Twirl back in Time With This Array of Vintage Dresses

Antique/Vintage Dresses ($200-$350)

Amy Berkowitz’s Artifaktori has officially invaded Beacon Hill; in case you’re wondering, it’s a good thing.

Berkowitz’s store of the same name in Somerville’s Davis Square now has a slightly more upscale sibling located right where the Running Store was located, downstairs at 121 Charles. You can get running gear just about anywhere, but Artifaktory stocks a mixture of vintage and vintage-inspired items (clothing, swimwear, accessories). Naturally, for the Antique Street column, we’re spotlighting some of the oldest dresses Berkowitz has in her collection. They may not be 100 years old, but ‘antique’ has become a relative term, no?

While these older, more antique-y pieces are priced from $200-$350, the store carries other lovely vintage and vintage-inspired dresses starting at $60.

Of the five dresses we chose for this edition of Antique Street, the long sleeve, white silk brocade is the oldest; Berkowitz estimates it’s from the 1920s. “Although it’s not super casual, I’d say it’s a fairly casual dress—probably what we’d call a day dress,” she said. “I got it from the estate of a woman I knew that collected vintage textiles that lived in New York. When she became ill, she returned to her family’s care in Massachusetts and after she passed the family had me come in to look at all the clothes she’d collected, so that’s where I got this one.”

From the 1930s, Berkowitz produced a light peach or flesh-tone silk charmeuse with matching bed jacket. “You can tell from the diagonal stitching on the hem that this was likely hand sewn,” she said, nothing that both pieces—a sexy ensemble–came from the previous owners’ hope chest.

Possibly also from the ‘30s but more like from the 1940s are two gowns disparate in color and style. The first is a taffeta ball or prom gown with black silk overlay and sequins. “This piece with the sweetheart neckline and organdy fabric is a wedding dress,” Berkowitz said referring to the second of the two pieces likely from the ‘40s.  “It belonged to the mother of the woman I got it from who’d apparently had it made in Persia.”

The youngest frock in our selection dates to the 1950s. Berkowitz commented on the hand-painted zipper and noted the personal attention and care that had gone into a repair along the bottom end of the skirt. “I guess I’d call this a garden dress,” she said. “It’s fully pleated with a shawl-neck collar and the lovely embroidery.”

Note: Artfaktori, which  just opened last week, is having a little get-together this Thursday evening, May 26, from 6 to 9 p.m. Snacks, wine and a small sale will ensue.