Fashion in the 1950s
If you’re a fashion history buff, you’d know what the 1950s is most famous for. Yes, it was the era of ‘the New Look’ by Christian Dior, who helped bring back the femininity in womenswear that had somewhat transformed since the 1920s. But as popular as the New Look may be, the decade also featured numerous other trends and designers that left a solid mark on the fashion world.
Womenswear Trends
Interestingly, the New Look, designed by Christian Dior, first came out in 1947, but it truly became the go-to look in the early 1950s. France continued its reign as the dominant country in women’s fashion, dictating trends. However, the design and silhouette of the New Look were not confined to the elite boutiques and showrooms in Paris. It inspired mass fashion looks that were slowly growing in popularity in the US.
This New Look featured a cinched-in waist with a full skirt ending a little below the knees. For the most part, many trends that followed in the 1950s were essentially reiterations of the New Look. Yes, that’s how powerful and influential this particular look was.
In the US, the 1950s was a flourishing decade as the economy boomed, the middle class grew, and people moved to the suburbs, creating a slightly new definition of the American Dream. That reflected in the fashion trends as well, as the opinions about women’s place in society were shifting once again after World War II. After holding jobs in men’s absence, they were expected to stay home again. It’s hard to say that fashion trends were deliberately being made more feminine, but the gist is that womenswear became more traditionally feminine during the 1950s.
Some of the other designers that were famous in the 1950s included Givenchy, Cristobal Balenciaga, Charles James, Jaques Fath, and Pierre Balmain.
The American sportswear trend that began in the 1940s continued to dominate the 1950s, with Claire McCardell leading the baton.
This extravagant decade saw many shifting trends. More importantly, it gave women several choices in terms of style, from feminine to modern to sporty, which was not the case n the decades prior to 1950.
Menswear Trends
The 1950s were just as influential and groundbreaking for men’s fashion as they were for women’s fashion. Men’s fashion veered towards casual wear, inspired in part by the Hollywood stars like Marlon Brando.
Even the suits got a makeover as the cuts became slimmer. Even the tailors at Savile Row adopted slimmer cuts and introduced velvet collars for suit jackets.
Hollywood had a major influence as the youth, in particular, adopted styles similar to that of James Dean, which were inspired by the working class. Noticeably, menswear, including suits, saw the addition of colors.
Accessories Trends
By the 1940s, hats for women became less popular as women started going hatless. However, with the more traditionally feminine looks of the 1950s, hats got a brief revival. Small hats and hats with veils were used for evening outfits.
There were a lot of colorful accessories, from scarves to sunglasses to bags. After all, the 1950s was a time of generous spending, so women and men spent on accessories more readily.
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