Virginia Dare Dress Co

By December 1963 Virginia Dare Stores, Inc., were known as Atlantic Thrift Centers, Inc. In June 1964 the corporation ran 45 discount stores and 24 women’s and children’s apparel outlets. In September 1965 Atlantic Thrift Centers, Inc., agreed to merge with Spartan Industries, Inc., of New York. Spartan Industries, Inc., operated 42 discount department stores and 11 Crank drug stores.Virginia Dare Dresses, Incorporated operated a chain of retail stores in New York City. Based at 462 7th Avenue (Manhattan), the company became a casualty of the Great Depression. In March 1933 it went into receivership, with a court-appointed receiver being named. In October 1934 the business emerged from financial difficulty and leased 10,000 square feet (930 m) of space in the Penn Terminal Building at 370 7th Avenue. Philip Wise, another women’s wear chain, and Wheelan Studios, rented property in the same building. The re-emergent organization was known as Virginia Dare Stores, Inc. It is important for having survived in a turbulent economic time in United States history. Among the clothing items sold by the retailer included misses’ fur trimmed coats, handbags, blouses, sweaters, negligees, and lingeries. In October 1936 Virginia Dare Stores, Inc., moved its offices from the north portion of the 15th floor of the Penn Terminal Building to the 5th floor of the same edifice. The business occupied the entire 5th floor of the structure. We are beyond excited to now stock the beautiful hand-made wares of Virginia Dare Dress co. Founded and made in Virginia! Just like us, Virginia Dare Dress co. values generosity, meaningful relationships, thoughtfulness, and quality of craftsmanship over quantity and speed. Their products are designed to be wardrobe staples that will serve you for years to come, made under ethical conditions right here in Virginia, and purchased by you with intention and delight.As we sent each lovingly-crafted dress off to our customers, something truly magical began to happen; women shared their hearts and lives with us, giving us glimpses of our dresses as they became a part of beautiful memories, everyday adventures, and special occasions. Our name comes from Virginia Dare, the first English girl born in the New World… in 1587 . She’s associated with courage, a daring spirit, adventure, and innocence-all characteristics that we aspire to. Today, Virginia Dare Dress Co. is intent on finding our kindreds, creating clothes that make their hearts sing, and putting quality and thoughtfulness first, in all that we do. The Beauty in Shopping Small & Conscious ConsumerismRead More

Oh, and I can’t forget to mention- the brand always offers free shipping and returns. I haven’t had to return anything yet, but free returns is a perk to look for any time you’re shopping online.From the first admiral blue “Emma” dress I opened on Christmas Day (a gift from my husband) to my summer purchases of the “June” and “Chloe” dresses, I’ve been impressed by the superb quality of each Virginia Dare dress.

The workmanship shows in how well the dresses drape over your body, how they wash and wear, and simply in the luxurious feel of the material as you wear them.Wow! I didn’t know that about the name of the brand! I think you’re equally as intelligent to have recognized that 🙂 I also love the word “genteel.” Going to use that now!

There’s no expiration on that code, and it can be used as many times as you like. Go ahead + bookmark this page for later, or jot down that code so you’l remember: KRISTY10 saves you 10% at Virginia Dare Dress Co.

I own a variety of “accessible luxury” brands (Kate Spade, Michael Kors, etc), and I feel that Virginia Dare Dress Co holds its own in terms of design and quality. I’m happy to invest in the brand and wear the designs, and to encourage other women to do the same.

Did I mention that I’m also an old soul? Being a history buff, I immediate recognized the significance of the name, Virginia Dare– the first English child born in the New World (1587). Admittedly, I was more or less hooked by the historical significance of the brand. I mean, only a truly intelligent soul will create a historically-inspired name like that, am I right?Per usual, I window shopped for a few weeks before I actually ordered my first dress.The “Emma” in admiral blue was my first real introduction to the brand, and I’m now a repeat customer.

Virginia Dare designs and sells more than dresses: as I already mentioned, the brand offers a lovely peplum blouse, available in a variety of colors. You can also shop for seasonally changing accessories (I own both their leather belts and several hair ties); books, cosmetics, and jewelry; and a fabulous selection of unique boxed gifts (my friends and family love receiving these).By nature, I’m a feminine woman. I love pearls and perfume, dresses, chandeliers, and roses. My grandma awakened in me a deep affinity for womanhood from a young age, and I enjoy dressing like one.Are you a fan of Jane Austen/ Audrey Hepburn/or other feminine, iconic styles? What would you love to wear from the Virginia Dare Dress Company website?

when ordering our cookies, your order will arrive within 2 days using ground shipping to the following states: connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, kentucky, maine, michigan, maryland, massachusetts, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, north carolina, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, south carolina, vermont, virginia, and west virginia. if you are shipping to a state not listed above, please ensure that you select 2-day shipping or overnight shipping for your order, to ensure a timely and fresh delivery.

In a strange turn of events, last week was surprisingly warm here in Northern Virginia. We’re talking 80 degrees in the first week of November! But, just as soon as it came, it passed, and now we’re back to the usual 40-degree weather we expect this time of year. The recurrence of cold weather has … Continue reading Recipes: Chai Spice Apple CiderIf you’ve been looking for the perfect Christmas gift ideas, we’re here to help. We make beautiful gifting easy for friends, grandparents, your mom, sister, co-workers, and more. Gifts for your Mom: Gifts for your Grandparents: Gifts under $20: Gifts for a dear friend: Gifts for the homebody: Gifts for your sister: Gifts for a … Continue reading Holiday Gift Guide 2022It’s almost Christmas! We can’t believe how fast the year and especially this month is flying by. The time for Christmas parties, caroling, shopping, and festive dinners is upon us, and we’ve designed the perfect winter dress for each of these activities! She arrived from our factory in Texas this week, and we shipped her … Continue reading Style Tips: Three Ways to Wear the Amelia this Season

This summer, we decided to take some time each week to purposefully step back from the busyness of work and do something fun. Hence, we have started a series of “Dress Adventures”, where every week, we wear our VDDCo and find an adventure or do something a little out of the ordinary. For this one, … Continue reading Dress Adventures: Butlers OrchardThis spring we discovered Freebird Boots. Colleen bought a pair of leather sandals and loved them! Since then we’ve come across a few more of their shoes that pair wonderfully with our dresses. Colleen wore their “Claw” sandals during spring and summer and absolutely loved them. She’s wearing them here with our June and Chloe … Continue reading Style Tips: Freebird Boots

For Dress Adventure #23 we tried something completely new! Rebekah and Colleen met with consultant Christine Swartz from House of Colour in Loudoun and had a color consultation! We spent an entire afternoon learning about which colors suit our skin tones best and which seasons we are. Rebekah is a winter (not what we thought!) … Continue reading Dress Adventure: Color AnalysisThis week we launched a new dress just in time for the holidays. We hesitated earlier this year on whether or not to make her, but ultimately decided to and we are so glad we did! Say hello to Amelia: she’s a long sleeve ponte knit with a sweetheart neckline, pockets, and a wide waist … Continue reading Meet the Dress: AmeliaA wonderful change came at the beginning of last year—Colleen agreed to join as a partner in the business! We were childhood friends and had recently volunteered together for a non-profit where we discovered we worked well together. She was the missing piece for VDDCo!⁠ ⁠ With the help of her and Hanna (and then … Continue reading Our Origin Story-Part 3If you’ve followed us for a while, you may know that we do a weekly “Dress Adventure” where we wear our VDDCo and take an adventure or do something out of the ordinary. This week we took a little time off from work and explored some of our favorite spots in Historic Leesburg where we … Continue reading Lifestyle: A Day in Historic LeesburgFor this dress adventure, (where we wear our VDDCo and find an adventure or do something a little out of the ordinary) ⁠Rebekah and Colleen, along with a group of friends, took a road trip to a wedding in Georgia. They decided to make the long drive down an adventure in itself. The first stop … Continue reading Dress Adventures: Road Trip To Georgia

For Dress Adventure #24 (if you’re new, that’s our weekly adventure where we wear our VDDCo and take an adventure or do something a bit out of the ordinary) Rebekah and her mom took a girl’s day out shopping and made a visit to their favorite bakery, Maman. Maman is a cafe that brings a … Continue reading Dress Adventures: MamanWhen COVID-19 hit early in 2020, it impacted the whole world. One of the ways it affected us as a business was by shutting down our factories for a long time. While that was difficult and discouraging to go through, something wonderful came out of it. Rebekah had been toying with the idea of offering … Continue reading Gift Boxes: Intro to Corporate Gifting

If you haven’t already heard, we’re going on a European Adventure! Colleen and Rebekah are taking a two-week break and traveling around Europe in a whirlwind of a trip. Like many things in life, even if the activity or environment is absolutely lovely, who you are spending it with matters most of all. A difficult … Continue reading Travel: How To Be a Good CompanionToday we launched our newest dress and we are so excited to introduce her to you! Meet Audrey. She’s a classic silhouette with a full skirt and a darling feminine neckline. Lizzy wearing XS Carly wearing XXL Colleen wearing M We are absolutely in love with the tiny floral print and other small details (like … Continue reading Meet the Dress: Audrey

We love choosing the products we include in our gift boxes. Each one is handpicked by us with thought and intention. One of our favorite companies source items from is Nectar Republic. We stock their candles, and you might recognize their tins and glass jars from several boxes in our holiday collection. Nectar Republic (formerly … Continue reading Maker Spotlight: Nectar Republic

The June’s claim to fame (and our very favorite part about her) is the beautiful floral pattern on her light crepe-like fabric. It was hand painted by an artist in France and adds just the right amount of elegance to make her the ideal special occasion dress. The floral design was hand painted by an … Continue reading Meet the Dress: JuneDonuts are treat any time of year, but somehow they just seem better in Autumn. Maybe it’s because they go with fall spices so well, or because they taste better with apple cider, but whatever the reason, we won’t pass up a good opportunity to try them. Recently, one of our kindreds, Rebecca Neidhart, of … Continue reading Recipes: Pumpkin Spice Donuts Our holiday gift collection is here! We’re excited to share the newest combinations of our products with seasonal themes like peppermint taffy, “Silent Night” tea, and our cedar and cinnamon candle. Whether you’re sending a small Cheery Hello or our extravagant Winter Delight, we are thrilled to be a part of it! Cookie Hello Classic … Continue reading Gift Boxes: 2022 Holiday Launch In May we announced some really big news on social media and we want to share it with all of our readers here as well. It marks a new step in our adventure. but first we wanted to share a bit of our history and who we are. 8 years ago, I (Rebekah) was a … Continue reading Our Origin Story – Part 1

By now, most of you have seen our 2022 Summer Collection. But we want to tell you a little bit more about them, and how they came to be. Chloe is a cousin to our very popular Emma dress, but how exactly are they different? The most noticeable distinction is the sleeve length. Emma has … Continue reading Meet the Dress: Chloe

We’ve officially said goodbye to fall and hello to winter and the Christmas season (even if the calendar says winter isn’t till the 21st). This can be a tough time of year to wear winter dress outfits because the cold makes wanting to wear stylish clothes way harder. But we believe there are ways to … Continue reading Style Tips: Staying Warm and StylishWe love the Chloe for how versatile she is! But sometimes inspiration can be hard to come by, so we want to share a few of our favorite ways to style the Chloe. Look 1: Leather Belt, Heeled sandals, Gold Jewelry Add a belt to accentuate your waist more and change things up a bit. … Continue reading Style Tips: The Chloe

One of our very favorite things to do is meet new kindreds. We love getting together over a cup of coffee, like we did recently for our JuneCup dress adventure. But many of you are not local to us, and while we would love to travel and meet you all, in the meantime we’d love … Continue reading Meet the Team: Northern VirginiaIf you haven’t heard…We were in a movie! Rebekah and her mom had the chance to be extras in a Christmas movie her brother starred in, while wearing our VDDCo! The movie is called “Christmas at the Greenbrier,” (and takes place at the beautiful resort!) and it’s finally released. You can watch it for free … Continue reading Lifestyle: We’re in a Movie! Recently, we wrote about corporate gifting and shared how we came to add it to our business during COVID in 2020. Lately, we’ve been expanding our corporate gifting to really specialize it for realtors. One of our favorite parts about the gifting process is how we can specialize it for each specific client. Our standard … Continue reading Gift Boxes: Gifting for Realtors Sometimes, on the cold blustery days, nothing else seems quite right like a cup of tea. It’s warm and comforting and makes everything just a little bit better. We want to share a chai latte recipe that will be your best friend on the cold days when you need something just a little extra special. … Continue reading Recipes: Chai Tea LatteAs the weather starts to get just a little bit chillier, our thoughts move to all of our favorite parts of autumn: hot cider, apple picking, warm blankets, sweaters, and fall styles. One of the most exciting parts of the weather turning colder is the chance to switch up our wardrobes again. Hats, jackets, tights, … Continue reading Style Tips: Transition the Emma/Chloe for Autumn

Dress Adventures are our weekly series where we wear our VDDCo and find an adventure or do something a little out of the ordinary.⁠ For adventure #12 we took homemade pumpkin bread and coffee and went to watch the sunrise at Oatlands historic house and gardens. The early morning light gave the grounds a lovely … Continue reading Dress Adventures: Sunrise at OatlandsIt has been important to us from the beginning that the factories we work with are ones that we can trust; both in their quality of sewing and in their labor practices. Finding factories that will work with us to produce not only beautiful but sustainable clothes can be a difficult part of our production … Continue reading Production: Patternmaking & Production