The 1950s fashion and style was a milestone in the fashion industry and holds many iconic trends and statements that we still hold dear to us today. Although the clothes of the 50s were pretty iconic on their own, it is the accessories that gave those outfits the sophisticated, traditional beauty that takes out breath away to this day. The classic string of pearls, the Hermes bag, the funky headbands, and the cat-eye sunglasses; these are one of the many accessories that defined the 50s era of conventional beauty showcasing the American dream. Most of these accessories are still in style today, which means you can still rock 50s fashion while staying up to the minute. Here’s a guide of what accessories they wore in the 50s and how you can wear them now.
#1 Fancy Hats of the 50s
For young girls, it was advised not to wear hats until you passed the 20-year mark, but for those women that did wear hats, the accessory was small and dainty during the 50s. Shell-shaped hats were at the top of the list in terms of popularity, amongst Juliette caps, Bicorne-Bonnets, and Sailor-Coolie and more.
#2 trendy Bags in the 1950s
The Hermes travel bag, also known as the Kelly bag, was made popular by Grace Kelly in the 50s. The Chanel 2.55 was another famous handbag of the times, with its classic black quilted appearance matching almost every outfit. Gucci renamed one of their bags the Jackie bag after it being often favored by Jackie Kennedy.
#3 Jewelry of the 50s
The jewelry of the 50s was nowhere close to minimal as women showcased their wealth with sparkling strings of pearls and breathtaking, gem-set statement necklaces. Glittering bracelets were worn over dark gloves at nighttime and brooches adorned the deep pockets of women’s coats.
#4 Iconic Eyewear of the 1950s
The sunglasses of the 50s were simply iconic. Cat-eye sunglasses made their debut with colorful plastic frames and gave a beautifully cunning look to the face. Other fun shapes like triangles, hearts, circles, and squares were also in trend.
#5 Popular 1950s Gloves
Gloves had been an essential fashion industry since the early 20th century and came in different forms each decade. The gloves of the 50s were ultra-feminine and formal; wrist-length and bright-colored during the day and longer, fancier during evening parties. Leather, suede, cotton, mesh, and nylon were some of the many materials used to make this beautifully important fashion accessory.
#6 Hair Accessories for 1950s women
In the 50s, the hair accessories for women were bold and colorful. Headbands of all types, colors, and styles were worn by young girls while those that were more free-spirited tied colorful, polka-dotted bandanas around their head for a country-girl aesthetic. Older women simply placed a large, gem-set clip in their hair to make a statement.
The accessories women wore in the 1950s affected the fashion industry in such a way that they’re all still in trend right now and that means you can still add extra points to your outfits using these accessories.