$600Sale Price|20% Off
Size: 4
Vintage Blair Woolverton 1980s Floral Ribbon Size 4 Cotton Fit n Flare 80s Dress
Located in San Diego, CA
Gorgeous 1980s BLAIR WOOLVERTON fit and flare dress! Features a beautiful flower print thorughout
$625Sale Price|30% Off
Size: 2 or 4
Pierre Cardin Haute Couture Green Silk Crepe Sequined Cocktail Dress ca. 1967
By Pierre Cardin
Located in Studio City, CA
A circa 1967 Pierre Cardin haute couture green sequined silk crêpe cocktail dress that features a keyhole opening at the back. The main draw of this slinky silk cocktail dress are t...
Dolce & Gabbana Floral Stretch Silk Sleeveless Sheath Cocktail Dress
By Dolce & Gabbana
Located in Gresham, OR
Contemporary Dolce & Gabbana sleeveless stretch silk, floral-print, ruched cocktail sheath in mixed pastels on a white background. Ruching at back of midriff and hips for a great bod...
1970s Vintage Paper Thin Sheer Metallic Flecked Silk Dress
By Neiman Marcus, The Silk Farm by Icinoo
Located in Sparks, NV
Stunning 1970s vintage dress in gorgeous paper thin silk. The fabric is flecked with metallic threads and features an allover floral print. No closure, pulls on over the head. Partia...
Roberto Cavalli Silky Orange Runway Evening Gown S/S 2004 Size XS
By Roberto Cavalli
Located in Saint Petersburg, FL
Roberto Cavalli - This silky orange evening gown is just like the one famously worn by Cindy Crawford in the Harper's Bazaar Roberto Cavalli Spring 2004 Editorial. Beautifully const...
Vivienne Westwood Opened Sleeves Cherry Red Mini dress
By Vivienne Westwood
Located in GOUVIEUX, FR
By Vivienne Westwood - Mini dress featuring draped detailing, square neckline and open puff sleeves. Size Fits XS, S Tag label top S Colors : Red Content : 100% viscose Con...
Pink Silk Dress Hand Beaded "Gatsby" Flapper Dress 1920s
Located in Wallkill, NY
They are getting harder to find, and even harder to find in wearable condition. This silk pink dream is all hand beaded. Stunning T back. Bugle beading around the neckline and arms. ...
$425Sale Price|38% Off
Superb 1980s Vicky Tiel Couture "Sara" Metallic Gold Lame Dress with Bolero (38)
By Vicky Tiel
Located in Port Hope, ON
Outstanding piece in excellent condition. The dress is boned to the waist and has a an inset bra. The permanent pleats of the skirt complement the gathers to be found at the bust and...
Yves Saint Laurent Smocked Floral-Print Silk-Chiffon Maxi Dress, SS1977
By Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche, Yves Saint Laurent
Located in Geneva, CH
Cut from airy sheer silk chiffon, this rare 1977 Spring-Summer Saint Laurent Rive Gauche maxi dress is shirred from under the chest to the hips for a flattering - though comfortable ...
$3,332
Size: FR 38 - UK 10 - US 6
Vivienne Westwood cow print nude silk corseted off shoulder dress, ss 1999
By Vivienne Westwood
Located in London, GB
Vivienne Westwood cow print nude and black silk mid-length evening dress with built-in corset and draped off-shoulder neckline Spring-Summer 1999
Moschino Vintage Black Cut Out Bow Tie Mini Dress, 1990s
By Moschino Cheap and Chic, Moschino
Located in Sparks, NV
Darling vintage Moschino mini dress with a cut out bow tie detail. Sleeveless sleeves and mini length. Details: Unlined Rear Zip Closure Marked Size: Unmarked Estimated Size...
Vivienne Westwood evening maxi dress with cupid print, fw 1991
By Vivienne Westwood
Located in London, GB
▪ Rare Vivienne Westwood evening maxi dress ▪ Lycra printed with a detail from Jean-Honore Fragonard's "The Swarm of Cupids", c. 1767 ▪ Short sleeves ▪ Figure hugging ▪ Size: "3" ...
$195
Size: IT 44, US 10, but runs small
Moschino Cheap & Chic 1990s Floral Ribbon Trim Short Skirt Charcoal Grey Black
By Moschino
Located in San Francisco, CA
Moschino Cheap & Chic dark grey (nearly black) pencil skirt in a slightly felted sort of fabric. Ribbon trim in a floral pattern reminiscent of needlework criss-crosses throughout. ...
Versace Fall 2021 Starfish Print Sleeveless Midi Dress Yellow IT 42
By Versace
Located in PUTNEY, NSW
Sleeveless garment-pleated satin mid-length dress in yellow featuring graphic pattern printed in multicolor. Hardware at spaghetti shoulder straps. Scoop neck collar. Lettuce edge in...
1930s Gold Floral Lame Dress with Green Lame Fluted Sleeves
Located in London, GB
This outstanding 1930s lamé evening dress is cut to a classic bias-cut silhouette and has a gentle V-neck and full skirt that swirls around the ankles. The fabric is mesmerising, a b...
Moschino Couture Runway Dress Asymmetrical Corset Gown Avant-Garde
By Moschino Couture
Located in Berlin, BE
Original Moschino Couture documented Runway Dress. Amazing rare Avant-Garde couture piece, asymmetrical corset dress with the most surreal vibrant colour combination. The SS2020 col...
$10,829
Size: Modern day UK 10 - FR 38
Vivienne Westwood black velvet corset waistcoat and maxi skirt, c. 1995-7
By Vivienne Westwood
Located in London, GB
Vivienne Westwood black velvet evening ensemble. Halter neck double breasted waistcoat with built in corset and signature gold orb buttons, and fishtail maxi skirt. c. 1995-7
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.
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