1950s Gigi Young Salmon Coral Pink Silk Taffeta Vintage 50s Fit n Flare Dress
By GiGi Young
Located in San Diego, CA
Beautiful 1950s GIG YOUNG salmon / coral pink silk taffeta fit n' flare 3/4 sleeves dress! Features
1950s Gigi Young Salmon Coral Pink Silk Taffeta Vintage 50s Fit n Flare Dress
By GiGi Young
Located in San Diego, CA
Beautiful 1950s GIG YOUNG salmon / coral pink silk taffeta fit n' flare 3/4 sleeves dress! Features
John Galliano Lace Cardigan and 2 Camisoles Set
By John Galliano
Located in Water Mill, NY
A fabulous cardigan and camisole set in black knit lace plus an additional matching red camisole all from John Galliano. The set consists of 2 flower pattern lace knit camisoles one ...
$9,900Sale Price|34% Off
Size: Size not marked. Medium fit.
Supreme Opulent Russian Sable Fur Stroller Length Coat
Located in Tustin, CA
Shown as the ultimate symbol of status and elegance, Russian Sable is considered to be the most coveted fur in the world. This Russian sable fur coat from Michael's Furs of Los Angel...
1950s Vintage Brown + Beige Wool Blazer Jacket Size XS
Located in Sparks, NV
Darling vintage early-1950s blazer jacket in a beige and brown woven wool. Fully lined with front button closure. Light shoulder pads are sewn in underneath the lining. This has a ju...
$500
Size: vintage 12; comparable to size M
Dove Gray A-Line Shift Dress with Bead-Crusted Neckline and Pockets - M, 1960s
Located in Tucson, AZ
Perfect for brunch, weddings and cocktail parties, this heavyweight linen dress combines crisp geometry with masterful but discrete beading. Its Mod fingertip pockets and gentle A-li...
$2,250
Size: none; comparable to size medium
Taupe Crêpe Scallop Hem Flapper Dress with Silver-Plate Glass Beads – M, 1920s
Located in Tucson, AZ
From its rare beads to its scalloped hem to its wearable size, this Jazz Age gem is a “unicorn” among flapper dresses. Quite literally dripping with silver-plate hollow beads and cry...
Dolce & Gabbana Black & Cream Lingerie Inspired Evening Gown Spring 2006 Sz 40IT
By Dolce & Gabbana
Located in Saint Petersburg, FL
Dolce & Gabbana Black & Cream Lingerie Inspired Evening Gown. Spring/Summer 2006 Size 40IT
1950S Black Nylon/Lace Bullet Bra
Located in New York, NY
1950S Black Nylon/Lace Bullet Bra
$1,780Sale Price|20% Off
Size: Large
1960s Jean Patou Vintage Wool Jacket + Skirt Suit Ensemble with Faux Fur Trim
By Jean Patou
Located in Sparks, NV
Completely amazing vintage 1960s Jean Patou black wool jacket and skirt ensemble with faux fur trim and gold studs. Incredible tailoring and construction and chic enamel buttons. Ful...
$2,275
Size: 32 A / Small
1960s Christian Dior 32A Silk Three Piece Bloomers Bra 60s Vintage Lingerie Set
By Christian Dior
Located in San Diego, CA
Rare 1960s Christian Dior silk lingerie set ! Features baby blue silk bloomer shorts that have a button closure on the back. Two different bras—one in pink, and one in ivory. Dior lo...
$1,760Sale Price|20% Off
Size: 6
Jean-Louis Scherrer Couture Beaded Pink Silk Halter Neck Evening Dress 1970s
By Jean-Louis Scherrer
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Jean-Louis Scherrer couture hand beaded pink silk mousseline & silk crepe de chine halter neck evening dress from the 1970s. Soft pink silk hand sewn with tiny frosted white glass tu...
Art Deco Slip Dress with Dangling Bell Flowers
Located in New York, NY
Unusual Silk Art Deco Slip Dress with Bell Flower motifs. Peachy pink and lavender silk are mixed in this charming bias slip dress with a pair of reversible silk bell flower motifs h...
Christian Dior by John Galliano fw 1997
By Christian Dior, John Galliano for Christian Dior
Located in London, GB
▪ Christian Dior pink mini skirt suit ▪ Creative Director: John Galliano ▪ Fall-Winter 1997 ▪ Single-breasted blazer jacket in pink wool ▪ Trimmed with fringes of silk threads ▪ Padd...
Rare Archival Thierry Mugler Goddess Gown 1979 Eveing Dress
By Thierry Mugler
Located in Berlin, BE
Stunning extremely rare Thierry Mugler Goddess Gown from one of his earliest Collections ca.1979. A masterful embodiment of ethereal elegance and avant-garde artistry. The dress cas...
$6,316Sale Price|20% Off
Size: 44
Rare Chanel 1990s Size 44 10 Bubblegum Pink Boucle Vintage 90s Jacket Skirt Suit
By Chanel, Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel
Located in San Diego, CA
It doesn’t get any better than this ! Super rare vintage Chanel by Karl Lagerfeld early 90s bubblegum Barbie pink skirt suit ! Tailored jacket features a lighter pink braid trim do...
$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, classy and sexy!
Charles James Brown Satin Black Velvet Cocktail Dress
By Charles James
Located in New York, NY
A rare very find, rare Charles James Brown Satin Black Velvet Cocktail Dress. Dating from the 1950's this design is well recognized as his in other fabrications. In this iteration in...
Luxurious and versatile, designer day dresses are as well suited to tea at an upscale hotel as they are to your next garden or rooftop party.
Today’s featherlight unisex day dresses — as well as the vibrant vintage day dresses of the 1950s and ’60s — look quite different from the heavy, fabric-rich de rigueur garments of the Victorian era. In the late 19th century, a woman of a certain standing might have multiple dresses to wear throughout the day: specifically, one or two for the daytime and one for the evening. For example, a long-sleeve silk dress with a prominently flared back and a round collar of gold beaded lace that hugs the neck would be suitable for stepping out during the day, while a velvet gown trimmed in silk embroidery but overall comparatively informal in appearance would be worn for afternoon tea at home. At night, a silk velvet evening dress could feature natural world motifs such as butterflies (a characteristic of Art Nouveau design) and have short sleeves adorned with lace and ruffles and a scooped neckline — the perfect attire for the theater.
During the 1920s, after all the chores were done, a woman would change from her housework clothing into a more fashionable day dress to run her errands or socialize. Some 1920s day dresses were brightly colored and featured bold patterns — a cotton dress with a dazzling floral print, perhaps, or, in the case of the more venturesome Art Deco apparel sold in high-end couture fashion boutiques of the era, semi-sheer silk garments embellished with three-dimensional beadwork or rich metallic gold lamé.
Today, a closet full of casual vintage day dresses is a must-have. Whether you opt for black, crimson or beige, day dresses bring an element of glamour to your next appointment, and in the summer, who doesn’t love a wonderfully simple, lightweight day dress cut in cotton and linen?
Because different fashion designers of every decade have offered their own take on the widely loved day dress, you’ll be able to find a variety of vintage and designer day dresses on 1stDibs. Search by creator to find enduring designs by the likes of Emilio Pucci, Pierre Cardin, Yves Saint Laurent and Christian Dior, or browse by period to uncover a scintillating collection of cotton and satin patterned dresses of the 1950s and ’60s.