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50s Dresses

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1950s Adele Simpson Black Silk Two Piece Fit n' Flare Vintage 50s Dress Set Suit
1950s Adele Simpson Black Silk Two Piece Fit n' Flare Vintage 50s Dress Set Suit

1950s Adele Simpson Black Silk Two Piece Fit n' Flare Vintage 50s Dress Set Suit

By Adele Simpson

Located in San Diego, CA

Chic 1950s ADELE SIMPSON black silk two piece blouse and skirt! Features a tailored 3/4 sleeves blouse with tie at center neck. Silk Covered buttons up the front center. High waisted...

Category

1950s American Skirt Suits

Ceil Chapman Peach Silk Brocade Cocktail Sheath, 1950s
Ceil Chapman Peach Silk Brocade Cocktail Sheath, 1950s

Ceil Chapman Peach Silk Brocade Cocktail Sheath, 1950s

By Ceil Chapman

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Super sexy sheath by the great Ceil Chapman. Mid 50s dress in luscious peach and gold brocade

Category

Mid-20th Century Cocktail Dresses

Jean Patou Pleated Dress - '50s
Jean Patou Pleated Dress - '50s

Jean Patou Pleated Dress - '50s

Located in Milano, IT

Vintage Jean Patou dress in heavy black fabric. Midi length with cascading waist pleats, crew neck

Category

1950s Maxi Dresses

Christian Dior Boutique Silk Dress - '50s
Christian Dior Boutique Silk Dress - '50s

Christian Dior Boutique Silk Dress - '50s

By Christian Dior

Located in Milano, IT

Exquisitely designed by Monsieur Dior, this Christian Dior Boutique silk dress features a striking

Category

1950s Aesthetic Day Dresses

50s Silk Jacquard Cocktail Dress w/ Swallowtail Bow -
50s Silk Jacquard Cocktail Dress w/ Swallowtail Bow -

50s Silk Jacquard Cocktail Dress w/ Swallowtail Bow -

Located in Gresham, OR

A fantastic 50s silk jacquard cocktail dress in black with a floral pattern: zips up the back with

Category

1950s American Cocktail Dresses

Vintage Sarmi Black Lace Cocktail Dress-Sz 6 Circa 50's
Vintage Sarmi Black Lace Cocktail Dress-Sz 6 Circa 50's

Vintage Sarmi Black Lace Cocktail Dress-Sz 6 Circa 50's

By Ferdinando Sarmi

Located in West Palm Beach, FL

Vintage Sarmi Black Lace Cocktail Dress - Size 6 Circa 50's This dress is in excellent vintage

Category

1950s American Cocktail Dresses

S/S 2006 Look #50 Versace Silk Gown
S/S 2006 Look #50 Versace Silk Gown

S/S 2006 Look #50 Versace Silk Gown

$6,280Sale Price|20% Off

S/S 2006 Look #50 Versace Silk Gown

By Versace

Located in Montgomery, TX

S/S 2006 Look #50 Versace Silk Gown Finished with tulle bodysuit IT Size 42 Airy, delicate

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Evening Gowns

James Galanos Early 50s Cocktail Dress in Wool and Silk Chiffon
James Galanos Early 50s Cocktail Dress in Wool and Silk Chiffon

James Galanos Early 50s Cocktail Dress in Wool and Silk Chiffon

By James Galanos

Located in Gresham, OR

A gorgeous very early example of James Galanos' fine work. Label style indicates it was made between '51 and '55. Very simple but extremely structured wool strapless bodice and volu...

Category

1950s American Cocktail Dresses

1950s Fred Perlberg Size 0 XS White Blue Rhinestone Tulle Vintage 50s Gown Dress
1950s Fred Perlberg Size 0 XS White Blue Rhinestone Tulle Vintage 50s Gown Dress

1950s Fred Perlberg Size 0 XS White Blue Rhinestone Tulle Vintage 50s Gown Dress

By Fred Perlberg, Fred Perlberg Originals

Located in San Diego, CA

bodice. Hundreds of rhinestones really make this dress sparkle. Features layers of white tulle with blue

Category

1950s American Evening Gowns

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50s Dresses For Sale on 1stDibs

There is a broad range of 50s dresses for sale on 1stDibs. For 50s dresses, Black is a pretty popular color, but we also have Blue, Gray, Beige and more in stock now. If you’re looking for accessories from a specific time period, our collection is diverse and broad-ranging, and you’ll find some that date back to the 20th Century while other versions may have been produced as recently as the 21st Century. 50s dresses designed by Ceil Chapman, Emma Domb and Mr. Blackwell — each of whom created beautiful versions of these treasured items — are worth considering. When shopping for these accessories, you’ll find that there are less available pieces for men or unisex today than there are for women.

How Much are 50s Dresses?

On average, 50s dresses on 1stDibs sell for $795, while they’re typically $95 on the low end and $8,200 for the highest priced versions of these items.

Finding the Right Evening-dresses for You

With entire museum exhibitions dedicated to examining fashion designers and their creations, we’re finally recognizing that costuming is art. Evening dresses over time have conveyed specific statements about social class, position and beliefs. Fashion is a powerful means of self-expression, and sophisticated vintage evening dresses and gowns by our favorite couturier play no small role in making us feel wonderful but, perhaps more importantly, making us feel like ourselves.

In the 16th century, dresses and gowns were so important that England's Queen Elizabeth I defined rules about what dresses women could wear — guidance included long skirts and fitted bodices. Forward-thinking designers have responded to this history.

Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel reimagined traditionally masculine garments for feminine shapes, and her elegant evening dresses and gowns promoted comfort and grace in women’s wear that had been dominated in the previous century by layers of fabric. Christian Dior's gowns celebrated luxury and femininity in the late 1940s — and gave to women the gift of glamour they’d lost in the miserable years of the war. French fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent introduced innovative and highly coveted dress designs in the 1960s while at the same time challenging sexist stereotypes about which members of society could wear tuxedos.

Works by unconventional British designer John Galliano — featured in houses like Givenchy and Dior — redefined limits that dressmakers faced in terms of material, construction and vision during the late 20th century. From his embroidered absinthe-green Oscars gown for actress Nicole Kidman to the iconic sleeveless Dior newspaper dress that Sex and the City’s Carrie Bradshaw made famous, Galliano’s intricate and multifaceted work is reliably collectible and newsworthy

Today’s designers target an increasingly broad audience with their boundary-crossing work, and their tendency to play off of each other’s ideas means that every walk down the runway is also a walk through an entire history of fashion design and dress craftsmanship.

Whether you gravitate toward backless maxi dresses or silk charmeuse gowns by Alexander McQueen or embellished, ruffled floral-print designs by Chloe or Versace, there is an extraordinary collection of vintage and designer evening dresses and gowns waiting for you on 1stDibs.

Questions About 50s Dresses
  • 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 22, 2021
    1950s-style dresses are often called poodle skirt dresses. The dress is generally a fit-and-flare shape with a wide swing skirt. Another popular type of dress is the form-fitting sheath, also known as a pencil dress.

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Behind the 1970s and ’80s Glam of ‘Halston’ with the Hit Show’s Costume Designer

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A Short History of Capri Pants, on the 100th Birthday of Their Inventor

Once considered a controversial item of clothing, fashion designer Sonja de Lennart's creation is now a bona fide classic.

How the Chanel Jacket Forever Changed What Women Wear

The classic tweed garment has been a wardrobe staple of chic women around the world since the 1950s.

A Pair of Shoes — Heels or Flats — Can Tell an Impactful Story

Amanda Benchley and Bridget Moynahan teamed up to explore the relationship between powerful women and their most significant footwear.

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This year's Costume Institute exhibition is all about embracing the eccentric.

The V&A Takes a Fresh Look at the New Look’s Pioneering Progenitor, Christian Dior

Ballrooms, Bar Suits and British royals — in a sweeping exhibition, the London museum looks back on 70 years of the French fashion house, as well as its illustrious founder and his fondness for the United Kingdom.