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Vintage Abaya

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1970s Thea Porter Couture Colorful Patchwork Sheer Silk Bohemian Abaya Caftan
By Thea Porter, Thea Porter Couture
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
bohemian abaya caftan gown dating back to the early 1970's. This ultra rare garment is fashioned in the
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1970s English Vintage Abaya

1970s Embroidered Cocoon Maxi Gown
By Nersyan
Located in Scottsdale, AZ
Incredible Israeli gown from the 1970s- designed by Nersyan. Made of brilliant fancy abaya red with
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1970s Israeli Vintage Abaya

Thea Porter couture vintage 1977 black silk cut velvet embroidered abaya
By Thea Porter Couture, Thea Porter
Located in Antwerpen, Vlaams Gewest
Gorgeous Thea Porter Couture Caftan. The caftan is primarily composed of black devoré burnout silk velvet in a floral motif. Gold and silver-tone beads run horizontally and diagonal...
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1970s Vintage Abaya

1970s Deep Taupe Original Morrocan Gold Trimmed Caftan Abaya
Located in Rockwood, ON
almost identical to Thea Porter's Abaya caftan and you can see this is where her inspiration was drawn
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1970s Vintage Abaya

1970s Sand Color Original Moroccan Gold Trimmed Caftan Abaya
Located in Rockwood, ON
with a gold piping. These are almost identical to Thea Porter's Abaya caftan and you can see this is
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1970s Vintage Abaya

Vintage 1971 Thea Porter Couture Silk Chiffon Billow-Sleeve Gown & Maxi Vest
By Thea Porter
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
were made into evening dresses and Abayas". I adore the peeks of skin that show through the front-tie
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1970s English Vintage Abaya

1975 Thea Porter Couture Documented Bohemian Patchwork Silk Abaya Caftan Dress
By Thea Porter Couture
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
Gorgeous Thea Porter Couture bohemian abaya caftan dating back to the mid 1970's. This rare garment
Category

1970s English Vintage Abaya

1970s Black Caftan w Gold Thread Embroidered Trim & Edging
Located in Rockwood, ON
iconic Thea Porter's Abaya caftan and you can see this may have been where her inspiration was drawn from
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1970s Vintage Abaya

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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.

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Barbra Streisand Channeled Klimt’s ‘Woman in Gold’ in This Shimmering Dress

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A Chanel Obsessive’s Cache Extends Well beyond Her Walk-In Closet

From handbags and heels to jackets and jewels, Sharon Coplan Hurowitz has a deep admiration for (and collection of) all things Chanel.

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

Jeriana San Juan explains how she undertook the intimidating project of designing costumes for the new Netflix series about the New York fashion legend. (Hint: She found vintage Halston on 1stDibs!)

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.

You Saw It at the Met Ball. Here’s What Camp Fashion Is Really About

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.