Buying Vintage Wedding Dresses - Things to Consider & Crafty Options

Painter Poet Muse - Etsy

Over the years I have sold several vintage wedding dresses. Most of them were from the 1970's and 1980's and they were sold primarily for the fabric or Halloween costumes for less than $30 each. It is much less common to find a vintage gown from the 1960's or earlier. 

Most gowns from the 1950's through the mid 1960's were mostly made of Chantilly lace, slipper satin, and tulle - whereas gowns from the late 1960s through the 1990s were made of raw silk, organza, non-silk satin, and synthetic fabrics like polyester and acrylic.

Lace and tulle have made a major comeback in the last 10-15 years and are so popular they have sparked "vintage" lines being sold at David's Bridal and vintage inspired looks from designers like Maggie Sottero. For many brides, the ease of buying a vintage inspired dress is simply a no brainer. Why go to the trouble of finding a true vintage gown when you can have a new gown ready to wear from your local bridal shop?

As a vintage dealer myself, I earn a living selling people vintage clothing. It is my job to illustrate how a garment made 50 years ago is still very relevant and fashionable today. For bridal however, there are SO many issues you can run into that it may not be worth it to purchase an authentic vintage gown UNLESS you can try it on and have the option to return it. 

Here is a list of things to consider, ask, and mill over if you are thinking of buying a vintage gown: 

Saweran

Size - Length:

The average American woman was much smaller 50-60 years ago than they are today. Most women in the 1950's were petite with small frames. Even taller women, like Grace Kelly (pictured above circa 1956) who was almost 5' 7", tended to have very dainty frames. Because of this, it might be a nightmare for a seamstress to alter a vintage gown if it is too short or too tight. 

Most of the gowns I have either sold or looked at online were made for women who stood 5 feet to about 5 foot 3 inches tall - and therefore dresses were made to their heights with extra length for the standard 2 inch heels of the 1950s and 1960s. I am 5'8", so I know it would be almost impossible for me to find a vintage wedding dress long enough.

If you are looking at dresses online at Ebay or Etsy, make SURE you ask the seller how tall the woman was who owned the dress (if they know). If they do not know this information, take the length from the shoulder to the bottom hem of the dress and compare it to your size - the top of your shoulder to the floor. Then, subtract 2 inches from the dress length to account for heels. This will help you determine how tall the woman was who owned the dress. If you are 5 feet to 5 feet 4 inches tall, you will have a much easier time finding a vintage dress that will fit. If you are taller than 5 feet 4, it will be much more difficult.

Breanne Faouzi - Etsy

Size - Sleeves:

Since many vintage gowns have long sleeves and/or high necks, if you want to keep the sleeves you will need to measure every aspect of your arm to make sure you can wear it. Sleeves on vintage gowns are almost always made of lace. 

I would imagine it would be very difficult to match new lace to vintage lace to create an expansion area for the arm if the sleeves were too tight. 

Also, vintage lace DOES NOT STRETCH. Whatever you do, do not ever try and force your arm down a lace sleeve because it will rip and lace cannot easily be repaired without it being obvious! If you were to rip one sleeve, you might end up removing the sleeves if they could not be repaired to match and look right. 

This is not that much of an issue if you planned on removing the sleeves all along, but if the sleeves are one of the main reasons you are looking at vintage make sure your arms will fit. Most online sellers do not provide detailed arm measurements in regard to circumference unless you ask.

Vintage Runway - Etsy

Size - Shoulder to Waist to Hip Ratio:

Remember how I said earlier that women were much more petite 50 years ago? Well, overall length is not the only thing to consider. In fact, the shoulder to waist to hip ratio is much more important in terms of the DISTANCES between each of these areas on your body. Wedding dresses are fitted and they do not stretch. If the dress is not long enough from your shoulder, OVER YOUR BUST, to your navel, the dress will not fit. DO NOT FORGET THE BUST!

You will need to contact an online seller to ask how they measured the shoulder to waist measurement. If it was measured flat, then likely the bust will not be accounted for. Most wedding gowns will have "peaks" for the bust. You can get a better idea of how much volume the "peaks" will accommodate if you have the measurement of the dress just below the bust. This is of course much easier for a seller to measure if they have a mannequin or live model as well.

Now, hips! Most vintage gowns come in very small at the waist, then the skirting for the bottom starts just below that point. The idea behind this is that your hips will make the A-line flow outward (remember vintage gowns were worn with hoop skirts or crinolines underneath in most instances). If this is not accurately measured, the dress will be much shorter than you imagined. 

Farmstead Vintage - Etsy

Alteration Issues:

For obvious reasons, it is easier to take a dress in than it is to let one out. Since most vintage gowns are on the small side, it would probably be very obvious if expansion areas were added. This is not to say a skilled seamstress could not do an impeccable job. I would be more concerned about the vintage fabric not matching new fabric since vintage whites tend to yellow, darken, or take on a "tea stain" that cannot be exactly replicated. You can run into this issue if you have to make a dress longer as well.

If you need to alter a dress that has appliques, most likely they will need to be removed for alterations - then reattached. I have owned some vintage dresses in the past where appliques and features like rosettes or petals feel "crispy". I would not say they are brittle like old paper, they just felt like they could tear like paper if put under enough stresses. Vintage netting is also very susceptible to becoming brittle to the point where if you tug on it slightly, it will easily tear. Wedding dresses were not exactly preserved in the 50s and 60s like they are today. Usually they would be wrapped in tissue and stored in a cedar hope chest, left to hang inside a garment bag, or *shudder* put in a cardboard box and shoved into the attic or basement. Moisture and extreme heat can wreak havoc on fabrics and if you are dealing with an inexperienced vintage seller, they might not know what to look for in terms of fabric fragility.

Pattens Attic Treasure - Etsy

Condition Issues:

I have had to pass up many vintage wedding dresses over the years due to damage from improper storage. Metal clothes hangers should have never been invented for one. They will destroy an illusion neckline and will poke huge holes in the shoulders of lace sleeves. Then gravity takes over and the whole top of a vintage gown is ruined. Silks will get eaten by moths or other closet bugs - or they will get stuck and die on the fabric and leave a stain. Old underarm stains can also compositely ruin the top of a dress because you cannot wash it out so all you can do is cut it out or cover it up. Then you get into moldy mildew smells or cigarette smoke...

If a dress is terribly soiled, some fabrics are just too fragile to wash and they will come apart in the tub. I have had success washing lace...after it has been removed from a gown then sewn back on. Some gowns if they get wet, the base fabric will shrink up and pucker and ruin the gown.

Once you get into where you are going to have to have a seamstress or tailor basically take apart and remake the dress, you might be up to $500+ in alterations. Add this to whatever ht initial cost of the gown is and you might have been better off simply getting a vintage inspired dress.  

Dandelion Girl

Other Ideas:

I regularly find vintage wedding dresses at Goodwill, flea markets, vintage shops, and places like that. Usually, they have been worn and they have issues like stains, rips, holes, smells, and so on. BUT, this can be a positive for you! The image above is of a very popular Pinterest pin illustrating how you can sew vintage slips and negligees together to make a slip dress. You can do the exact same thing with pieces of various wedding dresses. It might make more sense for you to buy 2-3 dresses inexpensively and have a seamstress just make you a new dress. I mean really, if you buy one dress and have to have $500 put into it anyway, you might as well go custom and get the dress of your dreams! 

For example, I bought a 1980s lace dress at a yard sale for $4.00 last summer. The entire thing is made of layers, and layers, of white lace. The cathedral train on this thing is 8 FEET LONG. That is correct, it drags behind you for 8 FEET. Guessing from the amount of lace and detail, I would guess it cost $2,000 when it was new in the 1980s. Lace is just as expensive today as it was 25 years ago so why not use vintage to achieve the same look? 

You can also get a $15.00 veil from Hobby Lobby (located in the wedding aisle) and have someone sew vintage lace on the hem for a dramatic look. These cheap veils might be enticing - but they are almost always uneven and they have a "mosquito net" look. I took one out of the package one day and I found that you would also need to have them steamed and puffed up by a professional to make it look decent. However, you might save $25 or so on buying a cheap veil and having it altered to make it more fancy and presentable. 

Brilliant Bride - Etsy

You can also take lace or rosettes from a vintage dress and make your own garter quite easily. You can use vintage lace to make wraps for your bouquet and those for your bridesmaids. You can add lace, pearls, or beads to boutonnieres for a subtle sparkle on your grooms lapel. You can even make a Bohemian or hippie style headband from vintage appliques or lace. 

Love in a Mason Jar - Etsy

Do not stop there! If you find a vintage dress like mine with a mile of lace, you could easily deconstruct it and wrap at least 20 Mason jar center pieces with lace for your tables. You could tie it around silverware packets, candlestick holders, or even make bows for head chairs. 

You can even cover a pair of white Keds or Toms slip on shoes in vintage lace and pearls to make your own fancy ballet flats to wear after you walk down the aisle! I mean really, do you want to dance for 6 hours in heels? The possibilities are really endless!!!

The Verdict:

I really see nothing wrong at all with buying a vintage wedding dress! In fact, I totally encourage it especially if you are on a budget. My only suggestion is that if you are buying online, make sure they have a return policy. Since gown are made and altered to fit one person, you can run into so many problems regarding fit. BUT - if you find your dream dress and you cannot return it, have plan on what you can do with it in case it does not fit. You can resell the dress or deconstruct it and use it in a plethora of ways! Don't get discouraged! Give yourself ample time to find a dress that will likely fit you. I would suggest visiting a tailor you would probably already use and have them give you measurements so you know various sizes on your body for sure. If you are in close contact with a tailor, you can also ask them for their opinion on certain dresses before you buy so you will know if it can be altered to fit you or not. 

Washing, Cleaning, & Caring For Vintage Clothing

I have had people ask me before how I care for and clean my vintage clothing. When I tell them I use dish soap they just are like, "huh? what? why?" Well, I have found that this is the best way to actually get a garment really clean.

Clothes washing soap (both powder and liquid) do not form suds like dish soap does. They do not bubble up as much because obviously you would have a disaster like this:

Ok this is NOT my washer, but if you WERE to put dish soap into your washing machine, this would happen. Because of this, clothes washing soap and liquid is heavily scented to mask any odors that do not come out of clothing in the wash. Newer deodorants, I have found, are very difficult to wash out of clothing on a cold cycle. Same holds true for liquid cosmetics, lip gloss, body glitter, indoor tanning lotion, etc. In recent years I have found a lot of vintage dresses that have been used by young females for "themed" parties and proms and they tend to have the above mentioned items on the clothing. Most people today have "energy star" rated washers too. What this means is that they use a lot less water than washers made 20-30 years ago and the result is that you cannot actually fill a washer to full capacity and clothes do not get as clean as they do in a vintage washer (depending on how full the washer is with the clothes to water ratio).

Now, what does this have to do with vintage clothing? The vast majority of my vintage clothes are made from polyester. Polyester is entirely synthetic so it is a plastic in a sense. Polyester is also like a sponge that will soak up anything you have on your skin as well as anything else you come into contact with - even other smells like mothballs or cigarettes. When I first started selling vintage clothes, there were some really nice pieces that were either badly stained or had atrocious smells. I would wash them in the washer with liquid soap on cold or medium heated water (never hot, it can damage the seam stitching). Sometimes even after 2 washes they would STILL smell or have stains. Why? I had no idea. I would even SOAK items for hours and then wash and they would not be clean.

This lead me to using dish detergent. Dish detergent has a degreasing agent in it. This is what will remove the cooked off food mess from your dishes. This came to me when I had a vintage reversible coat that would not come clean. The coat was polyester, and it was quilted so it had filler inside. It not only was in the most mothball saturated closet in history for years before I bought it, but one one side of the coat (which was cream colored) it had a brownish splatter stain that to me looked like motor oil. After two washes in the machine you could STILL smell mothball AND the stains were basically untouched. I even pretreated the stains with Shout in the second wash with no change. So, about to give up and pitch the coat, I filled up the kitchen sink with cool water and dish soap and plopped the coat in. I also pretreated the stains with some more dish soap.

That water was the grossest brown color in a matter of 10 minutes! Even after 2 washes in the machine. The problem was just the greasy stain on the coat would not come out with the washing soap. The dish soap not only got the stains totally out, but it eliminated all the mothball smell. From this point on, almost everything is washed or prewashed in dish soap if it is super smelly or has questionable stains. The glory about this is that dish soap will work just fine in cold water. I have found that clothes washing liquid does not do as well UNLESS you get specific cold water wash liquid that is like $3 more than the regular and the bottle is smaller. I use generic dish soap from Target and it works great (I like the apple scent).

Now, if the clothes are machine washable and they are just smelly (almost all vintage clothes will have some kind of smell and will need to be cleaned) just put them in the washing machine and wash them with whatever wash soap you prefer. They will turn out great! If the clothes are "problematic" I suggest you try dish soap. :)

Here are a few tips I use every day! 

For stubborn stains I use the dish soap and sometimes use a MEDIUM bristle tooth brush in a circular motion. I first try this on the UNDERSIDE of the fabric (even if you cannot see the stain on the inside of the garment) because this can prevent fading or little "pills or balls" appearing on the fabric.

Heavy Duty Goof Off (in the metal can) will get permanent marker out of polyester jerseys - especially "puck scuffs" from hockey jerseys. I have found that for the most part, Goof Off will not take the color out of the fabric, just the stain. This product will also get sticker residue off of jeans. It will remove chewing gum too, but not as easily as with sticker residue.

Arm Pit Stains: I have yet to find out how to completely remove these but this seems to help:
1 tsp Dawn or other dish detergent
4 tbsp peroxide
2 tbsp Baking soda
This makes a pasty mix that you can scrub on with a tooth brush then leave it on for a while then rinse out.

You CAN hand wash Merino wool and cashmere sweaters as long as you DO NOT pull, twist, or wring it out. I wash my sweaters in cold water with dish soap then lay it flat on the bottom of the bathtub and let the shower rinse it out. I then take a bath towel, lay it on the floor, and put the sweater on it. I then roll this up and squish it to get the water out of the sweater. You will saturate 2-3 bath towels this way, but just hang them up and then they dry and can go back in the cabinet AND since almost all the water is out of the sweater it will not stretch or deform. I wait until it is completely dry before I put it back on a hanger to avoid "hanger shoulders".

If you have a garment (usually a sweater) that has a color that runs (probably red) you can hand wash it and then after you rinse it out, let it sit in a sink with ice water (you really need to use ice) so that the color will re-set. Then use the above mentioned towel method and it will prevent color bleeding (I discovered this when washing Christmas sweaters).

You can use a shoeshine brush (unused obviously) to brush and fluff fur coats and this does not pull or tug on the fur.

You can use vinegar mixed in water instead of fabric softener. I am personally allergic to fabric softener and it has SUCH a strong smell that a lot of people find to be "perfumy".

You can also do a "vinegar steam" to get cigarette smoke stench out of clothing! Fill the tub with about 1 inch of the hottest water you can run. Dump in 3-4 cups of vinegar. The vinegar vapors will be STRONG so keep the bathroom door shut or your whole house will smell like it was pickled. Hang the clothing on a rack or cord above the water in the tub (I use a shower tension rod I can remove to hang in the center of the bath tub) and hang the clothes on hangers from this. The steam from the water will permeate the clothing and neutralize the cigarette smell. You need to let the steam process work for about 2 hours for best results. This works well for coats and things that cannot really be washed (like wool pea coats and embellished sweaters). If the clothes smell like vinegar, just hang it outside for a bit and it will go away.

You can use a blow dryer set on hot to remove "dents" or impressions in leather and patent leather.