Paris Evening Gowns - 1931

Today, the second in a series of 1930s garments from Paris, namely evening gowns from 1931.  Which is your favorite?

A Broekman's black lace gown is topped with a turquoise velvet wrapped jacket with fox fur cuffs.

Broekman's chartreuse green crepe gown is topped with a deeper green velvet jacket with sable collar. 

Jeanne Lanvin white georgette evening gown with dramatic sleeves.  A silver belt adorns the waist.

Raymonde Latour black silk gown with tulle bodice and sequined skirt.

Mondet et Cie evening jacket in three shades of pink sequins sewn onto silk tulle.

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Vintage Couture Evening Gowns - 1934

Want to see some couture evening gowns from 1934?  I thought so.  Which is your favorite?

Maggy Rouff purple and gold silk gown worn with a large purple velvet scarf.

Chanel gold lamé evening gown.  The bodice is embroidered with gold metallic threads.

Callot Soeurs silk faille gown in dove gray with pink pleated frills at the back.

Jacques Heim black silk satin mermaid hem gown worn with a white fox fur stole.

Marcel Rochas black silk stripe gown with ruffles down the sides.  The gown is adorned with a bird made of black feathers that has a diamante beak.

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Couture Evening Gowns - 1950

It's been awhile since I showed you evening gowns. Let's just pretend we all have a grand affair to attend this weekend for which we need an over-the-top gown. How about these couture creations from Spring 1950? Which will you choose?

Christian Dior

Jacques Fath

Mme. Grés

Christian Dior

Lucile Manguin

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Evening Gowns for Spring - 1959

Our look at fashion for spring ends with evening gowns from 1959. Gowns with ruffles. Gowns in chiffons. Gowns in pastel shades. Gowns for a spring cotillion. Which is your favorite?

Chanel

Mme. Grés

Pierre Balmain

Christian Dior

Pierre Cardin

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Evening Dresses - 1945

Are you throwing a holiday party this year? Why not make it a vintage themed affair? Or, better yet, how about black tie? The world needs some beauty, and we can all pitch in by wearing a glamorous gown for the holidays. Today, looks from 1945.

After years of shortages and austerity, the world emerges from WWII and designers celebrate with the use of yards and yards of fabric. Draping, poufs, and gathers abound. Shoulders are becoming important with dramatic sleeves and thick shoulder pads. We often see long sleeves for evening. Rayon joins silk as an important fabric for both day and evening.

Maggy Rouff printed silk gown with back bustle treatment and train.

Left, Jean Patou velvet and crepe gown with appliques in the opposite fabrics.
Right, Worth taffeta gown with huge puffed sleeves.

Another look by Worth. This time the huge sleeves and bodice are covered in tulle ruffles.

Jeanne Lanvin crepe gown with gold embroidery and full sleeves.

Mme. Grès silk chiffon gown with her signature draping.

Is the 1940s your decade of choice?

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Evening Dresses - 1935

In the 1930s, women wore full length gowns for evening. Body conscious jersey knits and bias cut satins revealed a woman's curves and these looks were very sexy. Fuller skirts were also available, though not nearly as full as they would be in 20 years time. While bare arms dominated, if a gown had sleeves, they were quite full and dramatic. Today, evening dresses from 1935.

Maggy Rouff navy wool jersey gown with attached sleeve cuffs.

Lucien Lelong white crepe gown with low cut back and floating trains.

Callot Soeurs navy silk taffeta with velvet bodice.

Black taffeta gown with large velvet polka dots and voluminous sleeves.

Black lace gown floats over a black underslip. The lace is embroidered with sparkling threads.

Is the 1930s your decade of choice?

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Vintage Evening Gowns

This is the stuff dreams are made of. Nowadays, it's not often that we get to wear full-on glamour as formal affairs seem to have gone the way of the dinosaur. It's always fun for me to hear from my customers who need a gown for a black-tie event and I try to keep a good supply of vintage evening gowns and cocktail dresses for those times. Here are a few examples from 1954 to inspire you.

Harvey Berin pale pink satin ball gown.

Mainbocher gold metallic sheath with square neckline.

Pierre Balmain satin sheath with flower appliques and train that drops from a huge hip bow.

Bergdorf Goodman custom salon draped sheath in pink or blue silk lamé.

Italian designer Simonetta white satin ball gown with allover pink velvet flowers.

Do you prefer the full skirted ball gowns, or the fitted sheaths?

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The Look of Evening Gowns - 1963

Today, exquisite evening gowns, all from the Fall of 1963. Enjoy!

Silver metallic brocade gown by Jr. Theme.

Malcolm Starr white satin gown with green beaded bodice.

Minuet cotton/silk blend ottoman gown with simple princess lines.

A young Candice Bergen wears a Minuet white silk/worsted alaskine
gown with button-back jacket.

H&H white silk satin evening cape.

Photos by Milton H. Greene

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Vintage Evening Gowns - 1955

That's me in the center, with 2 of my sisters at the black-and-white formal wedding for our other sister. I'm carrying a 1930s rhinestone evening bag.

I've been seeing a lot of photos in the last few weeks of lovely young ladies in their prom finery. It got me thinking about the excitement of shopping for just the right gown, all the trying on and the dreaming of how beautiful one will look on the special night. And then I wondered, why is it that after our prom years, we women have so few opportunities to dress up for a formal affair? In the last 30 years, I have only worn a true formal evening gown 3 times - once at each of my children's weddings where I was the mother of the bride and then the groom, and once at my sister's black-and-white black tie wedding, shown above. Each time, I felt truly beautiful, and I had so much FUN!

Why don't we have more formal occasions to dress up for? Have we just gotten too lazy? Do we just not care anymore? Why is it OK to wear jeans to the opera? Why is it OK to wear a cotton mini-dress and flip flops to a wedding? I mourn the days when certain social affairs demanded that we respect ourselves and others by dressing up to honor the occasion.

And so, dear readers, here is a call to action! Why not plan a party or get-together and make it a formal affair? Here are some ideas, presented with stunning evening gowns from 1955.

Mme. Grès

Celebrate your next big birthday with a black tie party.

Jean Patou
Plan your own grown-up prom with dinner and dancing to the old standards.

Balenciaga
Instead of a barbeque, how about a formal garden party?

Jean Patou
Attend a local formal fund raiser for your favorite charity.

Mme. Grès
Arrange a small formal dinner party at the best restaurant in town.

Pierre Balmain
Plan a very romantic at-home evening for two with your special someone.

Christian Dior
Have your own red carpet party on Oscar night.

Got any other ideas? Please add them in the comments.

Oh, and by the way, if you need a formal evening gown, I have a fabulous collection of vintage stunners at Couture Allure!

All photos by Pottier, except the first, which was taken by my husband.

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