Depending on how far back one wants to go in their quest for how to find vintage gowns there are still several places where one can look. The first place to look is in grandmother or great-aunt’s closet. It should be noted that even as recently as fifty years’ ago clothing tended to be more hand crafted. A gown might have been mass produced but the cost of labor was not as high as it is today. More attention to detail is still seen in these vintage pieces and women tended to hold onto their gowns to pass on to a family member.
A second place that will help in how to find vintage gowns is the large number of auction sites online. Some well known ones will have a separate department for the vintage clothing sites breaking down the departments to sub-categories for each decade. It is a bit more challenging to match the sizes and that is the risk one will have to take.
Thrift shops often have vintage gowns that were created for weddings or the prom. When the thrift shop is run by the womens’ auxiliary they often have vintage gowns the volunteers have contributed from their own closets to be sold. Some companies are now making vintage replicas since it is becoming more difficult to find the old original pieces.
There is an option that should be considered and that is vintage gowns that are vintage replicas. There are several excellent companies that make these retro styles since the demand cannot meet what is on the market. The advantage of vintage replica is that the sizes will match the modern day female body more closely than the tinier sizes of the earlier eras. How to find vintage gowns is still possible but it is harder.