A Peek Into the Past; the revival and renovation of Fashion in the 1950's.

Greetings Darlings!

In my last blog entry, I touched on Vintage Fashion, mainly to do with the Forties, so today I am going to progress onto the Fifties.

 Fashion Through the Decades.

1950:

The fashion of the Fifties actually begun in the Forties, with Christian Dior's "New Look" collection which made its debut in 1947. Now that the war was over, women had either quit or were fired from the factories that they had manned while the men were away, and returned to their roles as housewives and homemakers. With this change of lifestyle, came a change of fashion. Dior encouraged women to rethink their wardrobes, and invited them to dress and live their lives just a little bit more elegantly. If the War was the inspiration for the masculine fashion of the Forties, then Dior was the inspiration for the feminine fashion of the Fifties. As popular as the "New Look" collection became throughout the Fifties, it was actually met with adversity and apprehension when first released in the Forties. Models were even physically assaulted at one show in Paris by spectators who were displeased with the extravagant amount of fabric being used in Dior's designs whilst there was a ration going on with fabric for everyone else. Dior called his show "La Ligne Corolle" roughly translating to "the line of a flower", which encompasses the overall look that he created, however the then editor-in-chief of 'Harper's Bazaar', Carmel Snow, dubbed Dior's collection "the New Look" and the name stuck. With cinched in waists, large billowing skirts that needed the support of petticoats and inbuilt taffeta and a pronounced bust line, Dior had women looking and feeling like just like living, breathing flowers.

Christian Dior with models wearing fashion from his show in 1950.

The militant and masculine looks of the 1940's were well and truly fading away. The austere and dull colors that were popular in the decade before were quickly replaced by big, bold and bright prints in the 50s. From stripes to floral to polka dots, prints were found in every woman's wardrobe, usually on skirts. As well as prints, embroidered and felt appliqués (such as the infamous felt poodle) also gained popularity.

Group of women wearing fun appliqued skirts.

 

The days of rationing in the 1940's almost became over-compensated by the excess in the 1950's. What once was simple was now extravagant, elegant and elaborate. Dresses were made from fabrics that were once unavailable, or unavailable in large amounts, and featured exuberant pleating, intricate detailing with several layers and linings of materials such as taffeta and rayon. Dress and skirt lengths returned to below the knee, and the simple A-line skirt was given a makeover with more volume and intricacies.

Due to the return of men after the war, women were encouraged to go back into their role of wife and mother. With the economic boom, Americans were encouraged to consume, consume, consume. Nearly all fashion advertising was aimed at women, and had less than subtle messages about the clothing being "pleasing" for their husbands, or if not married, then it would attract a husband. Women were expected to look and dress a certain way, with tiny waists, curvy hips and shapely, predominant busts. Underwear such as corsets, controllers, girdles and bustiers were a standard everyday-wear item, used to help achieve that sought-after hourglass look made popular by the likes of Marilyn Monroe and the first ever supermodel, Betty Brosmer.

Supermodel Betty Brosmer, who graced over 200 covers throughout the 1950's.

New materials such as Polyester (which was actually invented by two British scientists in 1941, who sold the rights for its production to American company DuPont in 1945, with the first factory manufacturing it in 1950) were introduced into the fashion world. Materials that were once needed for the War such as Nylon, were now being snapped up and used extensively in fashion. Although materials like Cotton were still popular, new materials meant for easier wear and/or less work, such as Rayon which needs much less ironing than Cotton. New technology meant that mass production was delivered at a greater speed in a greater quantity, which meant lower prices and therefore ease of accessibility to the fashion world for the everyday woman. Haute Couture was quickly and easily replicated by off-the-rack manufacturers, so the leading styles of the world could be brought at the local store for a fraction of the cost. The fashion world was booming, along with the babies and the economy of the Fifties.

Women's shorts begun to gain popularity, after the taste of the comfort and practicality that wearing pants brought to women during the Forties. Women wore short shorts with tucked in shirts and blouses whilst at the beach or at home, as well as Capri pants which ended at 3/4 length and Pedal Pushers which ended just below the knee. Although now a common women's wear item, it was still more socially acceptable for a woman to wear a dress or skirt when out and about.

Women wearing beachwear for a photo in Life magazine.

During the Fifties, teenagers started to separate from child and adult, and created their own styles, culture and consumerism. With part time jobs and pocket money from their parents, teenagers began to take charge of their own fashion, and manufacturers were quick to jump on board. In the second half of the 1950's, there was entire clothing catalogues were dedicated to the teenager. The rise of the Prom dress came about, and formal teenage attire gained new popularity. Rock n Roll music held a great influence on teenage fashion, as well as movies such as 'Rebel Without A Cause' which was released in 1955. Celebrities like Elvis Presley and James Dean were fashion icons, and a new wave of styles such as Rockabilly began to gain momentum. Although most women's wear in the Fifties were basically the same styles and silhouettes but in different colors, patterns and prints, teenagers were able and willing to experiment, with manufacturers more than happy to oblige.

Elvis Presley in 1957.

Shoes changed dramatically for woman between the 40s and the 50s. With the rise of the bombshells such as Marilyn Monroe and Jayne Mansfield, a new type of Pump was created, a more slender, sexy style labelled the Stiletto. Although women loved the Stiletto, due to its lack of comfort and the challenge presented whilst walking in them, other shoes became popular throughout the decade, such as the smaller heeled Kitten, as well as other styles such as the wedge, penny loafers, boots and moccasins. Due to the new technologies and faster manufacturing, shoes were not limited to a single conformity of color such as they were in the Forties, often being available in a vast variety of colors, prints and patterns. Women were easily able to match their shoes to their outfits, their handbags, their hats, or basically to anything they desired. Women tended to wear pumps throughout their everyday life, changing the style and height of pumps for different activities. For around the house or running errands, a style called the "Baby Doll" was popular, with its extremely rounded toe and low-mid height heel, they were comfortable yet still elegant. The Slingback made a comeback, however the Fifties version proved to be a lot sexier than those of the Forties with thinner straps and much more flesh being exposed. Ballet Flats or Flatties were a popular casual wear shoe, with the brand Capezio being the cream of the crop, if you could afford it that is. Other flats that were worn include Loafers and the Strapless Mules (which were one of the only types of shoe that a woman didn't have to wear stockings with).

A page from a 1950's Shoe Catalog.

The 50s became about prosperity, abundance and decadence. The economic boom gave Fashion a chance to be more important in women's lives, and became another form of self expression. Clothing became an accessory and a luxury, rather than just a necessity. Women were able to dress and feel more feminine again. Designers such as Balenciaga and Chanel regained popularity after Dior paved the way in the early 50s. Couture became accessible to those with the money or connections, and fashion became another way in which one showed their social and financial standing. It was all about Keeping up with the Jones' and a popular method of doing this was by matching your family's outfits. Mother and daughter dresses were extremely popular, as were, sister dresses. Many looks of the 1920's came back with a 1950's spin. Hollywood greatly influenced the current trends and celebrity style was followed and imitated. New technologies and factories meant for new styles, designs and colors all being manufactured at record speed. The Fifties was a time for revolution, recreation, revival and renovation. And the return of the housewife.

That's all for the Fifties, stay tuned for the Sixties.

Until next time,

Adios Darlings xx