A Line Dress - Definition of A-Line Silhouette

Vintage dresses come in all shapes and sizes, and the A-line is a classic silhouette. An A-line dress has a shape that widens from bust to hem, skimming past the waist to create the appearance of a capital letter A.

 

A-line dresses became popular in the 1960s.  A range of fashion designers like Christian Dior and Pierre Cardin developed the A-line look.  Dior sometimes created silhouettes that were different than mainstream fashion in his collections.  The A-line coat below is from Dior's 1948 collection.  At that time, it was unusual to see an A-line silhouette in clothing.

The A-line dress came into its own in the 1960s, with modernist designers like Pierre Cardin paving the way in pared-down minimalist styles, like the 1962 vintage coat seen with the designer at a fitting.



Sources: Christian Dior: The Early Years 1947-1957, Couture: The Great Designers by Caroline Rennolds Milbank