Hunt, Peggy

Peggy Hunt was a California-based designer and manufacturer of dresses starting in the 1930s until the late 1960s.

Hunt began by designing children’s clothes and selling them to a department store called Haggerty’s. The first label was called Fairy Frocks, a line for toddlers that was then later changed to Jean Carol. Jean was short for Jeanette, her daughter, and Carol for herself — Carolyn Margaret Hunt (Peggy was her nickname). Under the Jean Carol label Hunt made dresses for many Hollywood stars, including Marlene Dietrich, Bette Davis, and Mary Pickford.

She also developed the Collegienne department at Bullocks Wilshire, a luxury department store in Los Angeles. Under the Peggy Hunt label, her specialty was evening and cocktail dresses, very much in the tradition of Hollywood glamour. As such, the dresses were very popular with actresses like Lucille Ball and Anne Miller.

Thanks to Peggy Hunt’s granddaughter, Jacqui Hyland, for this information.

from a 1930s evening gown

Courtesy of amishtaxi

from a late-1940s evening dress

Courtesy of Ranch Queen Vintage

from a 1950s party dress

Courtesy of Ranch Queen Vintage

from a 1950s cocktail dress

Courtesy of bigchief173

from a late-1950s/early-1960s dress

Courtesy of shopping-goddess