A rare example of 70s Bohemian "couture"! Clearly influenced by Edwardian or Gibson Girl Style. The jacket is fitted to the body with interestingly angled darts. Sleeves are gigot style, also called leg-of-mutton, puffed and full near the shoulder, narrowing below the elbow. The collar is stands up and hugs the back and sides of the neck, then narrows down into a deep vee neckline. Corded soutache trim in a pattern of floral vines flows all the way from the back of the neck down both sides of the front opening onto and around the little peplum. The jacket is fully lined in silk crepe. The skirt is simply styled, with four gores, and no waistband.

Size:No size label in the jacket. Skirt is labeled size 10. I believe the shoulder measurement is deceivingly small - due to the design of the sleeves, there is more room than the number would suggest.

Fabric/Colors

Dark brown velveteen, most likely cotton. Jacket is lined in dark brown silky crepe.

Tag

Suzy Creamcheese Loves You, Sunnyvale, Las Vegas

Closures

The jacket closes with nine small self fabric covered buttons that close with corded loops. The skirt has a side seam nylon zipper.

Condition

Excellent. I don't see any stains, holes or tears. I have replaced the thread loop for the hook at the skirt waist. A former owner stitched down the top of the uppermost button loop on the inside of the jacket in a lighter shade of brown. Some of the other loops are showing signs of wear - since they are fully functional and original to the garment, I have not done any sort of intervention. The velveteen at the elbow areas reflects the light differently than the rest of the jacket - I assume from wear, but the nap seems fully intact.

Suzy Creamcheese (no direct relationship to Frank Zappa's song) was a legendary high-end boutique that operated on the Las Vegas strip in the late 60s and 70s. Suzy's dressed many celebrities, including Shirley Maclaine, Cher, Dionne Warwick,  Stevie Nicks, Ann Margaret, and Barbara Mandrel. Elvis Presley bought outfits for at least one mistress from Suzy's. The shop was also popular with the wives of mobsters, real (Joseph Bonanno) and fictional (Sharon Stone's character in Casino) as well as Vegas dancers and other working girls.