Pastel Floral Reverie I 1980s Lim’s Shanghai Hand-Crocheted Cotton Dress
Pastel Floral Reverie I 1980s Lim’s Shanghai Hand-Crocheted Cotton Dress
Pastel Floral Reverie I 1980s Lim’s Shanghai Hand-Crocheted Cotton Dress
Pastel Floral Reverie I 1980s Lim’s Shanghai Hand-Crocheted Cotton Dress
Pastel Floral Reverie I 1980s Lim’s Shanghai Hand-Crocheted Cotton Dress
Pastel Floral Reverie I 1980s Lim’s Shanghai Hand-Crocheted Cotton Dress
Pastel Floral Reverie I 1980s Lim’s Shanghai Hand-Crocheted Cotton Dress
Pastel Floral Reverie I 1980s Lim’s Shanghai Hand-Crocheted Cotton Dress
Pastel Floral Reverie I 1980s Lim’s Shanghai Hand-Crocheted Cotton Dress
Pastel Floral Reverie I 1980s Lim’s Shanghai Hand-Crocheted Cotton Dress
Pastel Floral Reverie I 1980s Lim’s Shanghai Hand-Crocheted Cotton Dress
Pastel Floral Reverie I 1980s Lim’s Shanghai Hand-Crocheted Cotton Dress
Pastel Floral Reverie I 1980s Lim’s Shanghai Hand-Crocheted Cotton Dress

Pastel Floral Reverie I 1980s Lim’s Shanghai Hand-Crocheted Cotton Dress

$255.00

A remarkable piece of textile artistry from Lim’s Shanghai, this circa-1980s dress transforms delicate cotton crochet into a flourishing garden of dimensional breathtaking flowers and leave motif. The openwork ivory lattice form is animated by oversized appliqués in lavender, blush pink, coral, turquoise, sage green, taupe, and soft gold tone. Each motif is individually outlined and layered, creating sculptural movement across the shoulders, cap sleeves, bodice, and hem. Sheer and unlined, it can be styled over a tonal slip for an artful day-to-evening look or worn as an exceptionally beautiful resort cover-up.

 

Why We Love It

There is something magical about a garment that reveals the hand of its maker so completely. From the tiny knotted flower centers that extend beyond the edges of the sleeves and hem, every detail invites a closer look. It feels romantic, imaginative, and entirely unique—the rare vintage dress that is as compelling displayed as it is worn.

 

Measurements

Tagged size: Medium

Measurements taken flat:

  • Shoulder: approximately 23 inches
  • Length: approximately 45 inches

The shoulder measurement appears to include the extended cap-sleeve silhouette. The open crochet may offer some natural give; please compare the measurements with a similarly shaped garment that fits comfortably.

 

Condition

Good - surprisingly, this piece is in incredibly good condition. There is some light discoloration around the neck.

 

Collector’s Notes

Crochet moved decisively into fashion during the late 1960s and 1970s, when counterculture’s enthusiasm for natural fibers and handmade craft began influencing boutique and designer clothing. What had once been associated largely with domestic needlework was reimagined as expressive “art to wear,” with openwork, patchwork, appliqué, and dimensional embellishment becoming part of fashionable dress.

Lim’s emerged from this renewed appreciation for textile craft. According to the family-owned company, it began importing clothing from Hong Kong in the 1980s and became a distributor of hand-crocheted and embroidered garments produced in Shanghai, later supplying boutiques, catalogs, and department stores including Nordstrom through the early 2000s. The Shanghai label, elaborate cotton handwork, and exuberant pastel palette support a likely 1980s date for this dress.