Vintage Dresses by Peggy Hunt
I am totally awestruck by this collection, and I think you will be to. A while back, I stumbled upon this amazing set of photos of dresses by designer Peggy Hunt on Flickr. Peggy Hunt was a dress designer in Los Angeles from the 1920s to the 1960s, and it turns out the photo collection belongs to her granddaughter, Jacqui Hyland.
These dresses are just amazing. Apparently, Peggy Hunt practically invented the illusion neckline, and was a big fan of lace applique. The effect is absolutely stunning, don’t you think? I had a difficult time even deciding which dresses to post, there are so many beauties. You really must see the full set of Peggy Hunt dresses for yourself.
If I were a rich lady, I would begin collecting these right now.
{Learn more about Peggy Hunt, or see the full set of photos on Flickr}
Fantastic! Love these dresses. I’ll be linking to this if you don’t mind :)
Egads! I think I’ve just found how I’m going to waste… er, be inspired… for the next couple hours! Amazing find; thank you so much for sharing!
I really love the illusion neckline; it’s elegant and sexy without being overly risque. It’s a look I’d love to try my hand at sometime (this is a direct result of reading Couture Sewing Techniques and Bridal Couture too many times! haha). If only I had a reason to! ;)
i love your site, it is so beautiful and inspirational. thank you!
That was fashion, my friends! I was born in the wrong time.
Fabulous dresses. I’m in love with the one with the scrolled neckline or is it the blue one with the lace neckline.
My favorite dress is one I bought back in college from a vintage dress store. It has a black taffeta skirt and a velvet top with a wrap closure. It’s a divine dress and has seen me through years of party going. I’ve done pretty well over the years making sure I can still fit into it too. Vintage clothes are the best.
Natalie
Francie, sometimes I think I was born in the wrong era, but then I think how much I love the internet and being treated as a complete human being. ;)
Natalie, good for you for holding onto it for so long! I’ve had so many beauties that I’ve given away, sold, or otherwise lost. My hoarding tendencies battle with my wish for simplicity and a clean closet. :)
Wow these dresses are dreamy. That coral would look absolutely lovely on you.
Wow – these beautiful dresses are AMAZING. I’m a bit obsessed with lace applique at the moment and really want to include it on my wedding dress. The first dress is gorgeous.
Will mention these on my blog and make sure I credit yours.
Francie & Sarai – I know exactly how you feel. I too feel I was born in the wrong era, but love technology and being a modern woman. We have the best of both worlds now I think.
Sarai – I actually got to meet Peggy Hunt’s granddaughter. She and the Art Deco Society of LA hosted a fashion show featuring her grandmother and her mother’s (Jeanette Alexander) dresses. She actually collects her grandmother’s dresses now. I was thrilled when she purchased the only Peggy Hunt I have ever found.
Great post! By the way, you have a new fan!
Simply stunning. Now my closet looks so blah….
I have one of your original dresses a Peggy Hunt classic. This dress was worn by world famous ice skater Sonja Hennin while she performed in Holiday On Ice.
I have a dress designed by Peggy Hunt for world famous iceskater Sonja Hennin that she wore on opening night for Holiday on Ice
These do seem perfect for an ice skater, with the illusion net and pretty ornamentation!
Peggy Hunt was my grandmother favorite. I have probably 10 of her dresses. Regrettably, I can not longer zip them.
They still bring me so much joy when I extract them from the closet to admire!
Hi Everyone, I actually am Peggy Hunt’s Granddaughter (Did I spell that correctly) She was a sweetheart. My Mom passed away almost two years ago and I miss my family so much. Collecting the dresses has been a labor of love for me. I can barely afford them. They used to cost so little. If only my parents or Grandparents had thought to save some or creaet an archive but they were very practical. Anyway it warms my heart to read all these lovely things, thank you all so much for Granny’s sake. Thrilled to hear about Sonia Hen(wasn’t it spelled Henje?, I’ll Google it, but great to have another name to add to the group. We can add Mary Picford, Bette Davis, Lana Turner, Marlene Dietrich, Lucille Ball, Mary Tyler Moore and even Jennifer Aniston, who wore a dress I later bought, in In Style magazine. There are so many more but I’ve never been to bed and promised my family I would try to get some sleep. Been so sad for so long. Hang on to your Mothers, cherish their stories, you’ll miss them so much when they’re gone. Love You Gals, Jacqui (310) 472-3529 Collection up around 1,000 dresses now but if you consider they designed at least twenty-five dresses a piece for each season plus resort for forty years, it will take me a lifetime to collect them all. Oh and also Howard Hughes gal Jean Peters came to the factory all the time, and Anne Miller and Donna Reed were dear friends of Mothers. I had lunch with both of them. Also got to meet Coco Chanel when I was eight, I think, but that’s another story. songmon@aol.com
Jacqui,
You have every right to be extremely proud of your grandmother — may her state of the art legacy live on. I would like to share that my aunt, Maria Cordova, worked as a seamstress for Peggy Hunt in the 30s, 40s and early 50s. We also had a dear friend, Marie Ackerman, who worked in the factory cutting patterns. My sisters and I were very fortunate to own and wear many lovely Peggy Hunt dresses. As teenagers, my aunt would take us via the street (red) car to the factory where we would pick out beautiful and amazing dresses. She was allowed to purchase and take the unassembled cut pieces with her and assemble them for us at home. I wore Peggy Hunt dresses to both my high school proms in 1956 and 1957 and have photos to show you, if you like. Sorry to say, the dresses are no longer in my possession.
Are you still interested in collecting Peggy Hunt dresses? I have one from my Grandmother with the rose print on it and the nude neckline–It’s absolutely lovely! My Grandma Ruth was always so stylish ~ and dressed like a lady until the day she died (at age 107)–Gail
I found one of these dresses in my mother’s closet. It is in perfect condition. Don’t think she ever wore it! If you are interested in it please let me know. It’s nude with white lace. So current too. Wish it fit me. Can’t find the size. Looks like a 6?