The Best Vintage Party Dresses from Every Decade

Want to make a statement at your next party? Vintage party dresses from the 60s through 90s come in gorgeous, unique styles and vintage quality that modern fast fashion just can't match. From disco sequins to 90s minimalism, here's your guide to finding the perfect vintage party dress for your own unique style.

The Most Popular Y2K Party Dress Styles

When it comes to Y2K party dresses, there were two styles we really loved for proms and parites: The Baby Doll and Bubble Hem.

The Y2K Babydoll Party Dress

The Babydoll shape was an iconic design feature of Y2K fashion, dominating dresses and tops on red carpets, teen movies, and MTV awards shows. The Babydoll shape has a high empire waist (with a seam or elastic right under the bust) and a flattering floaty torso or skirt. Babydoll party dresses in the 2000s featured shimmering, often iridescent fabrics, with ribbon, lace or rhinestone waist details, making the style a go-to choice for proms, parties, and special events.

The Y2K Bubble Hem Dress

For a Y2K clubbing vibe, the Bubble Hem Dress was the choice of the era. Bubble or Balloon dresses feature a gathered hem that creates a round “bubble” silhouette. The futuristic style made it popular in the Y2K cybercore aesthetic.

Both styles features were often used together in party dresses, with Babydoll dresses featuring bubble hems. Color-shifting taffeta or satin would be an underlayer for a glittery tulle top layer in Y2K party dresses, with either one of those layers featuring a bubble hem.

The minimalist glamour of 90s vintage party dresses is still popular for good reason. From sleek slip dresses to black velvet LBDs, these party dress styles are the perfect mix of effortless cool and total glam. You wouldn't think head-to-toe sequins could be understated - until you saw how a 90s party dress does it! Their simple silhouettes and high-quality fabrics are still perfect, plus they're the kind of thing you buy to keep forever - these looks are more than a microtrend.

The Most Popular 90s Party Dress Styles

The 90s Slip Dress

The 90s slip dress is the ultimate partywear MVP. Minimal, versatile, and perfect for every occasion. After the boldness of the 80s, the 90s valued that less really is more.

Nineties slip dresses had a basic silhouette of a bias cut (the fabric is cut diagonally across its weave, so instead of hanging down, it drapes in a curve around the body). From there, 90s slip dresses could feature a number of different luxe fabrics and details.

• Spaghetti straps for that barely-there vibe.
• Midi or maxi lengths that keep it sleek and sophisticated.
• Cowl necklines that add soft, subtle drama. Alternatively halter necks or high necklines.
• Clean, minimalist silhouettes with no unnecessary embellishments, or dramatic but simple embellishments. Such as black or silver full sequins, layered satin and chiffon, or subtle beading details.

The 90s Black LBD

The Little Black Dress (LBD) has been a fashion icon for decades, but it truly hit its stride in the 90s. It is simple, versatile, and perfectly matched the era’s minimalist and edgy trends. The LBD is the perfect blank canvas. You can wear it anywhere: to a concert, a date, or a high-profile event. 

The 90s LBD became unstoppable thanks to some unforgettable celebrity appearances:

• Princess Diana’s revenge dress (1994): Designed by Christina Stambolian, her daring, off-the-shoulder LBD made headlines, showing the world she was confident and in control after her breakup with Prince Charles.
• Elizabeth Hurley’s safety pin dress (1994): That iconic Versace LBD, held together by gold safety pins, was bold, sexy, and unforgettable. It completely stole the show.
• Kate Moss: Moss made the LBD grunge-friendly, often wearing velvet slip dresses with messy hair and combat boots.
• Winona Ryder: Ryder brought goth flair to the LBD, pairing it with chokers, dark lipstick, for her signature alt girl look.

Sixties and seventies vintage party dresses are the ultimate retro vibe. From the playful, flirty mini dresses of the 60s to the glamorous, floor length disco maxis of the 70s, these styles were a revolution after decades of stuffy frocks. And if there was one fabric that defined the partywear of these decades, it was lurex.

THE MOST POPULAR 60S AND 70S PARTY DRESS STYLES

THE 60S MINI DRESS

The 60s mini dress was a revolution in fashion. Short and rebellious, it became a symbol of modern youth culture. With a simple A-line silhouette, which flared out slightly from the body for a flattering and easy-to-wear shape, the 60s shift dress is a surprisingly comfortable choice for partywear. Made of structured polyester that holds its shape without ever needing ironed or any petticoats for volume, these 60s dresses are thick, durable, and simple to throw on for a quick one-and-done party look.

Mini dresses from the 60s feature these party-perfect details:

• Metallic lurex thread details for a dress that sparkles with silver and gold without having delicate beading or sequins that could get damaged.
• Simple loose silhouettes, so you won't feel restrained or uncomfortable.
• Bright metallic colors like silver, gold, or vivid psychedelic prints.

THE 70S DISCO MAXI DRESS

The 70s party dress was all about glamour and drama. Whether the style was disco or bohemian, the length was maxi and the patterns were maximal! With sweeping skirts and flowing sleeves, in bright geometric or psychedelic patterns. They are what you need if you want to make a glam statement.

70s dresses often featured these iconic details:

• Slinky silhouettes with plunging necklines, backless designs, or halter tops fir disco dancing.
• Rich jewel tones and bold prints.
• Metallic shine like a disco ball!

Saving the best for last - it's time for the 80s vintage party dresses.

The 80s were a decade of drama and glamour, it was the era of excess and everyone wanted to show off their success. Wall Street was booming, MTV was born, and fashion followed suit. Designers like Versace and Mugler weren't afraid to go big - with massive shoulders, glittering sequins, and vibrant colors. When Dynasty and Dallas ruled TV screens, everyone wanted to dress like a power player, even at parties. And nothing is quite as memorable as the prom dress styles of the era.

The Most Popular 80s Party Dress Styles

80s Velvet Bodice Party Dresses

These 80s velvet bodice party dresses with contrast circle skirts took their cues from Victorian and Edwardian fashion, reimagined through an 80s lens. Designer Jessica McClintock (from the Gunne Sax brand) led the style, making these historical designs look young and fresh (for the 80s). Featuring:

• Fitted velvet bodices inspired by Victorian corseting with drop waists and princess-style silhouettes echoing historical fashion.
• Dramatic contrast: dark tops paired with bold, full skirts in mixed materials like velvet, metallics, lace, or taffeta.
• Puff sleeves, structured shoulders, and button details for added drama.
• Bold colors like electric blue, metallic gold, and multicolor stripes.

80s Ruffled Party Dresses

These show-stopping vintage red dresses emerged in the mid-80s. The designs combined the romantic nostalgia of the 80s with more of that bold drama. Following Madonna's "Like a Virgin" era (1984), designers reimagined the punk-princess aesthetic into elegant party wear for your prom night. Peaking in popularity between 1984-1987, these red ruffled dresses became iconic for winter formals, proms, and Valentine’s dances.

80s Gothic Romance Party Dresses

The 80s love for drama and individuality brought us these edgier gothic inspired "punk-princess" party dresses. Influenced by 80s icons like Siouxsie Sioux, Madonna, and films like Beetlejuice, these dresses can be your alt party look. Featuring:

• Dramatic black tulle and taffeta with velvet and satin.
• Vertical stripes and bold polka dots inspired by Madonna’s "Borderline" video.
• Corset style strapless bodices and full skirts.
• Dark, moody palettes, including black, emerald, ruby, and amethyst purple.