When you shop for vintage clothing, you will enjoy garments of historical interest that are unique in appearance and rewarding to own. When people look for clothing, like a 50’s vintage dress, they can enjoy the quality of the fabrics that clothes were made from in years past that are no longer available.
There are disadvantages, however, because the selection of available vintage clothing can frequently be a challenge. Also, vintage clothing shops will often mix different eras of clothing in with those that are 50’s vintage dresses. How can you differentiate between the eras?
Features that Define the Era
You’re in luck, because each different era can be identified though specific styles and features. While there may be some crossover in styles, 50’s vintage dresses and those from other eras can be separated out due to certain features.
For example, the halter-style neckline was a very distinctive feature that was popular in the 50’s. Although halter necks have enjoyed a recent resurgence, you can identify one from the 50’s by some other characteristics.
During this era, clothing labels were rarely used. These dresses are not likely to have labels, because the designers and dressmakers did the actual construction of the dresses themselves. Also, clothing that was made in the 1950’s was not required to have a label sewn into the garment to instruct the wearer on how to care for it, such as, how to launder the item, as these were not required by law until the 70’s.
Bracelet-length sleeves were in great demand in the late 50’s, and many 50’s vintage dresses come with this type of sleeve among other styles that were also seen then.
Locating the Right Dress for You
If you are perusing this particular article, there may be a particular style of vintage 50’s dress you are looking for. Fortunately, there are other options available to the ones you usually see through the media. A lot of designers influenced the style of the dresses seen in the 1950’s, particularly French designers, such as Christian Dior.
Vintage dresses, no matter what era they come from, have a unique fit and shape to them. Don’t get discouraged if the dress doesn’t quite fit correctly, as some adjustment may be required, or wearing a petticoat underneath could make a big difference in how the dress looks. The shapes and the sizing of garments have evolved over the years, but there is a lot of truth to the reported splendor of a 50’s vintage dress!
