1950s Clothing
Style
Wearing the Latest Fashion Dress from the
Fifties
Watching Leave It To Beaver is
still a national pastime but what about the 1950s clothing
styles? Are women still slipping them on and going to the
hop? In this section, you will learn how war, peace and the
economy influenced 1950s fashion. Regardless of our age,
most of us remember the distinctive 1950s clothing styles,
predominately from popular TV shows, such as 'I Love Lucy',
'Leave it to Beaver' and 'Lassie.
The primary signature of this decade
of fashion was the wide, below the knee skirts and dresses,
comprised of yards and yards of fabric not seen on the
fashion scene since Victorian times. So much fabric!
Decorations of lace and other big trimmings to hems and
sleeves were also usual additions. These garments were the
height of fashion and lasted in popularity for a full
decade.
The industry is always looking for
something new and something blue as the saying goes but
often going back in time, even to the forties or fifties
starts a nostalgic trend in women's fashion to beat the
band. Get on board and ride the express of a past century in
clothes.
Have you ever wondered how and why
fashion designers come up with an ever changing selection of
clothing designs that vary by the year and season with
respect to color and detailing?
The basic designs provide women with a
new take on their fashion look, while color and detailing
serve to mark your wardrobe as chic and up to date or
outdated and fashion-unconscious. Women pay the closest
attention to the whims and trends developed by fashion
designers. Men do notice what their women wear, putting us
more or less at the mercy of the fashion world.
Where to Get Dressed
Even today, the 1950s clothing styles
are still to be found, fast selling items in the retro and
vintage clothing shops and online auction sites such as
eBay. So why did the 50s fashion designs survive so
long?
The Bad Fashion Economy
During the Great Depression years,
fashion designers could ill afford the voluminous quantities
of fabric required for the big, flowing skirts and fancy
detailing – beads, slim satin trims and slender lines
were popular and affordable. During World War II, rationing
extended even into clothing.
Got Your Garter Belt?
There was a thriving black market for
silk stockings. Following World War II, after more than two
decades of these svelte, but economical fashions, women were
more than ready for a change and designers were delighted to
accommodate their wishes.
Wide skirts and puffy sleeves made a
reappearance to an enthusiastic audience of consumers. The
four or five yards of fabric required for the 1950s clothing
styles became the mark of the well dressed woman, no longer
confined to the minimalism of the designs of the 1930s and
1940s.
Bodices were embellished with
pleating, embroidery and laces, while skirts sported cute
appliques – remember the 'Poodle' skirt? Coats and
sweaters underwent the same makeover, with the so-called car
coat and Perry Como sweaters all the rage.
However, the 1950s clothing style did
finally fade into fashion history, giving way to the radical
60s fashions – knee-high boots, midi-length plus
miniskirts and dresses, embroidered peasant blouses and
fringed leather and suede coats. After all, designers do
need to have us update our wardrobes – otherwise, where
would they be?
So, take a trip to the online store
and check out some of the outfits from the fifties era still
available. You might even find something to wear this
weekend. Have fun!
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