Vintage Prom attire

[Caity Lynn]

Well, My dreams have come true...the prom theme this year is Old Hollywood. My life is complete at last lol.

Prom isn't until the end of the year, but I need to start looking now. I really want a little black number something like this

http://www.rosemaryclooney.com/whitechristmas/clooneyelenx.jpg
http://www.rosemaryclooney.com/whitechristmas/love.jpg

Only with different straps. I intend to wear ballroom length gloves, chandelier earrings my hair up in a complex Evita type hairstyle and heels Red lippie and nails as well. I'm unfortunately a Pear shape, so the whole "mermaid'' thing won't work too well, although if it mainly flows from my waist I can pull it off. I kinda want some form of corset boning in the waist as well, but thats not a thing I'd really care about if the dress was perfect otherwise. Does anyone know where I could find a similar dress, or anyone who can make it fairly cheap?


like $100-!150?

 

[Miss_Bella_Hell]

Well, I would scour ebay, but for a dress like that it might be expensive. There are some seamstresses on here, you might ask around how complicated it is and how much you would expect to pay to have something made. Oh, and where are you in the USA?

These are the dresses, right?

What type of fabric would you want?

 

[Caity Lynn]

yupp, those are the dresses, I live in West Virginia, and fabric..not sure, Something shiny without being that wal-mart cheap stuff...if you know what I mean...[huh]

 

[Laura Chase]

Hi Caity Lynn! Are you looking for dresses that look exactly like one of those two or would different 50's-bombshell-fit-for-a-prom dresses do too?

Two suggestions that popped to mind, maybe it's not at all what you are looking for.

Whirling Turban have some very nice 50's dresses, both ready-to-wear and custom made (that way you can have them floor length and in the fabric you prefer):

A less expensive solution, if you at all like Stop Staring, this one is from Daddy O's:

 

[CherryRed]

Does anyone know where I could find a similar dress, or anyone who can make it fairly cheap?


like $100-!150?

Having made prom gowns before, I can tell you that the fabric and notions alone will cost you that much.

I agree with MissBella, look for something on ebay.

 

[texasgirl]

Check Unique Vintage. They have a lot or vintage-inspired dresses. Some are more than your budget, but I thought this one was pretty cute and affordable at $148.

http://www.unique-vintage.com/vinta....html?osCsid=d98103b56ed822f32f860f841729d425

 

[Miss_Bella_Hell]

I was clicking around Unique Vintage and found this for $98:
http://www.unique-vintage.com/1930s....html?osCsid=d98103b56ed822f32f860f841729d425

and this is $128
http://www.unique-vintage.com/sale-....html?osCsid=d98103b56ed822f32f860f841729d425

 

[Grant Fan]

try these links you might like one of them
http://www.unique-vintage.com/preor...p-2623.html?osCsid=ismvb5ufemf2c2k8f4c53u2v86

http://www.unique-vintage.com/greci...p-2493.html?osCsid=ismvb5ufemf2c2k8f4c53u2v86

http://www.unique-vintage.com/style...p-2035.html?osCsid=ismvb5ufemf2c2k8f4c53u2v86

http://www.unique-vintage.com/black...p-2031.html?osCsid=ismvb5ufemf2c2k8f4c53u2v86

There are a whole lot more on www.unique-vintage.com they have great dresses. I hope this helps you.

 

[Mrs. Merl]

I will guarantee that a dress as such could not be made for that little - as was said it would cost that much in supplies alone. And it would be difficult to even find a seamstress capable of creating such a dress given everyday options.

 

[Lareesie Ladavi]

fftopic: OKay when I first say the title of the post, I thought it said "Porn". lol
Okay, back on topic...carry on....
Sorry, I don't have much to contribute here, my husband and I couldn't afford prom, it was soo expensive (the tickets and dress). Is it still a lot to go?

Laura Chase, I like your suggestions. They are simple and sophisticated....they can be worn again.

 

[Caity Lynn]

I live in a rural area, tickets are about 20 bucks and if you show up in anything better than a pick up or early 90's car your doing swell.If you show up in a limo....you'd be the first.

I don't expect to find a dress exactly, just in a similar style...much like those you've posted in Unique Vintage. Thanks for the links they are MUCH appreciated!!!

 

[LelaViavonie]

The dresses up above are beautiful!! THey caught my eye!

 

[Spiffy]

I'll bet if you took a weekend to the nearest college town and poked around in the secondhand shops, you could find something very similar. It's a very classic style (one that I'm positive came back in the 80's, and even at my prom in '06) and if you look in shops close to campus you should be able to find all the cast-off sorority formal wear for almost nothing.

This is how I've been able to purchase ridiculously formal dresses for every occasion.

As for the rest of the ensemble; the opera-length gloves you can get at Claire's for under ten dollars, and probably the chandelier earrings as well. They sometimes do super-mega-discount sales after Christmas, so you might luck out.

Good Luck!

 

[Caity Lynn]

If only I could find this in all black.

http://www.davidsprom.com/dresses_detail.jsp?i=1941&g=0&p=1&s=6216

 

[Foofoogal]

I thought Spiffy and Caity Lynn was the same girl. lol
I love the one TexasGirl found.

This is kind of fun. We could start a dress a girl for prom thread. lol
I would think if Caity Lynn lives where noone has seen anyone in a limo for prom there may be a local seamstress that would be maybe good and reasonable.
The dress you found Caity would be simple to make.
If there is a fabric shop near you go in and ask them for names of local seamstresses. Sometimes they have even a wall or something with business cards.

fftopic: I have the funniest prom and limo story ever. Years ago my niece and about 7 of her friends rented the longest limo ever before those hummer ones. The whole street was out watching them all take pixs like everyone does in Texas. Finally they all piled in and the thing would not start. My niece had a strapless dress on and when she gets embarrased she breaks out. She became all flushed on her chest and neck. Her dad had to (no kidding) get his pickemup truck and jump the limo off. Everyone was rolling laughing. All but my niece. lol

 

[Caity Lynn]

lol, we have one seamstress in town, but no fabric store, well...wal-mart but... There is one who owns my grandma a few favors about 2 hours away though, it's a possibility. I was also thinking of buying the zebra print one, and having it dyed all black.

Prom car stories....lol....my brother drove his "muddin" truck. It was SO illegal. It also was raining and it had no doors. They had to bring a trailer in to take it home because the cops would've seen them and they would've gotten fined. Gotta love a bunch of country boys.

 

[Foofoogal]

Even a Wal-Mart fabric regular employee may know some local seamstress. Hope it goes well for you and you have a blast. Prom is so much fun and something to remember always. Just stay lucid for you can remember it.

 

[Caity Lynn]

fftopic: no worries about me staying lucid. I don't drink or anything that would change my judgment. It's going to be great...if i can find a dress.

 

[Mrs. Merl]

Sadly, I don't know as though that dress would dye very well. I have had some really bad luck with dye.

 

[MissAmelina]

My two cents:

Try the dress on before you buy, if you can.

Alot of times with those old dresses (or any for that matter), they either look better on the hanger than on you, OR they look WAY better on YOU than the hanger (which is my experience).
Make sense?
So something that you think is kinda poopy on the hanger, suddenly comes to life when it runs over the contours of your body. You want the dress to be fantastic, but you want it to be fantastic on YOU which helps make it a unique fashion experience.

Have fun shopping! You *will* find what you are looking for and you will feel fabulous in it!!:eusa_clap