1950s Cocktail Dresses

Most agree cocktail dresses reached their height in the 1950s. After the end of World War II, a surge in the popularity of "at-home" cocktail parties created the need for women to have a short dress suitable for more formal occasions - in essence, a short version of an evening gown. Dior is said to have first coined the phrase "cocktail dress" in the late 1940s. 

French designers released cocktail-specific dresses. Less expensive ready-to-wear dresses were eagerly embraced by American women. A great many sewing patterns for cocktail dresses were also produced in the 1950s. High fashion was now available to everyone.

Cocktail parties helped define women's roles as wives and hostesses. They were also a means to promote or further their husband's career.

The beauty of most 1950s cocktail dresses is the design of pleating, ruching, folds and gathers. 

There are two main cocktail dress styles: the bouffant skirt dress and the sheath dress. The full skirted dresses were always worn with a petticoat or two. The sheath dresses were slim around the body. The hourglass silhouette of both styles required the wearing of bullet bras, waist-cinchers, corselets and girdles.

By the mid-1960s, formal dress for cocktail parties began to give way to more casual attire. By the late 60s - 1970s, hostesses wore a "hostess dress" - a full length dress with a simpler design than those of the 1950s. Hostess dresses are sometimes called patio dresses as cocktail parties moved outdoors.

The Pattern Patter Team on etsy offers a large variety of cocktail dress patterns. 

Row One: 

McCall's 4357 @ BluetreeSewingStudio

Vogue 199 @ ViennasGrace

McCall's 3781 @ Redcurlzs

McCall's 6044 @ CloesCloset

Row Two

Vogue 4218 @ VintagePatternStore

Vogue 1881 @ VogueVixens

Butterick 7648 @ TheTinThimble

McCall's 3827 @ ThePatternSource

Row Three

Butterick 6095 @ FindCraftyPatterns

Butterick 5557 @ PurplePlaidPenguin

Modes Royale 1883 @ kinseysue

McCall's 4417 @ honeymoonbus

Row Four

Vogue 4963 @ sewbettyanddot

Butterick 5557 @ retroactivefuture

Modes Royale 1749 @ stitchingbynumbers

Advance 110 @ SewAsItWasPatterns

New Year Party!!

With the New Year fast approaching, I thought we might look at some fun party, cocktail, and evening dresses through the ages!!  You really can't be too well dressed when you ring in the New Year.  Right? :)  Want to see how ladies have celebrated through the years?  Yes?

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Let's get started:

The 1930s

Dreamlike 1930s

The 1930s featured a lot of puffed shoulders and random shirring.

1.)  Hollywood 1160 @ Fancywork

2.)  McCall 3406 @ DRC Rose Patterns

3.)  New York 966 @ Grey Dog Vintage

4.)  Simplicity 3128 @ She'll Make You Flip

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The 1940s

Chic 1940s

The 1940s were all about asymmetry, as you can see by just these 4 choices from our team!

1.)  Simplicity 2094 @ Sydcam 123

2.)  McCall 7142 @ DRC Rose Patterns

3.)  McCall 6598 @ Redcurlz's

4.)  McCall 7604 @  So Vintage on Etsy

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The 1950s

Stunning 1950s

These stunningly sexy 1950s dresses would be sure to knock 'em dead at any party!

1.)  Simplicity 1833 @ Floradora Presents
2.)  McCall's 3297 @ People Packages
3.)  McCall's 3992 @ So Vintage on Etsy
4.)  Vogue 4977 @ Vintage Needle Finds

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The 1960s

Dramatic 1960s

No less dramatic are these dresses from the 1960s... Who wouldn't want one?

1.)  Simplicity 5703 @ Fragolina

2.)  Vogue 5480 @ Selvedge Shop

3.)  Weigels 2502 @ Sew As It Was Patterns

4.)  Simplicity 3717 @ Bluetree Sewing Studio

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The 1970s

Comfortable 1970s

The 1970s were about being comfortable while still looking great!  You could dance the night away under that disco ball in these!

1.)  Butterick 6700 @ Grandma Made With Love

2.)  Vogue 1318 @ Cloe's Closet

3.)  Vogue 9063 @ Mbchills

4.)  McCall's 3396 @Erika With A K

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The 1980s

Over-the-Top 80s

Big glamour was back in a big way in the 80s.  A proliferation of bows, ruffles, gathers, crinolines and asymmetry were again back in style.  Everything feminine in the last 50 years of fashion got thrown together into a whole new style!

1.)  Simplicity 8309 @ Retroactive Future

2.)  Vogue 9893 @ Fragolina

3.)  Vogue 1623 @ Clutterina's Shop

4.)  Simplicity 7842 @ Vogue Vixens

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Is everybody ready to ring in the New Year, now?

What will you be wearing?  I'll probably be wearing an ugly Christmas sweater and lounge pants, to be honest, but maybe one day I'll go to a party chic enough to wear one of these! :)

Happy New Year!