What Exactly is a Cocktail Dress?
A cocktail dress came officially on the scene in the 1920's, when designer Coco Channel designed "the little black dress". It was calf-length, straight, and decorated only by a few diagonal lines. This dress became the pattern for cocktail dresses of all sorts for decades to come, bringing the color black out of the mourning niche and into high fashion.
The little black dress was the epitome of style that could be worn by women of all ages, and incomes. This dress could be dressed up or down depending on the accessories that were worn with it. Designer Christian Dior was the first to use the term "cocktail dress" to refer to early evening wear, in the late 1940s.
After the Great Depression, fashion began to push the envelope, with cocktail dresses breaking out of the mold. Dresses became both longer and shorter, and much more colorful. Different fabrics were experimented with introducing new sheer versions of the cocktail dress, and much more elaborate versions of the cocktail dress.
Over the years the definition of the cocktail dress has evolved to the current definition--a cocktail dress or cocktail gown is a woman's dress worn at cocktail parties, and semi-formal occasions. The length ranges from just above the knee to touching the ankle. When it is about 2 inches above the ankle it is called tea length and when it is almost touching the ankle it is called ballerina length.
Vintage Black Cocktail Dress
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 1960s Sheer Lined Black Cotton Cocktail Dress Vintage Parnes Feinstein 12 NWT  US $9.95
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 Vintage 1960s Black Velvet Cocktail Dress by Carol Brent Size Small US $42.00
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 Vintage Beachers Brooks sequins black sleeveless wedding cocktail dress M 8 US $15.99
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 N74UR1 Vintage Pleated Ruffle Cocktail Summer DressOne Size Fit S MBlack US $22.99
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Cocktail Dresses Versatile
One of the things that makes the cocktail dress such a great fashion find is that cocktail dresses are very versatile. If you take a basic cocktail dress and add a jacket and a clutch purse, you have the perfect outfit for an office party. But if you take the same dress and add a string of pearls, a beaded bag, and party shoes, you have an evening dress.
Cocktail dresses have been taking the fashion world by storm since the invention of the little black dress. Women can buy one or two cocktail dresses, and with a few accessories create several outfits that could take them through two weeks of parties. This idea is not new at all, but now in the era of eco-chic, where women are looking for ways to recycle including recycling fashion, it only makes sense to look for authentic vintage cocktail dresses from the last few decades, and alter them or wear them as is, to cut down on dresses being manufactured.
And what is healthy for our earth is doubly healthy for our pocketbook. Buying used vintage cocktail dresses is much cheaper than buying them new. And being party dresses, most vintage cocktail dresses are still in excellent condition.
1950's Vintage Cocktail Dresses
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 VTG ROCKABILY Cocktail DRESS dot green PROM 50s EVENING PARTY M US $23.70
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 STUNNING VINTAGE 50S FUN TAFFETTA HALTER PROM DRESS COCKTAIL PARTY GOWNWOW US $34.99
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 Fabulous Taffeta Vintage 50s Cocktail Dress Burgundy Black Stripe Velvet Trim S US $99.99
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 PROM 50s VTG ROCKABILY Cocktail DRESS RED EVENING PARTY LEO L US $25.28
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Red Cocktail Dresses
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PROM 50s VTG ROCKABILY Cocktail DRESS RED EVENING PARTY LEO L US $25.28
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 BEAUTIFUL VINTAGE GHOST RUBY RED VELVET TEA COCKTAIL EVENING DRESS SIZE S US $31.61
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 U63 J9 Vintage BabyDoll Smock Cocktail Dress NEWUS Sz 0 2Red US $28.99
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 U63 P1 Vintage BabyDoll Smock Cocktail Dress NEWUS Sz 0 2Red US $28.99
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Fairly Plain to Very Dressy
The original little black dress was a very basic sheathe, but cocktail dresses since them vary widely from simple, plain dresses to extremely frou frou dresses. Whatever style you prefer, you will find a huge variety of vintage cocktail dresses to match.
And black ceased to be the only cocktail dress color years ago, with dresses ranging the color spectrum of bright fire engine red, to silver, smokey gray, and floral prints. Fabrics can range from sheer chiffon to opaque silk to shiny polyester.
And accessories can be added to the dress to add sparkle, like beads, pearls, and rhinestones. These kinds of additions work well when altering or changing a vintage dress to cover up any stains or tears from previous use.
Vintage Sheer Cocktail Dresses
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1960s Sheer Lined Black Cotton Cocktail Dress Vintage Parnes Feinstein 12 NWT US $9.95
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 vintage 80s black TAFFETA COCKTAIL DRESS Lace sheer back peplum ruffle waist US $14.99
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 Vtg TEHEN France COUTURE SHEER WHITE SHEATH PARTY Cocktail CASUAL DRESS XS S US $29.95
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 Vtg Pinup Sexy See Through Sheer Mesh Elegant Peplem Cocktail Evening Club Dress US $39.99
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Vintage Strapless Cocktail Dresses
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 Z52 VTG 80s TUTU ruffle rayon strapless 80s sexy cocktail mini dress floral XS S US $12.99
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 LADIES NEW BLACK FITTED SATIN STRAPLESS VTG PENCIL EVENING COCKTAIL PARTY DRESS US $47.42
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 NEW JCrew Hazel Blue Taryn Dress Vintage Style Strapless Silk Chiffon Cocktail 8 US $85.00
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 NEW JCrew Vintage Blue Taryn Dress Silk Chiffon Strapless Cocktail Party 12 US $85.00
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Vintage Lace Cocktail Dresses
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vintage 80s black TAFFETA COCKTAIL DRESS Lace sheer back peplum ruffle waist US $14.99
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 K01 J9 Vintage Lace Cocktail Party Dress NEWUS Sz 2 4Beige US $30.99
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 K01 J9 Vintage Lace Cocktail Party Dress NEWUS Sz 2 4Black US $30.99
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 K01 J9 Vintage Lace Cocktail Party DressUS Sz 2 4Grape US $30.99
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Sophisticated to Sexy Bodice Styles
Whether you are looking for a sophisticated sleek look or a sexy shoulder bearing look, vintage cocktail dresses can be found.
Vintage cocktail dresses were made in halter style, strapless style, over one shoulder style, sleeveless, and long sleeve.
You can also find sheer sleeves, puffy sleeves, and cap sleeves.
Vintage skirt styles abound also, including straight sheath, asymmetrical cuts, mini, tunic style, a line style, and several other skirt styles.
And additions included beads, crystals, rhinestones, lurex, spandex, and embroidery.
1960's Vintage Cocktail Dresses
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1960s Sheer Lined Black Cotton Cocktail Dress Vintage Parnes Feinstein 12 NWT US $9.95
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Vintage 1960s Black Velvet Cocktail Dress by Carol Brent Size Small US $42.00
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 Vintage 1960s MADMEN Black Cocktail Dress US $23.00
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 Vintage 60s Jack Bryan Chiffon Cocktail Dress 10 Pink Purple Floral US $29.98
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Explore the Vintage Clothing for Women on Ebay
Reputable Ebay sellers have a lot of wonderful mint condition vintage cocktail dresses to offer to you. Most of them are authentic vintage dresses that are being sold for excellent prices. But don't be fooled by retro or new vintage cocktail dresses.
If the dresses are new, in most cases they are not vintage but vintage style. And that is okay if vintage style is what you want, but if you want authentic vintage, make sure that the Ebay seller makes that clear in the description or you can send them a question.
It is possible to find a new, never been worn item that is vintage, but most vintage cocktail dresses will have been worn at least once or twice.
That being said, Ebay is a wonderful place to find vintage clothing of all kinds, and it is hard to do wrong on Ebay as long as you know what you are looking for. It is like shopping through the racks at your favorite vintage clothing store from the comfort of your own home.
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The Cocktail Dress List Price: Sale Price: $0.01 You save: $21.98 (100%)  Eligible for free shipping!Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days 36 new from $0.01 39 used from $0.01  |
Description
Whether a lilac damask sheath trimmed in marabou, vintage Dior New Look with a nipped waist, a mini constructed of silver metallic plastic discs À la Paco Rabanne, or a streamlined black wool bouclÉ number, the cocktail dress is an item of fancy, personal expression, the life of the party—and has been ever since its emergence in the 1920s.With an essay and a gorgeous array of imagery selected by Laird Borrelli-Persson, The Cocktail Dress is the first volume to pay homage to this fashion classic. Along with an entertaining history of the dress and its evolution, the book features a dazzling presentation of cocktail frocks throughout fashion history. This colorful gallery includes fine art and photography, runway shots and design sketches, stills from classic films, and vintage magazine covers. Included are works by painters and photographers Otto Dix, Alex Katz, Raoul Dufy, Gordon Parks, and Edward Steichen, as well as illustrations by designers Chris Benz, Cynthia Rowley, Isaac Mizrahi, and Peter Som. Throughout are alluring images of fashion and film icons clad in stunning cocktail attire, among them Louise Brooks, Joan Crawford, Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, Wallis Simpson, Twiggy, Kate Moss, and Sarah Jessica Parker. Every page features showstopping creations by the world's most renowned fashion designers, from CristÓbal Balenciaga and Christian Dior to Miuccia Prada and Alber Elbaz. The dresses are shown in full color throughout, paired with witty commentary on cocktail culture and couture from fashion personalities, fiction, and film. Extended captions at the back of the book provide details on each dress and its place in fashion history.
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