First of all, for the first time ever, the internet has utterly failed me. There was an old song from the fifties (I think) that started “I went to Paris to buy a gown. To Paris, to Paris, that marvelous town” or something. Could I find it? I could not. Boo.

Now then, I take my inspiration from everywhere, but today’s post was inspired by a dream I had. I was going to the Met Gala (thanks, Oceans 8), and needed to wear Dior. I mean, obviously. But I could only find vintage gowns, and every time I touched one, it fell apart. Very frustrating. And I woke up thinking about vintage Dior. So here we are.

After an unfortunate period wherein he was forced to dress Nazi wives and sympathizers, designer Christian Dior came into his own in post-war France when he founded his own fashion house. By the 1950s, Dior gowns were the gold standard in Europe and America, and for good reason. They’re undeniably glorious. I watched a really good documentary about Coco Chanel last week, and it was really Dior’s unnaturally wasp-waisted, uncomfortable gowns against which she was rebelling when she first started working with her signature boxy knits and pants, so in a way, we have him to thank for the House of Chanel as well!

And I’m thrilled to report that though the great man died in 1957, the label he started is carrying on his tradition of glamour and iconic (if unnatural) silhouettes. I’ve included below a number of my favorite of the label’s vintage designs, but you can feast your eyes upon their current work on their website.