The 1950s were generally a new era for fashion and things were changing and fashion was becoming more relaxed. Men’s clothing was already suitable and didn’t see many drastic changes, but women began wearing makeup publicly.
There was also the introduction of bright, colorful, designed materials into the market, which were later used to make beautiful clothing.
Dressing Styles of People in the 1950s
Styles mostly differed by gender, with women getting to try new things and men getting a modified version of what they already had. There were custom styles to suit the tastes of every economic class. These are some examples of clothing styles;
- Men-Men’s fashion began with the three-piece suit. Jackets were single-breasted with broad shoulders and a low-waisted button, or double-breasted with long lapels and three buttons. Casual men’s fashion also grew in popularity. Sport coats, shirts, and pants in brightly colored jersey or madras fabrics were popular summer styles.
- Women-Women’s fashion evolved into something more sophisticated, sleek, and slender. The silhouette became softer and straighter with a higher hemline and a relaxed waistline. Evening gowns in medium lengths were popular, and they were frequently made of wool chiffon or jersey fabrics.
Fashion Elements of the 50s
Newer materials such as nylon, acrylic, polyester, and spandex were heavily featured in the fashion scene. The end of the war also saw the return of couture fashion designers such as Christian Dior, Cristóbal Balenciaga, Coco Chanel, and Hubert de Givenchy, all of whom had a significant impact on 50s fashion.
Fashion was not limited to the clothing worn alone. Some other factors that contributed significantly to it include:
- Hair– There are different hairstyles for every occasion, styling hair took a long time, and hair was sometimes an indication of a specific dressing culture – hippies had feathered hair, and greasers had slick back hairstyles.
- Accessories-These were large and blooming, and there were vintage accessories for every occasion. There were pearls on the neck pieces, gloves made from the softest and most beautiful materials on the hands, and custom earrings that were paired with neck pieces or custom.
- Shoes– Platforms, simple shoes such as loafers, boat shoes, and formal men’s shoes were in high demand.
- Dresses– The dresses had a new look that was well received. There were short, formal, casual, and brightly colored dresses everywhere.
- Trousers– flared jeans, high-waisted pants, khakis, and chinos There were pants for both genders and for a variety of occasions.
- Makeup– Women could finally wear makeup out, and they did, with a lot of blood makeup looks and color experiments.
- Beatniks– This look included black or striped shirts, black turtlenecks, skinny black jeans, pencil skirts, capris, black loafers, berets, and other vintage accessories.
1950s Popular Women’s Dress Style
Women were allowed to wear various styles for the first time in the 1950s; it was more like they were given the freedom to have as many options as men. Women’s dress styles that are popular include:
- Skirt Suits– Full A-line, glove-fitted pencil skirts, and tailored, crisp, and structured matching peplum jackets are all figure-flattering. Its figure-flattering nature contributed significantly to its popularity among ladies, who saw it as a refreshing change from the big skirts they were used to.
- Greaser Style – Some other important piece of clothing for women during this decade was the jacket, which had to be long enough for them to sit in without their knees coming into contact with their stomachs. This resulted in an increase in the popularity of leather and short jackets that could perform the same function while remaining comfortable. Jackets were worn with pants and 1950 tops.
- Big Hats– Hats were worn with everything and anything. Big hats that could cover all of the hair were popular, but tiny hats like berets were still worn. Hats were paired with skirts, suits, and dresses.
- Colored Dresses– There were more brightly colored and patterned dresses, which caused women to abandon wearing neutral or single-colored dresses. The bright 1950 dresses were beautiful and made of light materials, which influenced how long they could be worn.
- Pencil Skirts– Skirts were usually made of wool or leather and had a very high waistline. They had the advantage of being easy to sit in, but they could also be more comfortable than other options available at the time. The pencil skirt had a significant impact on modern fashion.
- Rock Fashion– Rock music was popular in the 1950s, and it brought with it its own fashion style, much like the hippie movement. Women wore big hairstyles, tied up their shirts, and swung their bodies freely.
Many popular women’s dress styles in the 1950s were new and fashionable pieces that were available. The exciting nature of trying on new clothes will further influence women’s fashion as we see it today.
