Best Vintage Dresses For Sale

Clothing produced in the period between 1920s though the 1980s is normally referred to as vintage dress. Some important items from the 1990s also fall into this category.

Dresses and accessories made earlier than 1920s, are normally referred to as antique.

As a matter of fact, designer vintage category continues to expand with years, together with a growing public interest to specific designers and historical time periods.

Women's Vintage Dress Trends Through the 1900s

Each period of vintage dress trends in the 1920s all the way through the 1980s had a distinctive style and mark. Whether it was the flapper fashion of the 20s or the dress trends in the later eras, here are some of the characteristics from each area in women's dress trends.

1920s - Indeed, the Flapper fashion of the 1920s is probably what most people associate with this era. The Flapper fashion saw women's dresses become gradually shorter throughout the decade. Beginning in 1920, dress trends continued to be ankle to mid-calf length. It was also during this time that skirts on dresses took different shapes with the bottom displaying a handkerchief or even dipped look. It wasn't until the mid-1920s, though, that dress trends became shorter for women, with hemlines reaching 15 to 16 inches above the ground, which is the infamous mark of the Flapper 1920s era.

1930s - This era was one that gave simpler dress trends for women during the day and more elegant options for evening wear. Women were more productive, lead busier lives with active jobs, and accomplished much more than in previous eras, which is why women's dress trends for day clothes tended to be simpler and pared down compared to evening wear. Evening wear and ball gowns saw long, flowy dresses that also brought in new fabrics such as metallic lame.

1940s - Vintage women's dress trends during this era were markedly different from other eras in the 1900s. Simpler patterns were seen during the 1940s because of World War II. Since most things were rationed during this period, dresses were re-worn and even traded by some women; many women also decided to knit their own dresses, but fabrics were limited and the 1930s contained parachute silk material and a variety of others.

1950s - The trend for women's dresses during the 1950s was a stark contrast to the rationing of clothing and materials that occurred during World War II. Stylists such as Christian Dior brought out the long, flowy dresses that used multiple yards of material and fabric for women’s' looks. The elegance of these types of dresses was a breath of fresh air, but was not the only style for the 1950s; full skirts that needed support received it from petticoats made from paper nylon and other materials.

1960s - Several different fashion tips came into play for the 1960s with the introduction of pantyhose and tights being a major point of change. In the early 1960s era, women's dress trends tended toward pleated and pencil skirts worn over short-sleeved blouses or pressed cardigans. However, the 60s also saw the introduction of the mini skirt with lengths of the skirt rising to 6 and 7 inches above the knee.

1970s - Primary colors were important during this era for women's vintage dress trends. Colorful dresses were produced and small patterns were an important mark of the 1960s dress era. Several elements that were popular for dresses during this period include the dipped V-neck, flared skirt above the knee, and more complex dress centers that often included zippers or belts.

1980s - During the 1980s women's vintage dress era seemed to trend toward a tailored and even a manly look for day dress. Shoulder pads and suit jackets were 'in' for women during this time, but occasion wear was also popular. Beautiful and long dresses were popular for different settings, such as evening wear, and cocktail dresses and straight skirts were also popular for this reason. The infusion of lace into evening wear was also very popular during the 1980s women's dress.

As you can see, vintage dress trends throughout the 1920s all the way through the 1980s differed with each decade. Whether it’s the short mini skirts that women wore during these eras, the Flapper fashion of the 20s, or even the lace dresses that were popular in the 80s, each vintage dress trend era for women had distinctive marks and styles.