Explore Our Vintage Spring and Summer Dresses - Part 1

Vintage dresses with 50’s silhouettes often have an A-line shape, popularised by the 1948 release of the ‘New Look’ by Christian Dior, with a full skirt that moves freely with the body and a cinched waistline. Find out more about this style of dress in our previous deep dive blog on Bleeding Heart. 

The silhouette most popular through the earlier 1940s was far more practical, with more economic use of fabric due to wartime rations. During this time, dresses were often button-downs, with cinched and belted waistlines that fell into a long, straight skirt. We may enjoy the simple silhouette today, however, we can have a lot more fun with our use of colour and bold patterns - discover our range of fun vintage-inspired dresses from Banned in part 2 of this blog! 

This entire range of vintage dresses mostly hit knee-length, so you don’t have to worry about your own Marilyn moment. The longer length makes these dresses great as formal day wear - ideal for any summer weddings or outdoor events. Many of our new-in dresses have a gorgeous floral pattern and bold colours that are perfect for basking in the sunshine.
 

We’re obsessed with the bright green Bleeding Heart Lotus Swing Dress, its halter neck tie and delicate white and pink floral pattern complimenting any wearer. This dress has a stunning summer palette that will have you standing out in any crowd. This swing dress also cinches in at the waist, flaring around the hips into a full skirt, creating a flattering silhouette. 

If you love a colourful wardrobe, then our Bleeding Heart Floral Swing Dress in purple will also be a great fit for you. This dress has a bit more coverage, with a graceful boat neckline that sweeps elegantly into short flared sleeves. Under the bust cinches into a wide waistband that wraps around the dress, before flaring into a full swing skirt. The vivid fabric is allowed to stand out, with a subtle blue and lilac floral pattern complimenting the brightness of purple. 

For a classic pattern, we love our gorgeous sky Blue Rose Swing Dress and our Blue Floral Swing Dress. These dresses both have feminine sweetheart necklines that flatter the bust, with thin, adjustable spaghetti straps and a high waist that flares into a full skirt. These elegant full skirts swish and sway with your movement, so they’re plenty of fun to wear! Frolic in the fields during your summer picnic with these full and voluminous dresses! 

Our Leaves Swing Dress and Floral Swing Dress in purple and orange will add some diversity to your collection; these dresses have slightly more unusual patterns. Our Leaves Swing Dress has a gorgeous smokey floral design, with flower motifs appearing painted on in soft watercolour. By contrast, our purple and orange Floral Swing Dress has a busier pattern, with a tighter and more repetitive print. Both stand out from the range with their eye-catching use of colour and individualistic patterns. 

If you’re after a truly unique and stand out dress, then our Bleeding Heart Lace Swing Dress is the one for you. This incredible dress is a vibrant and bold red, with a unique twist in its design. With this dress comes a red polka-dot lace attachment that you can layer over your dress or remove as you wish. This sleeved shawl has a small and delicate tie in the front. Add an unusual layer to your outfit and provide contrast with this mesh polka-dot shawl whilst colour-matching perfectly! 

The last of our new Bleeding Heart spring/summer collection is certainly not least; our adorable Strawberry Swing Dress is perfect for summer with its perfectly on-theme strawberry pattern and thin straps that will keep you cool in the sunshine. This cream dress encapsulates that sweet summer feeling; this dress is the perfect day dress this summer for when you want to elevate your regular look. 

Bleeding Heart is a range that is completely exclusive to Blue Banana; you can’t get these lovely vintage designs anywhere else. This varied range of clothing, from coats to dresses, provides a fantastic supply of alternative formal dresses for all seasons of the year. We love the confident feeling we get when wearing our top-quality, flattering Bleeding Heart retro dresses. 

To style these dresses, try pairing them with one of our vintage-style cardigans - Banned also has a popular retro range with unique designs in classic cuts and silhouettes. Shrug on a cardigan to cover up in the sun or as protection against the strong seaside breeze and pair it with some colourful stiletto heels to match the 50s style.