vintage items after they leave Barfeoot Vintage
  • All items are wearable unless otherwise noted
  • If you have a question, problem or concern please contact Barefoot Vintage in the first instance as your happiness is our philosophy
Measurement Guide

Measurement Guide

Are all vintage sizes different from modern sizes?

Size tags on vintage clothing by todays standards, are somewhat misleading. For example, a 1960s size 12 is roughly equivalent to a modern size 8 or 10. Moreover, fifty or 60 years ago a woman’s waist was typically shorter, so a “medium sized” garment might not fit a modern medium sized woman today

How can I be sure your items will fit me?

Due to the fact that vintage and modern sizes differ so greatly Barefoot Vintage has included actual garment measurements as well as the modern size equivalent within every listing to try to help you determine a proper fit

There is also a link to the sizing guide on each product page for immediate reference

Garment Sizing

Barefoot Vintage highly recommends that purchasers take the time to measure themselves (or perhaps an owned garment) to ensure a proper fit ahead of ordering an item

Self-Measurement Process

Using an owned garment

  • Lay your garment flat and measure with a flexible measuring tape at each of the points referenced in the listing
  • If preferred you can double the waist, bust-chest and hip measurements to give you the full circumference
  • If your garment’s measurements are smaller than or equal to our item measurements at each reference point the listed garment should fit

Using Your Own Body Measurements

You will need to use a flexible measuring tape for all measurements and make sure the measuring tape is wrapped snugly but not too tightly as you need the measurement to be accurate

Bust
  • Wrap the measuring tape around the fullest part of the bust and add 1.5″ – 2″ to this measurement for ease of movement

Please Note For coats add 3″ – 5″ to the measurement | for strapless items subtract 3″ – 4″ from your normal bra size for best fit

Waist
  • Wrap the measuring tape around the smallest part of your natural waist
  •  Add 1″ to this measurement for breathing room

Please Note Most vintage garments are supposed to be worn at or above the natural waist, not below it

Hips
  • Wrap the measuring tape around the fullest part of your hips and bottom (making sure that the measuring tape is snug to your body but not too tight)
  •  Add 1.5″ – 2″ to this measurement to account for walking and sitting
Shoulders
  • Measure across the back of your shoulders from the mid-point of each shoulder bone (For coats, add 2″ – 3″ to this measurement)

Please Note Women’s vintage clothing can be narrow in the shoulders

Ribcage
  • Take a good deep breath to help expand your ribcage and then measure around the fullest part of the under bust

Please Note This will be directly underneath the breasts

Length (Trousers)
  • Measure straight down the outside of your leg from the natural waist to the point at which you wish the trouser edge to fall
Length (Dresses)
  • Measure straight down from the highest point of your shoulder to the point at which you wish the dress hemline to fall
Inseam
  • Measure from your crotch area down the inside of your leg to the point at which you wish the trouser hemline to fall
Rise
  • Measure from the crotch area up toward the belly button to your natural waist

Please Note Most vintage garments are supposed to be worn at or above the natural waist, not below it

Womens Clothing and Shoes

Womens Clothing
S M L XL
Chest 38″ 39″ 40-41″ 42-43″ 44-45″ 46-47″ 48-49″ 50-51″
Waist 30″ 31″ 32-33″ 34-35″ 36-37″ 38-39″ 40-41″ 42-43″
US 36 38 40 42 44 46 48 50
UK 36 38 40 42 44 46 48 50
EU 46 48 51 54 56 59 61 63

(Actual body measurements)

XS S M L
Bust 30-31″ 32″ 33-34″ 35-36″ 37-38″ 39-40″ 41-42″ 43-44″
Waist 22-23″ 24″ 25″ 26″ 27″ 28″ 29-30″ 31″
Hip 32-33″ 34″ 35″ 36″ 37″ 38″ 39-40″ 41″
US 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14
UK 6 6 8 10 12 14 16 18
EU France 34 36 38 40 42 44 46 48
EU Italy 38 38 40 42 44 46 48 50
Womens Shoes
EU 34 34 1/2 35 35 1/2 36 37 37 1/2 38 38 1/2 39 40 41 42 43
UK 1 1/2 2 2 1/2 3 3 1/2 4 4 1/2 5 5 1/2 6 6 1/2 7 7 1/2 8
US 4 4 1/2 5 5 1/2 6 6 1/2 7 7 1/2 8 8 1/2 9 9 1/2 10 10 1/2

Measuring for a Vintage Hat

If you have an old hat that fits comfortably simply measure the inside circumference of the head opening of the hat to establish your accurate vintage hat size

Please Note Vintage hats are not always marked with a size so you really need to know your head measurement and the hat circumference of the hat for sale

  • Measure your head with a flexible tape measure to the nearest 1/8″ or 1/4″
  • Measure the circumference of the head just above the top of the ears
  • Wrap tape gently around the head making certain the tape lies midway on your occipital bone (the little bump in the middle of the back of your head)

Please Note Do not pull the tape too tight or it will give you a measurement for a tightly fitted hat

Having finished these steps you will now have your hat size for the normal vintage hat

HAT SIZE 6 7/8 = 21 5/8″ = 54.9 cm

HAT SIZE 7 = 22″ = 55.8 cm

HAT SIZE 7 1/8 = 22 3/8″ = 56.8 cm

HAT SIZE 7 1/4 = 22 3/4″ = 57.7 cm

HAT SIZE 7 3/8 = 23 1/8″ = 58.7 cm

HAT SIZE 7 1/2 = 23 1/2″ = 59.6 cm

HAT SIZE 7 5/8 = 23 7/8″ = 60.6 cm

HAT SIZE 7 3/4 = 24 1/4″ =61.5 cm

HAT SIZE 7 7/8 = 24 5/8″ = 62.5 cm

HAT SIZE 8 = 25″ = 63.5 cm

Please Note The sizes taken for hat measurement are the internal hat circumference, hat height and brim size if any

Measuring for Vintage Shoes

How To Measure Your Foot For Vintage Shoes
  1. Sit on a chair and place your bare foot flat on a piece of plain white paper
  2. Carefully trace the outline of your foot onto the paper
  3. Do the same with your other foot
  4. Compare the two tracings (a good method is to place one paper over the other and hold them up to a source of light) Complete Steps 5 and 6 using the larger/longer foot
  5. Measure the tracing from toe edge to heel edge to get the inside shoe length
  6. Measure the tracing from edge to edge at the widest part to get the inside shoe width

Please Note The Shoe length should be about 0.5″  or 1.25 cm longer than foot length

Example A 10″ foot needs a shoe at least 10.5″ long

Shipping & Delivery

Shipping Methods

UK

All UK purchases below £50 are shipped using the Royal Mail ‘Recorded Signed For’ postal service

All UK purchases above £50 are shipped using the Royal Mail 'Special Delivery' postal service

EU and Rest of the World

All EU and international purchases are shipped using the Royal Mail 'International Tracked & Signed' postal service

Note You will be required to sign for the delivery, however should you be unavailable a card will be left to notify you of an attempted delivery after which you will be able to arrange an alternative delivery day to suit your schedule

Shipping Times

Please allow 2-3 working days for Royal Mail 'Recorded Signed For' deliveries from date of despatch

Please allow 1-2 working days for Royal Mail 'Special Delivery' deliveries from date of despatch

Please allow 3-7 working days for Royal Mail 'International Tracked & Signed' deliveries from date of despatch*

*Purchases over £500 can also be shipped via 'Tracked & Signed' within 1-4 days (please contact us at the point of ordering to request a shipping quotation)

All purchases made before 1pm will be shipped within 1 working day of purchase

All purchases made after 1pm will be shipped within 3 working days of purchase

Note Royal Mail 'Special Delivery' is not available for purchases made after 1pm or at weekends

Shipping Insurance

Items lost or damaged in transit are fully insured to £50 when using 'Recorded Signed For' shipping

Items lost or damaged in transit are fully insured to order value when using 'Special Delivery' shipping

Items lost or damaged in transit are fully insured to £250 when using 'International Tracked & Signed' shipping, however insurance cover can be increased upon request but will alter the overall shipping cost

Shipping Costs

Shipping is FREE for all UK purchases when shopping with Barefoot Vintage

EU and International shipping is calculated in the checkout system for each unique destination

Shipping Refunds

Barefoot Vintage does not refund delivery charges (please see our Returns Policy for full details)

When returning an item to Barefoot Vintage the purchaser is responsible for any return shipping costs

Customs Charges

When ordering from outside the EU, the purchaser may be subjected to customs charges (please contact your local customs and excise office for details)

Typically these customs or excise duties are charged once an order reaches its country of destination

As the purchaser is responsible for these charges it is advisable to contact the relevant customs office for estimated costs before purchasing

Alternative Shipping

Barefoot Vintage is happy to provide tailored shipping costs for purchases requiring a specific method and destination

Should a purchase require alternative shipping to those detailed above please contact us for assistance