what happened to gunne sax? from prom dresses to cottagecore staples 👗🌾🐄

[@kbrown5523]

We couldn't afford Gunne Sax dresses, but my mom could sew, and she bought an official Gunne Sax pattern, I got to pick out the exact fabric and trimmings that I liked, and I got a totally unique Gunne Sax dress sewn with skill and love by my mother. It was beautiful and meant so much to me.

[@empressheraluna]

I made my own graduation dress for middle school from a Gunne Sax pattern. I loved that pattern, but it burned my Senior year when the bedroom I shared with my sister caught on fire.

[@DeidresStuff]

A lot of the 80s ones had drop waists, and my mom thought I was too fat for them and refused to make me one.

[@kbrown5523]

That breaks my heart to hear. I had an awkward body shape and my mom sometimes sewed things to help me with that. Off the rack often didn't fit me because I carried all my weight in my belly. I would've hated it had I went through high school in the 90's when everything was super low rise and all mid-drift bearing crop tops. @@DeidresStuff

[@Kelliebelle44]

⁠​⁠My mom and my next door neighbor made my middle school graduation dress in 1980 out of an official Gunne Sax pattern and we found the exact fabric they used for the pattern. My dad is still very much the no nonsense, why does it matter what clothes you wear kind of guy, so the fact that my mother either worked on him or finagled a way around him to make sure I had a lovely dress that I would feel good to walk in, meant a lot to me. I wore that dress every spring quite awhile. I had wanted a Gunne Sax dress for a long time and that was the beginning of the brand being a part of my teenage years. I’ll always remember buying my first official Gunne Sax dress after saving up my babysitting money for ages. I was being paid a dollar an hour back then and the dress was about $60-70. I used to babysit Fridays and Saturdays every week.

[@Glorindellen]

I remember a classmate boasting that they'd bought a Gunne Sax dress for commencement, then removed the label to claim they'd sewn it.

[@j9_shine]

$50 adjusted for inflation is $393.62 in 2023. so reseller prices are actually less than the original cost at $100 - $200 typically. these dresses have always been expensive

[@baby.nay.]

These were so prevalent in the thrift store in the 90s and 2000s for like $5 though

[@Teresa-ch3og]

Yes. I wanted one for my prom in high school but my mom said that was way too expensive for something that looked like her grandma would wear. I ended up sewing my own dress in a similar style.

[@aliciamichelle955]

They were available for their original cost in 2019

[@thefangirlingpuellamagi3345]

Where are you finding Gunne Sax dresses for 100-200? Do you mean the non-prairie Jessica McClintock dresses? Most of the listings I see are like 400-700 bucks from Poshmark to Facebook to Etsy to Ebay...

[@aliciamichelle955]

@@thefangirlingpuellamagi3345 in 2018-2019 they were that price. Once the cottagecore / crazy resale stuff blew up in 2020, the the prices doubled/ tripled

[@Jane-ss1pg]

These dresses are still worshipped in the sewing community. There were Gunne Sax sewing patterns published in the late 70s and early 80s that now sell vintage on Etsy for even more than the dresses do. We've been begging the pattern manufacturing companies to re-release them for years.

[@robynetaylor6605]

My parents bought me a Gunne Sax dress to wear to a Jackson 5 concert. I was 12 and this was an enormous gift. I even had concert seats in the center, 6 rows from the stage. Shortly after the concert, I hit puberty and no longer fit in the tight bodice dress. I was literally a Princess for a day. One of my fondest memories.

[@ckbarry]

Wow. What a great memory. Thanks for sharing. I just told my daughter I had one Gunne Sax, I can see the details in my head as I type, and looking back, I’m certain it was quite the purchase for my mother, who was single, raising three kids. So glad I found this video and your story. The Jackson 5 were everything. 💕

[@MikaelaSchultz]

I recently found a Gunne Sax dress at the Goodwill bins for $1 and I will never get over it.

[@annedavis6090]

i hope its in great shape and fits perfectly!💃

[@DimaRakesah]

Wow that's crazy! What a find!!

[@GrandmaKW]

They are worth $$$.

[@annanardo2358]

Go bury it out in the back yard. It would make great compost.😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😆😆

[@judipierry549]

😱😱🤩

[@bindilove3899]

One of my best high school memories was my mom bought me a Gunne Sax dress with a matching bolo jacket for my senior prom in 1982. We lived modestly so this was a HUGE deal! I love you mom.

[@joypowers563]

That was huge!

[@ChrisJohnston-z7u]

As a teenager, I never felt more pretty than when I wore one of my Gunne Sax dresses.

[@RosieRose369]

I remember wearing one to a Rod Stewart concert & was in the front row. 17 years old & I swooned when Rod kissed my hand!

[@lauraoneal5146]

Oh how I wish I still had my Gunne Sax dress. I only had one but I’m now 54 and to this day it is my favorite dress ever as a young teen!!❤❤

[@jillefeldme9452]

I’m 56 and my pink lacy Gunne Sax dress was my favorite well into adulthood.

[@jori7398]

Same.

[@estherhinds6314]

My most prized possession is a beautiful white and blue floral gunne sax that used to be my mom's, that she wore as a teenager up until I was a little girl. Apparently she found it at a thrift store for practically nothing! It was her favorite dress, and she wore it dancing a lot while she was dating my dad. Now it fits me as if it was made for me and I always feel proud to wear something that she loved so much. She still smiles every time I wear it. A few weeks ago I wore it to my grandma's house, and she was so excited because she thought it had accidentally been donated like another gunne sax my mom had. She was so happy that we still had my mom's favorite one. I'm absolutely keeping it forever and passing it down to my future daughter someday.

[@carolgoff4317]

I'm 66 years old and I loved those dresses then and I love them now. I purchased an off brand (due to cost of original) and I still have it! It was the only item of clothing I ever saved. There's just something of that style - soft, romantic, ribbon, trim and flowing that just callscto me and I guess it always will.

[@poorthing]

Same

[@Steph18844]

@@poorthing I have a Gunne Sax long dress from the '70s. At some point, I am going to sell it on the Etsy account I am creating.

[@poorthing]

@@Steph18844 Idk what to do with my Gunne Sax I've kept...I have no need to keep them but am sentimental about them. I hadn't realized there was this niche market for them, until I came upon this video. I have pristine vintage Gloria Vanderbilt jeans - I probably have a treasure trove of 1970s Clothing, I always had the room to keep them so here I am with a houseful of STUFF! ha ha

[@robertadorian4234]

Same. Mine had a sewn in crinoline. I loved that dress.

[@brendaorozco1203]

My prom dress was a Gunne Sax. I had to put it on “layaway”. It took me 2 months to pay it off! It was one of the best days of my teenage life when I was able to pay it off and pick it up! I loved that dress! Haha good memories

[@amypagekaviani5661]

Is there still "lay away"?

[@rexgrl3]

Having the opportunity to get a Gunne Sax dress, when I was a kid in the 70s, was a boon; it's like getting a pair of Versace sunglasses or Prada shoes today. Sad that they switched to the cliche' 80s look instead of just tweaking it a little.

[@someoneoutthere2159]

Or like getting a pair of Dittos jeans!

[@kay123kay]

Oh my gosh I didn't know that a gunny sax was a potato sack! There's a Dolly Parton lyric where she's saying this guy could "stop traffic in a gunny sack" and all these years I've been picturing him in a flouncy 70's peasant dress!...

[@nightfall3605]

There’s a famous photoshoot where Marilyn Monroe wears a potato sack to show up her detractors that claimed she was considered beautiful only because of her fashionable clothing. Queen 👑!

[@Avellania]

That sure would stop traffic too.

[@megb9700]

During the Great Depression, dresses/clothes were made out of any free fabric around. Especially for growing children. There were quilts made from cigar silks used to wrap the cigars. Did the women work at tobacco factories?

[@nightfall3605]

@@megb9700 To add to your history, flour was sold in cotton sacks (approximately a quarter of a yard each side) and home sewers of course started to use the fabric for clothing. The flour manufacturers caught on and started printing pretty patterns on the sack, ensuring loyalty to their product as it would take several sacks to get enough matching material for a dress/shirt/etc. ‘Flour sack dresses’ were some of the prettiest things around ❤️

[@Lee-jh6cr]

There was an expression my parents used in the 50s/70s - She'd look good even in a gunny sack! Also, I grew up with cotton flour sack dish towels, often embroidered - the best! - no lint. You could still buy them up until I bought my last set - I hope they're still around, but so many of the simple well-made basics aren't.

[@nitanice]

In 1976 (Bicentennial year), I was middle school valedectorian. My family didn't make a lot of money; but my dad was so proud of me that he bought me a Gunne Sax to speak in front of the audience. Wore it to a Broadway play or two after that (you can read a paper waiting for standing room only tickets which were pretty cheap). I was mostly a tomboy who like jeans and tees, but I did love that dress.

[@joysgirl]

In the '70s, we used to go to the Guune Sax warehouse in San Francisco. You could get dresses at near wholesale prices, which my roommate did for her wedding dress. They were considered very romantic and pretty, at the time. I had a couple, one of which I used as part of a costume for the Bay Area Renaissance Fair.

[@lust8505]

I too have wonderful memories of going to the warehouse in San Francisco. I would kill to have my dresses back.

[@valeriespackman4019]

I lived in the Bay Area growing up and in the 70’s we would go to the factory warehouse and buy dresses. It was the only way I could afford them. I have a one of a kind sample dress that actually fit me in 1978-79. I still have that dress, but it no longer fits.😊

[@goldfishsnake]

the warehouse sadly closed down within the last 10 years. In the early 2000s my mom took me several times for prom dresses, as she had gone many times herself growing up in the Bay. I moved to SF myself in 2012 and I visited it a few times, even being allowed into their back room where they had never throw out anything that didn't sell, which was magical. the building has been revived and is still called the McClintock Building :)

[@trinaq]

Thank you so much for shining the spotlight on Gunne Sax. I really miss their fantastic prom dresses and unique designs. I loved that they had a line for young children as well.

[@picklespeas9623]

Queen you're literally everywhere

[@hyacinth4368]

I have 3 GunneSax little girls' patterns from late 70s/early 80s. I plan to make granddaughter one for her 3rd birthday.

[@Clairsach]

Yes, in the 70's my wee girls sported Gunny Sax at Easter Church Services.

[@Thekawaiiasian101vid]

i adore gunne sax dresses! i love 70s edwardian inspired clothing

[@SheepasaurusRex]

i think selkie is doing a decent job in holding up the gunne sax vibe in a way. it's a lot more pastel and poofy, but they got some designs that hit the nail on the head

[@Whitneygraciedolly]

I agree with this 100% Selkie has kept that whimsical vibe alive

[@subliminalphish]

Yes they were. My mother couldn't afford it. I had a prairie dress but no gunny sax. Upper middle class or higher to wear one and the look was very different from what was affordable.

[@subliminalphish]

My post was supposed to be posted on another comment. That's the Internet and even Google. Wow. I noticed because someone liked my comment. Wow.

[@GaiaCarney]

My mother (bless her heart!) sewed me a lavender & lace ‘Gunne Sax’ dress for my eighth grade graduation 💜 She didn’t understand my passion for the style and flat out refused to make my dress ankle length 😛 It was the romance of it all, the long buttoned cuffs, puffy sleeves & lace details 🌸 sweet innocence . . .

[@lilolmecj]

I think they were really beautiful, and flattering on many shapes.

[@nancys2839]

The name is what I will remember with fondness because when I asked my dad for money to buy school clothes he would jokingly say "well honey I have a gunne sack and we'll cut some holes in it and get a rope for a belt" and I would roll my eyes and we'd laugh. We lived really rural and had to drive quite a distance to clothes shop and it was difficult to find name brand clothes but I did have a gunne sac blouse that I still own and wear occasionally. I have always liked that style of clothing. Thanks for the video it brought many good memories!

[@lindaallen9721]

I had a Gunne Sax sleeveless eyelet corset dress for prom in 1977. A couple of years later, I sold it to a friend who was married in it. It was lovely for the time and I really liked it.

[@allcatz]

The dress I wore at my wedding reception, a small family gathering, was a white Gunne Sax dress in 1976. My mom paid $40 for it. I still have it but it has sustained some damage. I'm thinking of having it repaired to wear on our 50th wedding anniversary in a few years (it still fits😊).

[@janaekelis]

i always loved the silhouettes and daintiness of these dresses!

[@marychapel8916]

I made a gunne sax inspired prom dress. I love the look of the early 1970’s. I couldn’t afford a real dress but was proud I could copy one.

[@Teresa-ch3og]

Same here.

[@jessicavictoriacarrillo7254]

My fave examples are my Aunt's Homecoming Princess gown, the 1975 Stepford Wives, Marge Simpson's prom dress, some pink Barbie dresses of the 70s to early 90s, and Devi Vishwakumar's prom dress.

[@paulaharger6123]

I wore a beautiful gunne sax dress for my wedding in 1976. It was reasonably priced and I loved it.

[@amystuck3701]

I own several Gunne Sax patterns. I made myself one of the dresses back in the early 80’s. I still have that dress.

[@aliciamichelle955]

They went from like $70-200 in 2019 to $200-$700 in 2022. I hate it. I wish i never sold any of mine knowing theyre so unaffordable. The "cottagecore" trend really had resellers charging buying everything to charge 4× the cost. Like ticket scalpers

[@aliciamichelle955]

It's even more frustrating when they label a dress as a "rare" one when several of that style are for sale across resale sites. There definitely are rare styles but a lot arent

[@lindseyfrazier3298]

lololol that's what happens when originals become scarce. just look at muscle cars from that same era. rare = valuable.

[@aprilstarchild79]

The funny thing is, now that they've skyrocketed in price I still don't want to sell mine, all of which I got for $30 from a local vintage store in the late 00's or early 10's. I know I *should* sell some of them; I'm never going to be a vintage size 9 again lolol

[@aliciamichelle955]

@@aprilstarchild79 I regret selling some of mine in 2019. I didnt think anything of it because I could easily afford another if I wanted. 😩 You could make good money (depending on the style).. but if you regret it, they're way too expensive to buy more of! There's several I regret not buying years back

[@petalchild]

​@@aprilstarchild79​ I'm in the same boat. I used to find them super cheap on etsy and ebay years ago (more like 2014 for me) so it's wild to see how much people are charging for them now

[@Iknowitsweird]

I've only recently begun to learn fashion brand names, but I was still surprised to learn that "Gunne Sax" was an actual brand and not just the way people referred to those dresses. I really thought they were calling them "gunny sacks" to be ironic since some people love them and some people hate them.

[@robertcarter3768]

OMG... I loved the Gunne Sax dresses and my sister had a few. I remember a whole wedding of my friend being Gunne Sax. I have collected vintage since I was 15, I am now 62. I have a few in my current collection!!!

[@TeresaBearCFP]

The dorm I lived in had a community “formal” closet where we stored our gowns. Borrowing dresses was common. I don’t look good in brown, but I felt so beautiful in the brown Gunnie Sax that I was lucky enough to borrow from the “rich” girl on the floor. That dress got lots of wear. This was in ‘78-79.

[@DevilOnlyKnitsLace]

Excellent research & presentation! I, too- was born in 1967! Gunne Sax & Jessica McClintock was a wardrobe staple for me as a child and teen. I loved to sew, and some of my first outfits were the Jessica McClintock for Simplicity patterns. Gunne Sax knock-offs made it easy to be a "bonnet head" and wear those Little House on the Prarie fashions. As a Colorado girl, I wore all these lovely fashions with my cowboy boots. Thanks again for this trip down memory lane!

[@teacheraprilrogers]

I am a historian and history. I was a child of the late70s and 80s. I loved Jessica and Gunne Sax. I see now why I love historical fashion so much. I also loved Laura Ashley.

[@MW-on1ft]

I had two of these dresses in the late 70's and early 80's. A long floor length one and a tea length one which i wore to my high school graduation. These dresses were expensive at the time and rightfully so. The detail work was nice! I had been burned out on being made to wear dresses as a grade schooler so when these dresses came along i welcomed the look and natural fabrics and how they made me feel.

[@Ilovevintage77]

I’ll comment more but at the time I was embarrassed to wear Jessica McClintock to church every Sunday and I even wore a floral dress with a white lace bib and huge shoulder pads to picture day freshman year !! But looking back I think it’s innocent beautiful and precious to see my sister cousins and me in these frilly lovely girly pieces in our innocence. I’m glad it’s having a revival. There are SO many other brands contemporary to gunnies including Laura Ashley Beverly St. Lawrence home made pieces you can thrift or buy second hand or please look for candi jones. That’s another really lovely girly brand !! Capriccio and digna is too!

[@jessicamontaperto810]

I d’ get one when they have a full rivial!

[@BarbieMrqz]

My personal aesthetic has always revolved around turn of the century / edwardian styles, specially given the boom of period media in the 90s, so when my mom sees my cottagecore outfits and specifically Gunne Sax style dresses or inspo she always calls me the "Other Ingall girl" since I'm so keen on dressing the part hahaha

[@Mamasgirlcustom]

I had a JM store in my mall as a teen. Everything was so ruched and satin. The standard Junior ball dress. I can’t believe that designer was once inspired by anything so interesting .

[@szarahsshow5321]

This trend is hilarious to me. To this day, my mother is still mortified that she was forced to wear a gunne sax nightgown to prom😂

[@arex9000]

Depending how it's done I like it but others it's just a keep it in the closet or burn it 😂

[@sapphic.flower]

I mean it's sad she was forced to, I feel bad for your mom. 😭 But if other girls actually want to I think it's a cute whimsical vibe lol

[@kaitlynsvintagecloset]

My mom passed a few years ago, well before I started my vintage shop, but I often giggle because I know she would loathe a lot of things I sell that are super popular. She hated 70s fashion having grown up in it

[@deanairvine5271]

I think your mom was the exception! I loved my Gunne Sax dress more than anything and was the envy of friends who couldn't afford them. They were EXPENSIVE then!! Remembering that a babysitter was paid 50 cents an hour in the the early 1970s, it required 50-60 hours of work to purchase one of these dresses! A baby sitter now makes about $15 an hour, give or take, which means you could buy one while working 10-20 hours. That's why they were just as special then as they are now. Most all of sewed in the 70s, so we made many copy cats as well that we loved wearing. I'm sure there were some girls that didn't like them, but I don't remember them. I think they were probably avoiding me and my closet full of prairie dresses that I babysat, cleaned houses, did mending and ironing for pay in order to afford 😃

[@h.a.harris7423]

A fate that I am still grateful to have escaped; it was almost impossible to find anything but Gunne Saxe and other brands of lookalike dresses in the early 80's. It took a lot of shopping to find an acceptable alternative, but I ended up with a Halston toga style gown which was very elegant.

[@aruglaempire2518]

I had a Gunne Sax dress in my 20's and wore it parties. I loved that dress! They were very expensive.

[@sigsin1]

I loved my Gunne Sax dress…I had a gorgeous one for my senior homecoming dance in 1977.

[@CrystalPistol72]

I loved my Gunne Sax dresses. I only had two (they were for special occasions). LOVED Them!!

[@cynthiawong-lee9633]

There used to be a Gunne Sax outlet in San Francisco which was located near their SF location. Alot of the SF clothing designs had their outlets near their headquarters back in the day before those "outlet shopping centers" was a concept.

[@jackybluj]

I was married in December 1979. I wore a Gunne Sax dress we found at the Gunne Sax outlet for $20. I worked at the Disneyland Hotel in the retail division. Our junior shop received a line of dresses. I bought a floral print in each size for my bridemaids. I loved the looks of everyone! ❤❤❤

[@Widdershins.]

I, too, was married in December, 1979, in a Gunne Sax dress. Mine was burgundy and cost $50. Wonder what it would be worth now? I only wore it a handful of times after that -- suppose I must have donated it at some point.

[@fabrisseterbrugghe8567]

Some of my best looks in high school (1976-77) were from Gunne Sax. Dark red with black velvet trim, purple and lavender reverse trim sun dresses.

[@kellicos]

I had a couple of these dresses when I was a young girl. I remember how expensive they were and how fancy I felt wearing them. It was a huge deal to buy one of these back then.

[@wandaruth3833]

I had a phase in my late twenties after I lost weight (from being sick-not worth it) where literally all I wore was Gunne Sax and Laura Ashley. They’re ridiculously expensive and difficult to find, but tbh they were made lovingly with beautiful quality.

[@natnahat]

I've been collecting and wearing Gunne Sax dresses since 2002, and own over 150 pieces from the 60's and 70's. All my lovelies fit as though they were personally tailored for my frame. Although I hated seeing the prices spike around 2020, it was kinda cool seeing my day-to-day aesthetic being embraced by those who had newly discovered the brand. Thankfully prices are finally starting to trend down to pre-pandemic cost. Thank you for this video, I loved seeing the original advertisements for some of the dresses I own!❤

[@kristic4472]

I wanted a Gunne Sax dress so badly when I was in high school. Loved Jessica McClintock dresses! I especially wanted one of those pretty velvet dresses with the lace trim.

[@cwbrooks5329]

I wore this style during the "Diana" era. Jessica McClintock and Laura Ashley were the go-to brands, and ifrc, those dresses hit the hundred/two hundred range even back then. Gunne Sax dresses were less expensive and not as well made. Honestly, I think those brands just ran their courses. When Armani and Banana Republic hit, it felt like a breath of fresh air.

[@ridgewalker5718]

Loved my Gunne Sax dresses back then. So happy cottage core is back in style. Took all my favorite decor out of the attic and am embracing it once again. Also check out Laura Ashley vintage clothes.

[@freedomthroughspirit]

I remember visiting the GS outlet in the early 80s as a pre-teen with my mom and a friend and her mom, it was absolutely thrilling. I got a blue prairie dress with white lace trim and ribbon that I adored.

[@sharonnorthcutt929]

I am 63 and made a Gunne Sax dress for my prom! I really loved that dress. Later I made dresses for my daughters.

[@daffodilunderhill7066]

Recently, I was re-looking at wedding pictures of my friend from the early 80s and she was reminiscing about how much she loved her Gunne Sac wedding dress then and now! She was adorable.

[@TabaquiJackal906]

My sister and I adored Gunne Sax. She had a gorgeous cream lace top, with tiny pearl buttons and just layers of lace. It was so pretty!

[@wendyhubbard3109]

I loved my Gunne Sax dresses. My mom made me one from a pattern for my 6th grade graduation. ❤️

[@GKMaverick013]

I have my mother’s gunne sax green dress. It’s in good condition and I cannot wait to wear it out one nice Sunday morning.

[@pdelmercado]

I remember these. They were a very coveted brand of dress. I absolutely loved mine.

[@LynneWright]

I still have two of the three Gunne Sax dresses I had as a teen. We would take the train into San Francisco and go to the Outlet there. You could get dresses 75% off! They even sold ribbons and laces. Wedding gowns were several hundred dollars but $50 each at the factory outlet and prom dresses were $25 each in 1980s.

[@jonesy9035]

As a teenager in the 70’s, I loved the gunne sax dresses. They were really beautiful, but I could never afford to buy one. 😢

[@deeanna3335]

After I got a job I was finally able to buy one.

[@AnastaciaInCleveland]

I sooo wanted a Gunne Sax dress, but they were too expensive for my parents to afford. I was a little envious that a friend of mine bought a Gunne Sax dress for our winter semi-formal dance. I wanted that aesthetic for my wedding. I wound up with a very 1980s bridesmaid gown for my sister and a hybrid Gunne-Sax/1980s style for my wedding gown. I hope the company comes back officially!

[@jessicamontaperto810]

Me too!

[@kjmav10135]

I still remember getting my Gunne Sax dress at the Jessica McClintock store at Woodfield Mall in 1974. I remember trying it on, and hoping to God it would fit. It was a size 13. It DID! I was thrilled. I wore it to my 8th grade graduation. Our family got caught in a pouring rainstorm on the way home, and the only picture I have from that day is me, in my sopping wet Gunne Sax dress, looking disgusted. 😂😂

[@denisescountryriffle8346]

My father once bought me a beautiful Gunne Sax dress back in the day. I loved that dress!

[@skylilly1]

My dad bought me one too. I wish I still had it. I kept it for years and years. I don’t know how it got lost.❤

[@azabujuban-hito8085]

I love their dresses. I saw one in a vintage clothing store for $250. So I just went to a textile store and made a very similar dress myself. It cost me less than $100 !😂

[@aliannarodriguez1581]

You surprise me. Every time I’ve been in a fabric store in recent years it’s clear that they’ve decided that sewing is a rich woman’s hobby. Fabric costs are are simply ludicrous, such that making clothes is now far, far more expensive than buying them.

[@jenniferbond7073]

I wore a gunne sax dress to my eight grade graduation. Went the the benne sax warehouse in San Francisco, so much fun!

[@TheLeslieMichelle]

I love these dresses. I used to gave blouses and nightgowns too. It was the feminine look and comfort that won me over

[@macjrc]

Omg I remember wearing a Gunne Sax dress to my 8th grade graduation in ‘77. I had wanted one sooo much. I loved this look. Seventeen magazine used to feature models riding bicycles in fields in sexy romantic dresses that looked like camisoles and long skirts. I fell for it completely. I even wore a shorter version to my prom. 😊I still lean toward a more romantic hippy style. I also saw in your video a Rheinaur ad. I had forgotten completely about that store. It was the most expensive store in our town.

[@isabelleer7501]

It's crazy that in the '80s they weren't taking historical inspiration. Banana Republic is such a good example of how Out of Africa influenced fashion in the 80s - that would actually be a fun video to look at all the designers that reference Out of Africa style. It was definitely a movement.

[@ArtamStudio]

Banana Republic's original catalogs were legendary.

[@azvascos7542]

Ah, fedoras had their revival heydey in the 80's! I had a khaki safari dress with matching fedora of course!

[@janebrown3587]

Banana Republic in Laguna Beach in the 70s... drawstring muslin pants s0 comfy

[@parkerbrown-nesbit1747]

I bought a black fedora from them in the 80s. Still have it (and still wear it).

[@azvascos7542]

@@parkerbrown-nesbit1747 I wish I had kept mine!

[@macherie1234]

My grandma bought me a Gunny Sax floral gown for my 16th birthday. After it was tailored, I wore it to my end of year Sophomore Hop.

[@TheSWalks]

I spent hours dreaming about getting a Gunne Sax prom dress IF anyone actually asked me to the prom. These dresses also sparked my desire to learn how to sew. Thank you for this video.

[@keenoled]

I think it took me forty minutes to get through this video. I kept having to pause and look up all the amazing visuals. How have I missed Erdem exists, I have no idea. And I'm now following four more creators on TikTok (three I already did follow haha). Clinton's wedding dress was amazing, so amazing! And her hair. This whole video was like a blanket to wrap myself in. Thank you so much.

[@vbrown6445]

Yeah, Hilary did look very beautiful in her wedding Gunne Sax dress.

[@Rye_Toast]

9:09 that navy dress was my exact prom dress

[@b.comeau2597]

Made my wedding dress from a Gunne Sax pattern and my bridesmaids all wore Gunne Sax gowns with lace boleros ….this was in 1981. Always wanted a Gunne Sax but never could afford one when in HS.

[@DebbyinKansasUSA]

I could write an entire term paper (I'm 59 haha) on Gunne Sax and my life! I got my first in about 1974 and wore them until about 1984. I had all kinds. Calicoes, formals, lacy, plain, high neck, skirts, and sundresses, etc. My best friend did, as well. The coolest part was that, no matter how many we bought, we never ended up having 2 of the same! The fabrics and exact styles were always different. We probably had 30 between us. In fact, I don't recall ever seeing two of the same at ANY event. Loved those dresses. So girly.❤

[@tamick2000]

In the late 70's in Southern California we wore these to school with Birkenstocks. I had one and loved it.

[@craftsbeautyandlife5163]

My first wedding dress was a Gunne sax dress and it was so pretty. I loved it.❤ it was 1978.

[@gailmoser2610]

I also got married in one in 1974 and wish that I kept it, threw it out when I got divorced in 1993.😢

[@vaboatwr]

I definitely miss those styles in the late 70s. I just loved the fit and the beautiful sleeves which are still an inspiration to my sewing now. My favorite dress I made back then was a Victorian inspired baby blue with white lace dress for my prom. It was so beautiful!

[@kathycrossman4150]

All my dresses from 1980-1984 were Gunne Sax/Jessica McClintock from 8th grade graduation through high school proms. My first one my mother sewed. We then found that there was an Outlet Store in San Francisco and would make the 5 hour drive twice a year to shop. I remember the blouses/skirts were $5-8, dresses started from $15 up to $35 and $75 for a wedding gown. The outlet was still in existence when my daughter was in school and we bought her dresses there as well. You could also by the fabric and appliques/trims. Was such a bummer when it closed. I notice that the trend is on it's way back in....fashion repeating itself.

[@patricialassle6844]

I am 70 and had two Gunne Sax dresses in the early eighties. They were size 11 as was I. They fit perfectly. They definitely did not run small.

[@ljshaw8516]

My favorite skirt in the 70's was my Gunne Sax skirt. I remember using my babysitting money and how proud I was of it. I felt so ladylike.

[@dee1540]

My wedding dress was a Gunne Sax. My love for that dress lasted longer than the marriage. 😆

[@conniestevens6725]

Coming here to say exactly the same - almost word for word! My sister was my only bride's maid and she wore a Gunne, too!

[@KiwiJJams]

I was lucky to snatch up a gorgeous wedding Gunnse dres before the prices exploded. I just looked it up now and the exact same dress (but with more wear and staining) is on etsy for over €150 MORE than the price I paid for mine! I must say though, the dresses are EASILY worth paying €100-200 a piece because the fabric is so thick, it puts my modern clothes to shame, even from the 1970s there is no thinning or tearing in the fabric, it's such a sturdy dress and it's heavy because the fabric is so much better than the thin modern low quality stuff we find acceptable today. If I didn't own such a beautiful vintage piece it would be hard to imagine clothing having such weight and warmth and stability, cottons these days are like tissue paper, it's why out clothes don't last half as long. There is something magical about Gunne Sax, it's a shame the brand hasn't had a big comeback with a focus on using GOOD heavy cotton to honour the old dresses. Anyone can make something that looks like a Gunne Sax, but nothing compares to the feel of it. I guess I'm a bit relieved they haven't had a huge comeback though because I have the sneaking suspicion they'd cut corners on cost/quality because modern standards are lower and that would absolutely RUIN Gunne dresses. It really isn't enough to make a prairie style dress and call it Gunne, there are enough cottage core dresses out there on the likes of shein and temu that have a Gunne look on a shoestring price, Gunne would HAVE to keep up the quality because that, and their history, is what sets them apart. A prairie dress is just a prairie dress now when several fast fashion brands have cottage core aesthetic items, it's not enough to just fit the aesthetic when they have their previous work to stack up against.

[@KiwiJJams]

I found the same dress also being sold for 500€ ... sentimentally I think its worth all that and more but ... that is well over double the price I got it for so i thank my stars I got so lucky but even at that price, they are a dress you can treasure and wear for life. I do wish they were a little less inflated in price though and if only they were more size inclusive, everyone should get to feel the Gunne Sax dress *feel*

[@KiwiJJams]

Easier said than done@@poollife777. Lack of accessibility to good food and healthcare are a factor, it's not enough to just tell people to "get in shape" if they're living in a food desert without access to fresh/nourishing food, or a lack of access to health/fitness resources. Plus, every single body is unique, I don't think people who are plus size should have to "earn" the right to look and feel good in beautiful clothes when we have the ability to make clothing more inclusive today. We can't change the size of vintage Gunne Sax without heavily altering the original dresses, but if they were to re-make Gunne Sax dresses again today, there's no reason they couldn't include a wider array of shapes and sizes and even dress lengths (as a 5'1" girlie, I have to wear massive platforms under my dress so it doesn't drag on the floor, a petite height versus a tall height option would be nice in a gunne sax rerelease collection).

[@wendyrodger]

I ‘graduated’ from elementary school in 1982 wearing a Gunne Sax by Jessica dress and then in 1997 I wore a Jessica McClintock Bridesmaid dress for my sister’s wedding. I’ve worn the Jessica McClintock perfume for decades. It’s my ‘signature’ scent and I constantly get compliments on it. While I love the resurgence of the look, as a 52 yr old woman I just can’t wear it again. Oh and I did find the dress I wore in ‘82 at a vintage clothing market for $100. I stood there holding it and staring for a while as memories flooded my mind. It must have been a long time and I must have had an odd look on my face because someone asked me if I was ok. 😂 This seems to happen a lot to me lately because I like to frequent antique and vintage markets and I’m constantly seeing things that I had growing up. It’s a strange feeling…but I digress.

[@karennorris7880]

My 1977 prom dress was a baby blue gunne sax prairie dress and I loved it! Feminine and demure and retro.

[@murlthomas2243]

I loved Gunne Sax dresses. It made me feel very feminine. I’m glad they are making a comeback.

[@jessicamontaperto810]

I am happy to hear they re” coming back ⬅️!. I am going to save money for them! I hope they offer Juniors one! I As a middler back in the late 2000”-s 2010 dreamed of wearing them I want to for Ged graduation cemory next year!.

[@sunniewright3335]

Yep, kicking myself for not keeping those dresses from Jr High and High School. Two of those dresses were made by my mother, although I helped. She bought the Gunne Sax official patterns and fabric at the local TG&Y, the other dresses were purchased at a boutique in Ojai (hometown) named The Old Oak Tree, and again I am kicking myself for not keeping them!!!!

[@dessieangel1021]

Ugh Pinterest threw this dress at me in early 2020 and that’s what I found out what it was bc it had a distinctive style. And I wanted it so bad! I finally found two I liked, but they’re a bit too small on me. Planning on either handing it down or selling them

[@sewvintagebysunraedoll]

I think we are in the middle of another renaissance revival currently in which all of us want to dress in a Fantasy way. It’s beautiful, I have thrifted a lot of gunne sax patterns and dresses. They are still out there-keep looking 🙌 or make your own.

[@poorthing]

I loved this! Gunne Sax & Jessica McClintock are my youthful era. I even loved JM perfumes, I still do. I have a few of my GS dresses stored and think its time to pass them to someone who will love them... I have no daughters & I'm going into my 70s...

[@AnnaMlawn]

I'm loving all the real prom and wedding pics! We should share pics the next time you're researching a style

[@mariaalvarado1577]

thank you for making this video! I've always been curious about the history of this brand :)

[@Lee-jh6cr]

As a teen in the 70s we had to sew our denim skirts from old jeans as they were not yet being marketed - & from guy's jeans at that - women's jeans of substance were also not yet being marketed. My Mom, who was 40 yrs older than me, called my denim skirts gunny sacks. This was actually a common expression at the time - hence Gunne Sax. Peasant or folk dresses were not readily available either, but in an era when more people (mostly females) sewed, patterns were easy to find - I still have a few. There was an abundance of styles worn at the time - midis, minis, hot pants, the wet look, panne velvet, vests, tailored & romantic blouses, crop tops, bra tops, halters, gaucho pants, , , it was fun! The fabrics were far superior to what we have now, & the sewing. Shoes & boots of every style & well made - they weren't trashed, but repaired, as were the clothes. I remember wearing short shorts & midriff halters in HS - this was the norm - no one thought anything of it. No dirty minds - more like naked Fins in a sauna! It was an era when guys didn't have to wear shirts - mostly on hot days & to the bars - & they were all buff! Most preschool girls didn't even wear tops in the summer. But it was also cool to be covered in a cotton floral prairie dress. Now I rarely see anyone in anything that turns my head. We've allowed our culture to become so boring. Wouldn't trade the 70s for the world!

[@macjrc]

Also wearing bandannas as halter tops and making your jeans into a purse 😅

[@Lee-jh6cr]

@@macjrc And handkerchief dresses, & angel dresses from round tablecloths, & hitting the SA or thrift shops for the beautiful clothes of the 40s/50s, including hats & old furs - & clothes from India - embroidered dresses, skirts with shisha mirrors & little bells, & sheer gauze tops (& of course we burned our bras), & remember carpet bags, & macrame vests, beaded fringe, crochet everything? I know there's more, , , ! And the coolest jewelry. Lace up boots. Earth shoes! Moccasins. And braiding our hair in tiny braids because no crimping irons. Love cosmetics with Ali McGraw. Aziza eye shadow. Smudge Pots. Oh, & the sweater dress! And I almost forgot Army outlet pants & jackets, & the backdrop of it all - DIY tie-dye, especially guys' muscle shirts. And ponchos! OK, I think I'm done!

[@macjrc]

@@Lee-jh6cr lol. That brought back so much. My fave outfit was a purple velvet mini skirt with a leather and chain belt and white go go boots. Also I had my brother in laws army jacket after he got back from Viet Nam 💙

[@sophiab7368]

I collect Gunne Sax patterns as nostalgia fuel as my mom had sewn me the dresses as a little girl. It was interesting to see the price of the patterns soar up to a hundred dollars for patterns that are much too small for the average person and unusable as most people can't size up patterns. I've seen multiple conversations where people feel that because they don't have access to the subculture because of size or race and it's sad that stuff like that happens still to this day.

[@SiriusGoddess555]

OMG! I loved Gunne Sax. I had this beautiful dress by Scott McClintock I kept for years. It’s not a prairie dress. It’s hard to describe. I used to go to San Francisco Gunne Sax outlet in the ally to shop.

[@randigerber1926]

I wore a Jessica McClintock dress when I got married in 1986. White satin, HUGE sleeves, full skirt.

[@janmcguire5268]

My bridesmaids dresses were Gunne Sax and I owned a couple of the dresses. I wore one to my rehearsal dinner. My wedding dress was a no name brand knock off, but it looked just like a Gunne Sax. I loved the style!

[@liss2503]

I had a white GS dress. My mother got it for me to wear when I was voted to be one of the graduation leaders. My school would pick one boy and one girl to lead the senior class down the aisle at graduation. My mom was so excited for me and went shopping while I was in school. It was so pretty. I wish I still had it.

[@ChristineKrannich]

I only have one of my Gunne Sax dresses from my teens (late 70s/early 80s). It’s all white and though I will never fit back into it, I don’t think I could sell it.

[@hollywooddarling]

So excited that you're covering Gunne Sax! Since I've worn vintage for years, Gunne Sax has always been on my radar and over the last few years I've managed to get my hands on several original Gunne Sax and Jessica McClintock for Gunne Sax pieces, as well as prairie, renaissance, medieval or Edwardian inspired dresses from the 70s. I'm just so glad I have vintage collector contacts now who always think of me when they come across pieces like this and let me know. It's all about the romance and fantasy of the dresses. They really transport you and your mind to a fantasy world when you put it on. It's magical. I was definitely puzzled when I looked up the brand in the past and saw that they shifted towards doing the typical 80s Dynasty style looks. Also, I just saw comments about Selkie and it's also perhaps why even though I largely wear vintage or look towards older styles, Selkie was one of the 'trendy' designers that really caught my eye, and I now also have around 5 Selkie dresses! Selkie also really plays into the fantasy and romance of dressing up.

[@cryminku6703]

i love gunne sax and this video was very interresting ! i have purchased my own gunne sax prairie dess one year ago from an online thrift shop and I'm in love with that dress 🥰 its definitely the most expensive piece in my wardrobe but the quality is so amazing (the dress is from the 70s and is pretty well preserved!)

[@TwinCitiesFancy]

I had no Idea Jessica had her hand in so many things. I do remember the mid 90's wanting so badly one of her prom dresses, but never able to afford one.

[@adelaide0220]

I graduated back in June and wore gunne sax to both my junior and senior proms. My mom was shocked that I wanted to wear a gunne sax for both! My first play dress as a kid was a gunne from the 90s as well and I'm still collecting gunne sax, something I started on accident my sophomore year of high school when i bought my first from a thrift shop for a halloween costume lol