Where Can You Find
Authentic Vintage Wedding Dresses?

Vintage Wedding Dresse

What are considered authentic vintage wedding dresses? This would be gowns that were made during a specific era of time. Wedding dresses made during the time periods of the 1920's, 1930's, 1940's, 1950's, 1960's and 1970's, are the most sought after.

  • You mostly will find these at specialty shops specializing in vintage clothing. Also antique shops will carry vintage bridal gowns. And they will sometimes turn up at thrift stores and estate sales
  • .Ebay 
  • Craigslist
  • Classified ad sites 
  • Sites that sell used clothing
  • Check with your Grandmother
  • Ask your friends and family members 
  • Consider using your moms bridal gown

If you ask around you may find out that someone you know has a friend or family member who has a gown stashed away somewhere.


'If you want to see pictures of wedding dresses from the past, this website www.fashion-era.com has loads of pictures. They have information on each decade and pictures to show the vintage wedding dress styles for the time period.'

'Here is a source to a blog that is all about making vintage clothing. I especially liked looking at pictures of vintage wedding gowns that were shared by those who had made them. The site is Sew Retro."



Vintage Wedding Dress Tips

Here are some tips for purchasing vintage wedding gowns...

  • The Fabric. The older the gown, the more chance there is that the fabric could show signs of deterioration. So inspect it carefully for frayed, torn or worn thin areas before purchasing.
  • The Seams. Check the stitching for the seams to make sure that the thread hasn't dry rot. The gown can come apart easily at the seams. You may need to reinforce every seam.
  • The Size. The sizing changed over the years. So you can't use the size you wear now. So if you are ordering a vintage wedding dress, you need to use your measurements. Find out the gown measurements that you wish to purchase. Remember to add an inch or so to your measurements for ease of movement. You don't want a skin tight fit.
  • Fitting. If you are able to try on the gown you may notice that the gown proportions for the waist are smaller than they are. Women, once upon a time, had smaller waistline measurements compared to their bust and hip areas. Because of wearing corsets, at one time, a 18" to 22" waist was not that unheard of. So you may need to have the gown sized out in the torso by adding panels to the midsection.

Take a look at this blog article on choosing the right vintage wedding dress silhouette!



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