Fashion
Moving on from the 1940, fashion saw the introduction of a new range of synthetic clothing materials; nylon, acrylic polyester and vinyl, which were especially appealing to women since they were easy to wash, dried quickly and did not crease or require ironing.
The style adopted by women in the 1950s is best defined as feminine, sensuous, yet elegant. The hourglass figure was majorly highlighted by the outfits worn. As compared to the silhouettes of short skirts and wide shoulders worn in the forties, fashion in the fifties evolved to fuller skirts and soft shoulder lines that enhanced a woman's figure. Poodle skirts and circle skirts were a favorite amongst the young girls. Pleated and pencil skirts were used by older women for a more formal and mature look. As a result of the growing popularity of swing dancing, strapless dresses with full skirts ranked high on the trendy meter. Another style of dress favored by women in the '50s was the chemise dress, as it could be worn on most body types. The dress was loose and had a straight cut, allowing the wearer to experiment with belts.
Women switched to trendy coats instead of the traditional shawls. One also saw the large use of feathers as a part of the fashion. Long, knee-length coats with loose sleeves, caught on really well in the 1950s. Among the different fabrics, silk was widely used and furs also occupied an important place in the wardrobes of most women. Furs were considered to be a status symbol and purchasing garments of fur was definitely an expensive affair. Since real fur was not affordable for all, imitation fur became popular. Leopard prints were also a rage and made an important part of fashion in the fifties.
Shorts and pants formed part of the casual-wear. Elegance was an important factor in the fashion of the fifties, with Hollywood also influencing the clothing. Actors such as Marilyn Monroe and Grace Kelly became the style icons for this period. Flowers, stripes, and polka dots all became a part of fifties fashion. A variety of necklines like the halter and clothes with round collars and shawl collars were adopted by the people. Patterns of sleeves also changed with puff sleeves, kimono, and rolled sleeves coming into the picture.
A woman never left her house without her gloves in this era, the scarf became an extremely important accessory and was used very creatively, along with hats. Hats and gloves were an essential fashion accessory for a women. Two of the most popular hats that women wore were pillbox hats and hats with a floral pattern. Clean gloves were the hall mark of a lady and white or cream coloured gloves were the most favoured colours. The rich loved to complement their evening dresses with a mink stole. Stilettos gained their true popularity in this period, as wearing high heels became a major fashion trend. Women opted for flats and block heels for regular wear.
The style adopted by women in the 1950s is best defined as feminine, sensuous, yet elegant. The hourglass figure was majorly highlighted by the outfits worn. As compared to the silhouettes of short skirts and wide shoulders worn in the forties, fashion in the fifties evolved to fuller skirts and soft shoulder lines that enhanced a woman's figure. Poodle skirts and circle skirts were a favorite amongst the young girls. Pleated and pencil skirts were used by older women for a more formal and mature look. As a result of the growing popularity of swing dancing, strapless dresses with full skirts ranked high on the trendy meter. Another style of dress favored by women in the '50s was the chemise dress, as it could be worn on most body types. The dress was loose and had a straight cut, allowing the wearer to experiment with belts.
Women switched to trendy coats instead of the traditional shawls. One also saw the large use of feathers as a part of the fashion. Long, knee-length coats with loose sleeves, caught on really well in the 1950s. Among the different fabrics, silk was widely used and furs also occupied an important place in the wardrobes of most women. Furs were considered to be a status symbol and purchasing garments of fur was definitely an expensive affair. Since real fur was not affordable for all, imitation fur became popular. Leopard prints were also a rage and made an important part of fashion in the fifties.
Shorts and pants formed part of the casual-wear. Elegance was an important factor in the fashion of the fifties, with Hollywood also influencing the clothing. Actors such as Marilyn Monroe and Grace Kelly became the style icons for this period. Flowers, stripes, and polka dots all became a part of fifties fashion. A variety of necklines like the halter and clothes with round collars and shawl collars were adopted by the people. Patterns of sleeves also changed with puff sleeves, kimono, and rolled sleeves coming into the picture.
A woman never left her house without her gloves in this era, the scarf became an extremely important accessory and was used very creatively, along with hats. Hats and gloves were an essential fashion accessory for a women. Two of the most popular hats that women wore were pillbox hats and hats with a floral pattern. Clean gloves were the hall mark of a lady and white or cream coloured gloves were the most favoured colours. The rich loved to complement their evening dresses with a mink stole. Stilettos gained their true popularity in this period, as wearing high heels became a major fashion trend. Women opted for flats and block heels for regular wear.