Designer Cocktail & Party Dresses Neiman Marcus Midcentury Dresses, Made Modern The New York Times Midcentury Ricki VanDusen in rayon crpe cocktail dress with white tie front and low cut cowl back, by Patullo Jo Copeland, 1957. Facebook Balenciaga's Little Black Cocktail Dress from 1956 gives a nod to the bustle. The 1950s Victorian Revival was an alternative to the more stringent lines of Mid century Modern fashion. https: www.metmuseum.org art collection search 157776?ft