1930s Vintage Dresses

Whether you call it a 1930s dress or a 30s dress, ours is designed in-house and made in Yorkshire to capture the shape that defined the decade: the natural waist, the fluid bias-cut skirt and the soft, feminine details that made 1930s style so flattering. Browse 1930s dresses for sale, from everyday tea dresses and 1930s day dresses to satin cocktail styles and full-length gowns, all cut for a modern fit.

What dresses did women wear in the 1930s?

Three shapes dominated. The day dress or tea dress was the workhorse: mid-calf, often in a floral or Art Deco print, with puffed or flutter sleeves and a skirt that flared from the hip. The cocktail and party dress added satin or crepe, shirring and a little more drama at the neckline. And the 1930s evening dress was cut on the bias, floor-length and often low at the back, in liquid satin or velvet. For those, see our dedicated 1930s evening gowns.

Bias cut, tea dress, slip dress: what is the difference?

• Bias-cut dresses are cut diagonally across the grain, so the fabric skims your curves and moves when you do. It is the technique behind the modern slip dress. You'll find our 1930s bias cut dress styles gathered in the bias cut collection, in satin, georgette and velvet. If you have your heart set on a 1930s silk dress, our rayon satin and georgette styles give you the same liquid drape.
• Tea dresses are the easy, elegant daywear of the era, and a vintage tea dress is still one of the most wearable things you can put on: comfortable, flattering and just as good with boots and a cardigan as with heels. The Ava, with its wide under-bust waistband and six-panel flared skirt, has been a bestseller for years, and the story behind the Ava explains why. If you like the shape, our 1940s tea dresses take it forward a decade.
• Swing-inspired dresses are the closest thing to a 1930s jazz dress. Our Jitterbug, named for the dance craze of the late 1930s, has a blouson bodice, pleated sleeves and a removable drop bow, and works from day to evening in sizes up to 24. Read the story of the Jitterbug dress.

How to wear a 1930s dress

Keep it simple. A 1930s dress needs very little: a tilted hat or beret, gloves, a silk scarf and a good pair of heels. Underneath, waist-height underwear and a slip give the smoothest line, because so much of the decade's fashion is fitted around the hip. Dressing for a 1930s party? Add waved hair and red lips and you're done. Our 1930s style guide has the full list of essentials, and 1930s eveningwear and how to style it covers the glamorous end.

Some of our gowns are made to order. UK sizes run from 8 to 18, with many styles available up to 24 (see our size guide). Several styles also work beautifully as wedding or bridesmaid dresses, or browse the whole 1930s collection to complete the outfit.