The Amazing Shirt Dress

I have been getting a lot of questions from my wedding guests about what to wear to a rockabilly/50s wedding. I have set up a flickr photo set of possible options, but when it comes right down to it, nothing beats a versatile shirt dress. The style works for so many body types, its comfortable and because so many eras did their "take" on it, it's pretty easy to find them in every size, vintage or modern. I especially like them for mother of the bride dresses.





I decided to take a quick peek on etsy to see what I could find and I found some cute ones at cute prices:

Ethnic prints were big in the mid to late 50s and this dress is hot with it! Roughly a size 14-16
bust: 22" flat across unstretched
waist: 21 1/2" flat across unstretched
hips: 23 3/4 flat across unstretched


$19 at Lovesmenot

PS This shop had another great dress in pink, but yours truly snatched it up! If you want to see it to get ideas, click here, but promise me you won't cry when you see the cuteness you can't have :)




























Retrorocketgirl has 2 adorable polkadot dresses right now for only $25 each!

The blue and white is size 14 (Bust: 40", Waist: 38", Hips: 42"). The black and white is a XL (Bust: 46", Waist: 46", Hips: 48"). Seriously, why not get them both?!? I'm thinking about it...



This super-rockabilly gingham dress is to drool for, yes? $55 at VintageJubilee, this dress is a large.

Bust- up to 42"
Waist- up to 34"
Hips- open


At the request of a reader, here are some modern shirt dress patterns available if you are so inclined to make one of these lovelies for yourself:
Butterick B5315
McCalls M5847
McCalls M4769
Vogue V8577

There are quite a few vintage patterns I found in a great shop called OhSewCharming on etsy that are available to purchase right now. I also have found some more patterns and dresses that i added to my favorites below:

Etsy Buy Handmade TartDeco Favorites

Remember, you can resize vintage patterns if you can't find them in your size!