Dapper Day—the day of the year when Disnerds dress in their classiest old-school, pinup-y best—has always brought me the same dilemma: where do these lovely ladies get their amazing dresses and vintage-looking gowns? Even in my late teens, when I went all out for the rockabilly look, I could never find anything beyond my thrift-store pencil skirt and cardigan sweater, and actual vintage clothing never looked flattering on me—not at all.
But I have since discovered curated retro clothing website Unique Vintage (www.unique-vintage.com). Here, you'll find a mother lode of classic garments and accessories from Art Deco flapper to Barbie doll at the beach, all designed by contemporary retailers to fit modern proportions (plus sizes included!). You can shop by any 20th-century decade from the 1920s through the 1980s and find form-fitting, alluring outfits that look authentic to their era. So whether you wanted to resemble Ginger Rogers in Swing Time or a 1940s pachuca, you won't find a better online marketplace—and it's pretty damn affordable, too, with dresses priced as low as $40.
Beyond its regular inventory, Unique Vintage has released a special Dapper Day collection, with vintage-inspired Disney princess looks and classic Mouseketeer full skirts, mouse ears and saddle shoes. Special-edition, 1950s-style, high-waisted swing skirts include printed designs honoring Disneyland rides such as the Haunted Mansion, the Carousel and the Matterhorn. There's a pair of clear-vinyl-and-glitter heels resembling Cinderella's glass slippers, as well as a plush purse shaped like Alice In Wonderland's White Rabbit. Cocktail, railene and wiggle dresses; formal gowns; button-up shorts; sailor pants; jumpsuits; and pumps round out this fun and classy set that Dita Von Teese herself would covet.
Dapper Day may be two weekends out of the year, but who wouldn't want to wear one of these killer outfits any day? In any one of these pieces, you'll look—and feel—fucking fabulous.
Aimee Murillo is calendar editor and frequently covers film and previously contributed to the OCW’s long-running fashion column, Trendzilla. Don’t ask her what her favorite movie is unless you want to hear her lengthy defense of Showgirls.