The Iconic Women’s Fashion of the 1950s

Introduction

The fifties symbolised a shift in women’s fashion more than a decade. One of these changes was the shift from the asceticism of the wartime towards more frill, feminine style. Fashion personalities such us, Christian Dior and Coco Chanel wit their innovative and distinguished touch controlled this era. The fashion of the women in this time was to be curvaceous and depicted beauty and style without vulgarity.

Influence of Post War Fashion

fashion truly got a new life after the Second World War. Rationing ceased and the designers got back their permission to utilise sophisticated fabrics and provocative patterns. The statistics showed that women after the post-war were able to afford more exponentially as far as dressing was concerned to be fashionable. It also surrounded trendy fashion in mass production methods that made it affordable to ordinary women.

Dior’s “New Look”: A Defining Moment

Christian Dior introduced “New Look” in 1947 that ruled the entire decade of the 50s. This piece had full skirts, conical waists, and delicately padding shoulders which gave a very lady like touch to the outfits. This style, in turn, was significantly different from the straight and rather stiff clothes of the years of the Second World War, and it was the elegantly tilted silhouette of the hourglass figure that became characteristic of the decade.

Everyday Wear: Dresses and Skirts

It is important to note that every day wear in the 1950s focus more on dresses and skirts. Shirtwaist dresses which had button down front and full skirts was the trend during time. Full skirts can be replaced by pencil-skirts which gave a smoother appearance. Big prints like the flowers, polka dots were usual and blurred colors depicted the softness of the period.

Evening Wear: Glamour and Elegance

As for the evening clothes there was a special preference for satined, silk, and tulle gowns that were more similar to festive dresses. The off the shoulder and sweetheart necklines were great to make women look more beautiful. Pearls were coordinated with the necklace as the long gloves also enhanced elegance on the women. Fhairstyles may have accentuated with complex hair manners or ended with the simple curl on the hair helix.

Outerwear: Coats and Jackets

Clothing in the 1950s was meant to give out an illusion of structural form. Tailored coat with belts around the waist was fashionable for women. Of particular note were swing coats, garments that flared at the bottom, fittings jackets and the likes. Real or fake furs were fabulous trims included in many garments.

Shoes and Accessories: Completing the Look

Domestic shoes in the 1950’s were style oriented. Stiletto heels, established in the mid forties, were in place. Kitten heels were also used to enhance the comfort but with elegance added to the shoes. Other relevant garments included gloves, hats, and any piece of jewelries especially those that are made of pearls.

Undergarments: Shaping the Silhouette

Bras and Service Suits were important in constructing the correct hour-glass figure of the 1950s woman. Female tried to use corsets and girdles to make their waists as small as possible giving them the figure eight shape. Crinolines or petticoats produced volume to the skirts as the padded corsets or bustles reinforced the bust. These base garments made certain that ready-made garments fitted appropriately and had the right appearance.

Teenage Fashion: A New Trend

Special clothing for teenagers started to appear in the 1950s as a separate trend. Some popular Tommy styles included the ‘bobby-soxer’ which was worn with ankle socks and saddle shoes. This was probably due to the Hollywood influence through magnificent stars, such as James Dean or Elvis Presley: teenagers started to prefer casual clothes which seemed rebellious.

Different Styles as Influenced by Hollywood: Fashion of the 1950s

It can easily be said that Hollywood had a significant influence on the fashion found in the 1950s. It was the epoch of the emergence of movie stars as styles, such as Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn. Many women across the globe followed their fashion styles. High fashion magazines like Vogue continued to also display high-fashion designs which defined future trends and taste.

Conclusion: A Decade of Timeless Style

What the 1950s contributed was invaluable as a dominant factor in the fashion world. Due to its elegance and femininity it remains a source of influencing the current designers. The models of the postwar 1950s: from Christian Dior’s “New Look” to everyday wear looks timeless.

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