I'm hoping to eventually add this sweet little honey to my 'Covet And Love It Vintage' shop on ecrater.com, but for the meantime I will keep her for display and just enjoy her. Originally, Swirl dresses were designed as wraparound aprons. They were casual, comfortable and easy to throw on in a hurry. My mother and her friends all had Swirl dresses hanging in their closet. My aunt 'Toot' wore hers with nothing underneath for house work on hot summer days. When she had to run out to the shop in a hurry she didn't bother changing clothes. This was the Kelly Purse era when women dressed to the nines just to go to the meat market.
Toot was a real catbird and the stories I could tell.
I have a bit of a theory of why the Swirl Apron Dresses evolved into an everyday dress. Even though they were sold as an apron, they were worn as house dresses with just a slip underneath and more women started feeling comfortable wearing them outside the home when having coffee with friends, quick morning shopping excursions or an early evening walking around the block. The Swirl Company, quick to spot a changing trend more than likely changed the styles to suit the times and as we moved into the 60s you started seeing the Mod look incorporated into their designs.
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For a short bit of info about the Swirl Company visit my earlier post.
Vintage Swirl Wraparound Apron Dresses - A Part Of South Carolina History
Happy Thrifting!
