Never Seen - Dresses!

I don't have a ton of vintage dresses (I actually wear most of the ones I have, because they are recently acquired), but the ones I've kept over the years are pretty cool.

I got this one at Value Village for $14.95 about 12 years ago. I think it's handmade.
No label. It's a lovely crepe fabric, and is cut beautifully. There is a bow stitched on at the waist, which has a piping detail.

I haven't done up the hooks at the top or at the waist. I wore this for my 30th birthday party. I think it is from the early to mid-60s.

I last wore this vintage dress to a fancy dinner at a military organization.

I'm holding the back tight in that picture because it's way too big on me now. I got this at Value Village as well, for about $24.00, about 10 years ago.

The fabric is a nice aqua with shimmery aqua lamé threads and slubs of yellow. It's very itchy.

It came with a jacket:

Here's the label:

I couldn't find anything about that label or brand. Anyone? Again, I think it's early 60s.

The centre of the bow on the dress originally had a pouf of beads on it. I gently removed it to wear my grandma's vintage brooch on it (this set is what I wore with it). Of course, I kept the original decoration!

This dress is one of my treasures.

The black satin is heavy and thick, and all of the beading is perfectly intact. I seem to recall that L bought this for me about 10 years ago - it was about $50 in a vintage clothing store (the same store where I got my two pairs of vintage shoes, my Mae West hat and my Mr. Mort top).

A close-up of the bodice (the beading is only on the front):

Isn't that amazing? No label.

I'm holding the dress tight at the back because it's too big. However, I do have a picture from about 8 years ago:

Dressed up for some party, no doubt.

I got the next two dresses at the same shop (now out of business - the same shop where I got my chartreuse velvet/satin cape) for about $30 each. I think they might have been made by and/or for the same person, as the sizing is really close.

I was shocked - this one actually fits me perfectly. I'm pretty sure I was squeezing myself into this when I was a size 10. It's handmade and has no label.

A close-up of the top:

This has a side zip and the three buttons undo on one side of the top. I love the massive self-covered buttons on this, as well as the groovy double-knit paisley pattern. I might have to put this one back in my "active" wardrobe.

I last wore this below dress to a Christmas party about 3 years ago (I was in the middle of losing weight - it's too big now).

I shortened this when I bought it - it was about 6 inches longer. It also had two rows of big self-covered buttons marching down the front, to about the waist. I didn't like how they looked, so I took them off (of course, I kept them). It's handmade and has no label.

Don't you just love the maribou cuffs??The collar can either lay flat (as it is above), or it hooks closed so that the collar sits more upright. The material is also a double-knit polyester with a horizontal textured stripe. I quite like this dress. It's a fun winter party dress.

I am the first to admit that this dress is crazyass:

It is a thick silk velvet and is just a smidge too short on me (especially when wearing heels).

Check out the cuffs - they are attached to the sleeve but also kind of separate.

I like the back of it, too:

Very witchy, isn't it? I think it's handmade as well (no label also). It was about $30.

The cuffs snap together with snap-fasteners.

I last wore this to a Christmas party at L's boss' house, about 5 years ago. Heh.

I found this dress in a consignment store in a very chi chi part of town:

It's had its shoulder pads removed (not by me). It was on a clearance rack for about $14.95.

I'm pretty sure it's from the late 80s/early 90s.

I love the fabric and pattern. It's too big on me now, though.

Here's a picture of me from about 8 years ago:

Naturally, I wore it with my Mae West hat!

Here are a couple of vintage dresses that I have actually worn on the blog:

That's what I wore to work for Hallowe'en last year.

And that dress I wore to Caro's party about 2 years ago.

Hope you enjoyed the tour of my dresses!