Vintage Sun Dresses

Why To Wear: Many vintage pin-up girls donned sun dresses like these!  The strappy shoulders, the buxom bodice, the flirty full skirts are all hallmarks of pin-up style.  Vintage sun dresses are plentiful enough that you can outfit your summer closet with them, yet they're uniquely detailed in such a variety of prints that you'll enjoy finding and collecting favorites for years to come.

Alternatives: Vintage sun dresses are defined as strappy/sleeveless with a fitted bodice and flared skirt, but lounge & house dresses are a close cousin.  Generally a lounge dress has more coverage at the shoulder but is often sleeveless like a sun dress.  Another option - If you're into the classic 1940s & 50s sun dresses, also check 1990s designs.  The 90s had a vintage revival of sun dresses, made by many mid-priced to high-end boutique labels that are just as terrific as the originals.

What To Look For:   Like many vintage dresses, especially the casual cottons, check seams for gaps.  Sun dresses, as you might expect, may have sun fading but it's more likely they'll be faded simply from washing and wearing over the decades.  If the dress doubled as a house frock, it may have extra wear at the torso from cooking and cleaning.  Some vintage sun dresses were made to match bathing suits or bikinis, so if you're hunting through a jumble, look for matching fabrics.  Here at Vintage Vixen we always keep collectible sets like this together, and we recommend you do too - they've lasted too long to separate them now, and the combinations themselves make them rarer as ensembles than individual pieces.

Favorite Finds: Besides the swim suit & sun dress ensembles mentioned above, we love to see sexy halter dresses, sun dresses with circle skirts, strapless finds and fancy finishes like hand-painting and extravagant rhinestones.  Vintage sun dresses with functional shoulder straps (or bra-style adjustable straps) are also a nice perk as they'll adjust to fit your build.


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