Vintage shirt waist dress or vintage shirt dresses that buttoned down the front have been popular since the turn of the century. Initially they were seen as housewife dresses in the 1930s and 1940s but by the 1950s and 1960s they hit the mainstream and became an all day comfortable dress. Shop these new vintage style shirtwaist dresses or shirt dresses for your everyday wardrobe.
Shirtwaist Dresses
The 1940s shirtwaist dress or shirtdress dress is a classic vintage retro-style dress that has lasted from the 1930s up to today. Clean lines, a flattering A-line skirt, a fitted bodice, and its button-up easy to wear nature made the 1940s shirt dress the most popular dress style of the 1940s. Women wore them as a house dress, tea dress, or informal afternoon dress. They came in solid colors, small floral prints, and plaids. Buttons often contrasted in white against color to make them POP! Learn more about 40s dress styles.
Women in the ’50s continued to wear the 1950s shirtwaist dress at home. The bust became even more fitted and the skirt extra full, with gathered fabric and a fluffy petticoat. The full length button-down shirt dress was also common in the 1950s as a pretty afternoon party dress. Learn more about 50s house dress styles.
The 1960s and 1970s housewife continued to wear shirtwaist dresses. They lost some of their homemaker status and became mainstream for young and old ladies.
The 1980s also wore shirt dresses in a revival style inspired by the 1940s.
As popular as they were, finding 1940s or 1950s shirtwaist dresses is not as easy as other dress styles. We did the work for you and found found all of these vintage-inspired shirtwaist dresses for you to chose from: