Ten fantastic summer party dresses

Today just happens to be my brother’s birthday (Happiest 22nd, little bro!), and though we live on opposite sides of the country and won’t get to spend it together, I can’t help but feel in a festive mood as I woke up this morning. Which got me to thinking about birthday parties – and for that matter, parties in general – and of the sorts of sophisticated, feminine dresses that women so often wore to celebrations, dinner parties, and fêtes of all kinds during the 30s, 40s and 50s.

For as long as I can recall being able to dress myself, I’ve adored wearing frocks, and I must confess, the more elegant, structured and eye catching they are, the better! Though I don’t have a fancy party to attend today, that doesn’t stop me from daydreaming that I do, and in turn scouring the web for some of the prettiest vintage (and vintage inspired) party dresses out there.

The following ten frocks are presented in a rainbow-like fashion to help highlight the diverse array of hues in which one can find a lovely vintage party dress. While the fabric they’re constructed from varies, each one is in a cut that I think is well suited to summer soirees, be they indoor or outdoor celebrations.

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{Glamorous enough to have graced a 1930s red carpet, this deeply gorgeous vintage inspired cream and mocha hued lace dress would be sure to turn heads anywhere you wore it! $198.00US from Unique Vintage.}



{Sweet as a cotton candy and just as yummy, this pink cotton swing dress (with its adorable bow on the back of the neck) would make anyone feel like a princess! $88.00US from Unique Vintage.}



{My heart fluttered the moment I saw this immensely stunning pink floral print vintage dress. While the price tag is a little steep, if you had a special occasion to go to and were looking to splash out on your outfit, you’d hard pressed to find a more incredible dress anywhere! $275.00US from etsy seller Timeless Vixen Vintage.}



{To say this burgundy silk wrap dress is staggeringly beautiful, would be a gross understatement. It’s powers go beyond beauty into a realm as timeless as silver screen starlets, great jazz music and the act of falling in love. Though a pricey piece, I feel it would be worth every penny. $385.00 from etsy seller Timeless Vixen Vintage.}



{Sweetly lovely like a bouquet of spring flowers, this 1950s dress features a cute bow and Lucite buttons down the front. $79.00US from esty seller Flashbax.}



{Shimmering like an emerald in the sun, this beautiful sweet-heart neck dress instantly made me of something Marilyn would have loved to have worn. £55.00 (UK pounds) from Oli.}



{Charming as a bouquet of freshly picked blooms, this vintage dress (which the seller lists as being from the 1950s or 60s) would look amazing on. I love the rouched lilac hued sash and full skirt, and could easily imagine myself wearing this to an garden party. $75.00US from etsy seller Goodeye.}



{The colour of this halter neck dress reminds me of a summer sky as it teeters between dusk and night, inky blue and sweetly mysterious. £59.00 (UK pounds) from Vivien Holloway.}



{Though somewhat understated compared to the other dresses on this list, this navy blue silk-satin brocade sheath frock (featuring an adorable white butterfly print) strikes me as the type of dress that would look like a million dollars when paired with some d’orsay heels and a sleek little clutch. $65.00US from etsy seller Pintuck Style.}



{Resplendently timeless, this short sleeved black silk dress would be perfect for any party, from cocktails with friends to New Year’s Eve! $138.00US from etsy seller Thirteen Bees Vintage.}


I think that just as every gal should have a LBD in her closet, so too should she have at least one amazing party dress that can carry her through a myriad of special occasions. From weddings (just be sure your gown doesn’t upstage the bride’s ;D) to formal dinner parties, getting onto the guest list of a charity gala event or just deciding that you really want to look drop-dead gorgeous for a loved one’s – or your own! – birthday party, it never hurts to have a stunning dress like the examples above on hand!

Winnie the beauty

Vintage photos are a subject that I truly enjoy. Lacking old family albums of my own to page through (for the record though, some of my relatives like my granny do have older black and white/vintage pictures, hopefully one day I’ll have the honour of being the keeper of some of these wonderful snapshots in time), I’ve found that Flickr has become like a surrogate photo album of sorts.

Instead of my own great, great, greats aunts or grandfathers though, through vintage and antique photos of people one knows nothing about, it’s almost as though you can imagine anybody in an old photo to be your relative or friend. Perhaps that sounds silly, but if you think about it, ultimately we’re all distant relations, and the history of those who came before us is ultimately responsible for our existence in the present.

Recently I came across the photo below (on Flickr) and was absolutely struck by how lovely this dark haired young woman is. The Flickr user who uploaded it doesn’t know much about the photo other than that it was given to his mother by a woman named Winnie.

There’s something about the effervescent look in her young eyes, the gorgeously feminine style of her dainty floral print, ruffled dress and the quaint little purse strung across her chest that makes me think she would have made an incredibly cool older sister or cousin. Or perhaps she was the baby of the family, sweet natured as the day was long because of all the love she’d received from her large family.


{From her up-swept curls to her adorable outfit, Winnie looks like a woman with world of possibility at her fingers. I wonder what became of this stunning gal? Photo from Spysgrandson’s Flickr stream.}

In looking at photos of strangers from the past and imagining the lives of those who’ve never known (as I touched on in a post last week, too), we do more than keep their memories alive, we preserve the beauty of their souls through the joy these images bring our own.

Take a spin in a turquoise world {Monday Muses, June 22, 2009}

In one of the bedrooms I lived in as a child the walls were covered in the prettiest pale turquoise wallpaper that featured tiny – almost Liberty print style – peach and soft buttercup yellow flowers. This visual influence paired with my love from a very early age of 1957 Chevie Bel Air cars in glossy, vibrant turquoise, no doubt helps to explain my lifelong adoration of this soothing, gentle colour.

Though the mere mention of the word turquoise often conjures up thoughts of mid-century kitchens, appliances and vehicles, the use of this hue – and the mineral based gemstone from which the colour takes its name – stretches back thousands of years. Ancient as an appreciation for turquoise is however, there’s no denying the fact that its modern heyday certainly came about in the 1950s, as pastel, salt water taffy inspired hues began to permeate home decor, kitchenware, furniture, and the fashion world.


{Often paired with soft pink, yellow or peach, or alternatively as in the fabulous kitchen above, black and white, turquoise became a very popular colour for kitchens, appliances and home decor in general during the fifties. Image from Saltycotton’s Flickr stream.}

Be it in the form of jewelry, clothing, household goods, fabric, paint, cars or just about anything else, I always feel myself drawn to turquoise. It generally works well with my fair complexion and green eyes, I feel happy when I slip into – or adorn myself with – something in this lovely shade of sky blue meets soft green.

Perfectly suited to the cheerfully effervescent nature of June, turquoise looks smashing on almost any complexion and can be woven into the decor of most any home. Vintage items sporting the colour turquoise abound and are most certainly worth keeping an eye out for as you hit the flea market, yard sale and thrift shop circuit this summer.


{This 1959 luggage ad clearly shows that turquoise was in vogue during the later part of the decade. Though the model in this photo looks undeniably sophisticated, I wonder if it would be as effortlessly simple to pull off a full-length turquoise fur coat these days? Vintage scan via sugarpie honeybunch’s Flickr stream.}

Inspired by the following collage of turquoise themed Flickr images that I’ve favourited over time, I have decided that this calming, aqua hue – which calls to mind everything from outdoor New Mexico markets to shimmering swimming pools – is my Monday Muse this week. I know that many of my fellow vintage lovers are also diehard turquoise fans, so I’ve gathered up some stellar wardrobe pieces in this chipper, joyful colour, which I hope you’ll love as much as I do!


1. car, 2. Jewel Redux, 3. Vogue June 1959, 4. MInted Rose Locket, 5. DSCF2083-3, 6. Tiara ~ Crown Swap, 7. Turquoise butterprint Pyrex mixing bowl, 8. retro 1950's wall clock, 9. c o l o r • m e • n o s t a l g i c, 10. 1950s Turquoise Royal Typewriter, 11. Vintage tin tray by Daher (made in England), 12. Vintage Peach & Aqua Printed Tablecloth, 13. aqua rose dress {Click on a link to see a larger version of a particular image and/or for photographer information}

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{Equal parts adorable and sultry, this gorgeous turquoise and white dress looks like it would definitely hug you in all the right places! $139US from Pinup Girl Clothing.}



{Don’t you just love this vintage 1950s, rose print full skirt? Its combo of white, black and turquoise reminds me of the kitchen in the advertisement above, and I think, would go beautifully with everything from brown cardigans to red high heels. $45US from Blue Velvet Vintage.}


{Truly worthy of a red carpet event, this incredibly pretty, pale aqua/turquoise 1950s dress with matching bolero was turn heads anywhere you went! $185US from Vintageous.}



{One look at this adorable, vibrant halter neck vintage inspired swimsuit and I want to run to nearest pool and dive in! $98(US) from Babygirl Boutique.}



{From the full skirt to the button front to the v-neck lapel, I absolutely adore everything about this Trashy Diva vintage reproduction frock! $114.99US from Blue Velvet vintage.}



{Are you an admirer of turquoise but don’t want to dress head-to-toe in it? Opt instead for colourful accessories like this pretty rose and baby’s breath hair flower. $12(US) from Pinup Girl Clothing.}



{Though this stunning floral print, halter neck dress is one hot number, I get the feeling that it’s breezy neckline and shorter skirt length would do an awesome job of keeping you cool all summer long! $47.99 from Mod Cloth.}



{No roundup of turquoise fashion would be complete without at least piece of jewelry featuring this revitalizing colour. This versatile and comfortable looking stretch bracelet from the 1950s would look amazing with everything from a white blouse to blue jeans to a black evening dress. £8.00 (UK pounds) from Ji Ji Kiki (note this site offers free shipping worldwide on orders over £30).}



{Luxurious and elegant, but still playful fun, this gorgeous satin sarong dress is pretty enough to wear to a beach wedding – whether as a guest or the bride :) $130.00(US) from Pinup Girl Clothing.}



Turquoise is a beautiful, timeless colour that can add a wonderful dose of fifties style to your home or wardrobe. I personally love pairing it with hues like grey, brown, black, white, pale pink and dark red, and find that it’s one of the best colours to wear on days when you want to feel both energized and calm. Are you a turquoise fan too - and if so, what are some of your favourite ways to add this terrific colour to your world?