Description
Patrick Kelly was a designer who was known for his joyful, playful designs. His pieces were often inspired by his childhood memories and the people and places that impacted his life. The incredibly talented Mississippi-born, Paris-based black fashion designer broke many boundaries and shook up the conventional fashion world with his unique interpretation of what fashion should look like. He was an early champion of body positivity and he encouraged women of all sizes to love themselves and show off their curves.
The Patrick Kelly Fall Winter 1989 runway show featured models carrying baskets as a tribute to the tale of Little Red Riding Hood, one of Kelly's personal favorite childhood stories. The designs included attached panels that can be wrapped as hoods, (perfect for a journey to grandmother's house), or draped around the body in numerous ways. Versions of this dress can be found in several colors from that season with slight variations on the style. We have included images of a similar dress in the Met's collection as well as one in yellow from a museum exhibit and one in red from the runway.
Patrick Kelly dresses are very hard to come by and highly collectible, because he was only able to create a few collections as his life was cut tragically short. We always grab them whenever we find them and cherish each one in our collection.
In order to best determine fit, measure yourself or a garment of a similar style that fits you well. Compare those measurements to those on the item description.
All of our pieces have been professionally cleaned and arrive ready to wear.
Measuring & Fit Guide
We offer a large selection of designers and manufacturers that span the 20th and early 21st century. Sizing varies greatly, so we have outlined our measuring and size estimating process.
The best way to know if a vintage item will fit you is to take a garment that fits you well, similar to the one you are interested in purchasing, and measure it the way we measure ours.
We lay all garments flat and measure as follows*:
| DRESSES | PANTS | |
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BUST - under arm to under arm across the front and then double that measurement. |
Measure the WAISTBAND, widest part of the HIPS, widest part of the THIGH on one leg and width of the CUFF, then double those measurements |
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WAIST - find the smallest part of the garment if there isn't an obvious seam for the waist and measure across and then double that measurement. |
LENGTH - Measure from the top of the waistband to the bottom of the cuff along the side seam. | |
| HIPS - Find the largest part of the hip area and measure flat, then double that measurement. | RISE - Measure from the crotch to the top of the waistband. | |
| LENGTH - from the nape of the neck or the top of the shoulders, depending on the style of garment. We will measure to the waist when applicable, so that you can determine if it will fit your torso, and then a waist down measurement. | INSEAM - Measure from the crotch to the bottom of the cuff along the inside seam. | |
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SLEEVES - measure from the top of the shoulder seam to the end of the sleeve. When we think that the arm opening is particularly small, we will provide that measurement as well.** |
*Fabrics with stretch will have some give, we will try to mention the range of measurements that will fit comfortably.
**With dolman sleeves, the size is an estimation based on the waist as the body seamlessly joins the sleeve. 
Feel free to email us with specific questions about specific measurements that we may not have included that you need to know in order to feel confident about your purchase. If you have a particularly long torso, short legs, long arms, etc.. we can help you determine whether or not a garment will work for your body.
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Measurements, not size. View our Measuring Guide
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Description
Patrick Kelly was a designer who was known for his joyful, playful designs. His pieces were often inspired by his childhood memories and the people and places that impacted his life. The incredibly talented Mississippi-born, Paris-based black fashion designer broke many boundaries and shook up the conventional fashion world with his unique interpretation of what fashion should look like. He was an early champion of body positivity and he encouraged women of all sizes to love themselves and show off their curves.
The Patrick Kelly Fall Winter 1989 runway show featured models carrying baskets as a tribute to the tale of Little Red Riding Hood, one of Kelly's personal favorite childhood stories. The designs included attached panels that can be wrapped as hoods, (perfect for a journey to grandmother's house), or draped around the body in numerous ways. Versions of this dress can be found in several colors from that season with slight variations on the style. We have included images of a similar dress in the Met's collection as well as one in yellow from a museum exhibit and one in red from the runway.
Patrick Kelly dresses are very hard to come by and highly collectible, because he was only able to create a few collections as his life was cut tragically short. We always grab them whenever we find them and cherish each one in our collection.
In order to best determine fit, measure yourself or a garment of a similar style that fits you well. Compare those measurements to those on the item description.
Complete the look
Vintage Jewelry Makes the Perfect Finishing Touch
Complete the look
Vintage belts tie it all together