Women's Dresses|Womens Dresses

Posts Tagged ‘vintage womens dress’

The major changes of women's dresses fashion began in the early 1900s, however, just as women were beginning to shed the Victorian and Edwardian fashion, the war broke out. During the two major wars, fashion stalled substantially due to material conservation. Soon after both wars, fashion evolution began to step up its pace. Think about the Victorian and Edwardian Era dresses which were stifling with corsets and bustles, heavy lace and tight bodices and then compare that to what seems like an immediate change to fashionable short dresses in 1920's and pants with sweaters. While there was not a drastic difference during those periods, (dresses were becoming shorter, to show ankle, and slimmer by the year) viewing from a historical perspective the difference is dramatic.

Vintage dresses , in my opinion, are those which fall between 1918-1960, during the big surge in historic changes with women's dresses. Dresses prior to 1918 I consider antique, and retro after 1960.

How the first World War changed women's dresses fashion forever

During wartime there is generally rationing and conservation with food, metals and especially clothing. During WWI this was very evident and was a huge instigator in the changing of styles of dresses and women's styles. With cloth being rationed to provide troops clothing, blankets etc, women were forced to conserve material used when making civilian clothes. As fashion had already begun to change dresses into thinner styles with drop waists and slightly shorter hems, there was a large jump to mid calf in 1915. The mid-calf dress was also a nod to women's liberation from the strict, uncomfortable styles of the Edwardian period.

With the end of the war, and fashion now becoming more acceptable as rationing ended, women were mixing socially and new fashions were becoming affordable to all classes. The hemlines, which had slowly begun to creep up to save material, now grew exponentially. By the mid 1920s dresses were just below the knee and fashion was not just for the rich and upper class societies.  By 1926, Flappers were dancing the Charleston and hemlines were at a peak for the period.

Women's fashion continued to change and grow. In the 1930s the depression forced a different chapter in style and thus new materials were born to fit with conservative pocketbooks. Towards the middle of the 1930s, as the depression waned, women's fashion once again became feminine and glamorous. The swing skirt dress came into fashion with the use of newer materials. By day women were wearing lovely practical dresses and by night they were wearing glamorous gowns made of silk and trains down the back. The trend continued throughout the 1930s and into the 1940s.

When war came to the world, once again you see this surge in fashion changes. From the beginning of the 1940s to the mid 1940s women stayed with conservative suit dresses and short sleeves. Skirts were now at the knee and were almost all swing style or pleated. As the war ended, so did conservation of fabric, again, and dresses and fashion became stylish and more elaborate. This ushered in the era of the likes of Doris Day and Grace Kelly.

The glamorous 50's with fur, pin up styles etc. If you've ever watched Funny Face with Audry Hepburn or That Touch of Mink, with Doris Day and Cary Grant, you'll understand what is truly meant by glamor. Gloves, petticoats, silk lined fur coats that matched dresses, everything about this period screamed glamour. Dresses were big and bold with crinoline, lace and petticoats. Shoes were shiny patent and high heeled. Bodices were tight and feminine and modest, while sexy. Later in the decade came halter dresses with peter pan collars.

Be a pin up girl today with stunning vintage women's dresses.