12 Retro Dresses Under $50
Call it the Mad Men effect, but nothing quite beats those sweet, feminine frocks from the '50s and '60s to stylishly combat the summer heat. From mod shifts to flirty halters, the dresses of these eras have been popularized by plenty of young-and-nostalgic performers, including Lana Del Rey, Z. Berg, and Zooey Deschanel, the queen of vintage-y dresses. (Not only does Zooey wear them frequently in real life, but also on her hit sitcom, The New Girl.)
Zooey and Lana might be retro-cute, but If the idea of wearing actual vintage doesn't appeal to you, it's easy to find the modern interpretations of the style—even if you're on a budget. We've rounded up a dozen affordable dresses—$50 or fewer, to be exact—that look vintage, but feel brand new.
A fitted top and flared skirt is flattering on everyone—but it's the quirky polka dot and bow print on this dress that makes it a winner.
The small cutouts at the waist keeps it from being too sweet.
It's like the dress that Zooey wears in the New Girl intro, except sparkly and therefore more awesome.
I imagine Doris Day wearing this dress in one of her Rock Hudson rom-coms.
Pair with go-go boots for a thoroughly mod look.
Seriously, doesn't this look like something Megan Draper would wear?
Adding a cropped jacket and pointy-toed heels will make this dress more 21st century.
This tie collar dress is totally something Nancy Drew would have worn while sleuthing.
Very Grace Kelly in Monaco.
Whenever I look at this dress, I picture myself eating an ice cream cone and carrying a wicker basket full of kittens.
Adding a bright necklace that hits right below the collar gives this a bit of playfulness.
Good for channeling French New Wave heroines like Brigittie Bardot.
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