This 1930s gown is equal parts elegant, fun, and flirty. It’s made of an airy rayon georgette with an abstract floral print. The pullover dress is graced with a cowl neck, plunging back, fitted torso, and a sweep at the hem. Perhaps the dress’s most striking detail is the self-fabric boa-like feathers at the armholes and back. Though it was considered an economical adornment during the Depression era, the spontaneous trim puts this gown in a league of its own. Read on to see how the fringe was made from Threads #168.

In the 1930s, while the economy brought the world’s population to its knees for a strong lesson in frugality, the designer of the dress below proved the adage, “Necessity is the mother of invention.” It’s likely that a self-fabric fringe was substituted for a more expensive trim because it was easily available and adorable. The results are…