1950s Fashion
Fashion in the 1950s varied greatly from the beginning to end. Maybe not quite as extreme as the 60s, 1950s fashion saw the introduction of many new styles as well as many styles that hearkened back to the 1920s.
The waistline was a major issue in the 1950s. Some women really like the snug fit of the Dior dresses while others liked the dresses with no waistline, often referred to as “sack dresses.”The important thing is that people were beginning to feel a little more freedom when it came to their fashion choices. No longer did people feel like they had to conform to a certain look for certain situations.
The first years after World War II might be regarded by fashion historians as a period of transition, a period of groping after the lines into which fashion would settle for an 8-year or 10-year span.
No final answer to questions about the waistline was given in 1952. The phrase “the wandering waistline” was coined at the Paris spring collections and the waist continued to wander to the point of disappearing, throughout the year.
1953 ushered in a mood of sleek, slender elegance — at once young and sophisticated. Hemlines, waistlines and hairlines all grew shorter in 1953. Buzzwords at the time were “shape” and “sheen.”
1957 was the year in which Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel (at age 74) became “an adjective in her own time.” Sort of like “Googling,” Chanelisms were ubiquitous.
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Fashion in 1950

The first years after World War II might be regarded by fashion historians as a period of transition, a period of groping after the lines into which fashion would settle for an 8-year or 10-year span.
The year 1950 could be seen as continuing the transition. Fashion remained deliberately fluid, throwing out feelers in all directions, when they all swing one feelers were cast in the direction of the 1920s, especially by Hardy Amies in London, who showed suits with straight unbelted hip-hugging jackets over straight skirts.
In Paris, too, Dior launched a “vertical line” — sheath dresses whose narrow straightness was emphasized by fine pleating or tucking, or by narrow ribbon bands running from neck to hem. Sheath dresses prevailed for day and evening.
The basis was a figure-fitting sheath, but only in certain instances was this left in a simple, uncompromising form. In general, the narrow line was broken by a jutting sash, a hip bow, an apron skirt, a floating scarf or, for evening, draped complications at hip level.
Another trick for taking the eye off the sheath skirt was the use of transparent fabrics for overskirts and for coats.
In 1950, we see the first Pierre Cardin collection.
Simple tailored coats in chiffon, lace and organdie floated over narrow summer dresses. Loose coats in thin silk were worn over suits, and the prettiest evening coats were those which added no whit of extra warmth but floated with the transparent buoyancy of balloons over narrow or crinoline evening dresses.
Dior dress from Fall/Winter 1950
Dior dress from Fall/Winter 1950
Although the straight hip-hugging jacket did not seem to make much headway in its extreme form, modified versions of the same feeling were seen in the prevalence of low buttoning and low-placed pockets. Many suits were open to the waist, and buttoned importantly below it. Revers became almost waist-length, leaving a horse-shoe opening over a blouse.
In the spring Dior first showed a dress slim to the knees and then breaking into pleats which developed by the autumn into the full flare of the trumpet skirt. This, in day and evening versions, swung in heavy pleats or stiffened flares, from knee-level, below the simplest of sheaths. When skirts remained narrow, as did the majority, jackets took to flaring out above them from a once-more nipped in waist, and tunics with bell-shaped peplums cut across their pencil straightness at mid-thigh level.
The vertical look changes to diagonal by autumn
In the meantime the vertical look of spring had changed its slant and became a strongly diagonal look by the autumn.
Pleating and tucking, seaming and buttoning, wrap-overs and scarves, all took this diagonal slant. Scarves swelled during 1950 into the proportions of a stole, often a stole so big that it was a wrap in itself. By day, collars had scarf ends that slanted diagonally across the bodice to be pulled through a belt.
Stoles a yard wide and three yards long had their great bulk wrapped around the shoulders of suits, or hung from the neck like jacket fronts, ending in deep pockets.
By night, stoles to match or contrast with the dress fell to the hem, while others ended in fur cuffs or in gloves which held them across the shoulders. The summer’s billowing look of transparent fabrics found solid expression in the most memorable clothes of Balenciaga’s memorable autumn collection, in which taffeta appeared to have been blown up into pumpkin skirts and vegetable-marrow sleeves.
By autumn the box jacket had curved into the short barrel coat, cut away in front. “Little top-coats” became an important fashion feature. Anywhere from hip to 7/8th length, they were more than jackets, less than full-scale coats.
Some were belted and flared in a tunic line; others had a barrel curve; others hung straight almost to the knees; others swung loose. Of the full-length coats, the newest in line were the straight and narrow, sometimes held by a single, off-center buttoning, sometimes double-breasted.
Important double-breasted buttoning was also seen on the skirts as well as the bodices of suits and dresses; altogether there was a great impression of plain tailored buttons being lavishly used on all types of day clothes to emphasize the line.
Fur makes a comeback in 1950
Fur trimmings were back! But this time with more taste and restraint. Deep fur cuffs would be the only fur touch on a cloth coat; the collar would be small and tailored.
By contrast, a coat with cossack collar in astrakhan would have plain uncuffed sleeves. Fur linings, often showing themselves in turn back revers, bulked “little top-coats.” Linings attracted a great deal of notice to themselves.
The many reversible fabrics demanded a handling that would display both their sides and not only jackets but skirts and sleeves were slit to show contrasting linings; sober coats of black, brown and grey swung open to reveal bright and shiny interiors.
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Fashion in 1952

No final answer to questions about the waistline was given in 1952. The phrase “the wandering waistline” was coined at the Paris spring collections and the waist continued to wander to the point of disappearing, throughout the year. High waist, low waist, natural waist, no waist: all had their devotees. The two main camps continued to be led by Dior and Balenciaga.
1952 Dior Dress with prominent waistline
1952 Dior Dress with prominent waistline
Dior’s markedly high waists melted, as the year went on, into a development of his earlier princess dresses a molded figurine line, which followed the figure as closely as a swim suit from high neck through waist to hips, and then flared gently.
Otherwise, one designer after another forsook the Dior high-waist camp, and went over to Balenciaga, who put all his strength and authority behind his slack-waisted dresses and middy-line suits. His clothes developed a wonderful ease, being cut just not to touch the body, in contrast to Dior’s which never lost contact with it.
Each line called for a different type of corsetting, a different figure, a different posture, a different personality. Whether the two could continue to exist side by side or whether one would eventually triumph over the other remained to be seen.
It seemed that, since the end of World War II, fashion was taking a long time to settle into an accepted form which would stand, historically, as the look of the mid-century; but maybe it was part of the character of the time to allow this latitude for women to suit themselves instead of forcing them into a mold that might be suitable or unsuitable.
An evening gown by Griffe (Paris) would be in shell pink chiffon with a harem skirt that flows straight from high draped bust.
1952 Balenciaga with No Waistline
1952 Balenciaga with No Waistline
Interesting adjuncts to the waistline controversy were a legion of boleros, spencers, minute hug-me-tights; deep yokes, with pretty feminine pleating breaking from them to form an entire dress; belts low slung at the back or following the hemline of jackets; belts buckled across the chest or, on the contrary, cummerbund belts, wide or elasticized, the better to grip the midriff.
Day necklines ranged from the turtle or polo and the high straight Chinese neckband, to the draped cowl and the deep wide round scoop, which was first used for cocktail clothes but came to be seen increasingly for informal dresses. Even suits had deep standaway necks, sometimes filled in with a ribbon tie, a scarf or gilet, but sometimes bare.
Coats narrowed from the sheltering tents of earlier seasons. Loose coats hung straight without surplus fullness and there were many fitted princess coats logical over the molded figurine dresses.
Skirt lengths dropped an inch or maybe two, till 11 inches from the ground was the pronounced length; but here again women suited themselves and slightly varying lengths were seen, permissibly. The trumpet skirt shape kept narrow till mid-thigh and then, breaking into flares or deep pleats, invaded even furs.
Speaking of furs the 100% purchase tax on a fur-trimmed garment had kept fur-trimming to the minimum. With the reduction of this tax to the normal level, fur trimming rushed in. Fur collars, cuffs, pockets, bands and linings abounded; together with fur muffs, stoles and capes. Fur fabrics improved enormously and made luxurious linings in couture clothes and whole coats in the ready-to-wear ranges.
The newest and most characteristic hats of the year were the bathing-cap hats, hugging the head and at their most pronounced swallowing every vestige of hair. The young and beautiful wore them rejoicing, bandaging their heads with jersey, satin or velvet in lines which extended the shape of the head at the back. Those less favored in features consoled themselves with little flat top-of-the-head pancakes or modified pill-boxes, or big-brimmed summer straws: another example of fashion’s leaving a wide freedom of choice to the individual.
The short evening dress divided into two main types. There were the day-length dresses, usually narrow sheaths, with strapless, halter or camisole tops covered by matching boleros in dark colors, for wearing at the theater or the restaurant dinner. And then there were the short dancing dresses, with bouffant skirts falling to around ten inches from the ground. These last began to be seen at young weddings sometimes for the bride, but more often for the bridesmaids.
There were two types, also, among the full evening dresses: the slender and the wide-skirted again to suit the wearer and the occasion. The trend for shoulder straps continued, with a special feeling for the one-strap decolletage, and the halter
neck, but the strapless look remained firmly established especially for crinoline dresses
Cocktail clothes began to change character through the introduction of softer fabrics notably lace and crepe. Path’s fine jersey sweater over a crystal-pleated lace dress was a new and refreshing note. But the newest-looking skirt Dior’s square Infanta shape was earned out, of necessity, in the stiffest of moires.
In the matter of fabrics, there were many developments to celebrate. The slub weaves were supreme: the Donegals, the nubbly woolens and linens; the shantungs. Tweeds swept the field for autumn: sophisticated pebbly tweeds which came to town in a big way especially in black and white.
Fabrics and designs somewhat eclipsed in recent years, but now staging a spectacular come-back, were chiffon, crepe, lace and all the prints: notably dark motifs on a dark ground, blurred flower prints, and a striking series of prints with fur markings which brought prints well into the winter picture.
In colors the chief basic shade was grey, especially in its darker reaches; all the sherry colors from pale to dark; the butter colors, the blonds.
There were innumerable greens, ranging from palest almond through olive to bottle and fir green. White carried off special honors: white pleated crepe for day, white lace for afternoon; a cloud of white dancing dresses, long and short; white coats over dark dresses; little round white snowball jackets; and white touches by the million including white hats and not only for high summer, but far into the winter. There were good blues in the turquoise and Chinese range, with peacock and kingfisher for accents.
The lilacs and the lavenders made a pretty show, and so did the wild-rose pinks for evening.
Formal shoes became even lighter and more delicate, till they were only held to the foot by a cobweb of straps. Stoles multiplied and flourished, in every fabric for every occasion: the newest being ring stoles, just shoulder width, in everything from fur to lace.
Blouses became so important that they emerged from under the shelter of suits and functioned on their own, linked with their skirts by beautiful belts.
In 1952, the Italian fashion shows known as Sala Bianca are launched in Florence, Italy.

Men’s Fashions

The outstanding trend in men’s styles during 1952 was the almost complete abandonment of the matching waistcoat, in favor of a garment in a complimentary or contrasting color for wear with the two-piece lounge suit for business and semi-formal occasions. In a variety of materials including silk, velvet and corduroy, these waistcoats made a big contribution towards more brightness in men’s apparel, a trend which gained momentum during the year.
Bolder designs and colors on shirts, socks and ties were to be seen in even the most conservative quarters.
The fashionable double-breasted lounge suit had the jacket in button-2, show-3 style, with fairly long collar and lapels. Sleeves, often, carried turn-back cuffs, and the trousers had no turn-ups. In single-breasted suits, the vogue was for a rather low-waisted, button- 1 style. The shoulders were wide and sloping and the pockets were cut straight or slightly on the slant. Trousers were quite narrow.
For leisure wear, the corduroy jacket was much in favor. With side vents and jetted pockets, it was worn with worsted trousers with deep turn-ups. Crepe-soled suede shoes and a light-weight cap or a hat matching the color of the jacket completed the picture.
The once utilitarian raincoat came into its own as a fashionable garment. Tailored in several new proofed materials, in a variety of shades, and with a detachable lining for the cold weather, it took the place of the wool overcoat in many quarters, as the correct attire. About half of the men still wore hats.

Fashion in 1953

1953 ushered in a mood of sleek, slender elegance combined with a gamin quality, at once young and sophisticated. Hemlines, waistlines and hairlines all grew shorter to make fashion news in 1953. Buzzwords at the time were “shape” and “sheen.”
The waistline relaxed from the hipped tiny span that accompanied the full silhouette of the two previous years. The semi-fitted suit with a narrow jacket very slightly indented at the waist and the form-fitting sheath dress were introduced. Many dresses were beltless, although wide sashes and draped cummerbunds were popular.
Skirt lengths aroused world-wide controversy in the media. Beginning the year at an average height of 13 inches above the ground, they suddenly rose to 14 to 15 1/2 inches from the floor.
This was typical of fashion though. The hemline gradually moved up one inch per year every five years and then it moved back down and started all over again.
The “Italian” haircut, covering the head in short layered locks and with carefully casual tendrils brushed forward around the face was the successor to the shorter, curlier “poodle” cut.
Woman Wearing Fur Stole (1953)
Woman Wearing Fur Stole (1953)
Young women continued to wear crinoline petticoats under extra-full skirts and clasped their waists with wide leather belts or cummerbunds.
The form fitting silhouette was softened by distinct bulk at the top, by a back-flaring profile line and by necklines opened wide in a cuff or fold around the throat and chest. Those wide open necklines were filled in with multiple strands of pearls or soft scarves.
Slacks at home were tapered to the leg like Edwardian trousers, long shorts were tailored of fine flannel. Bathing suits were either seductively molded to the figure or made like little girl rompers.
Accessories were sumptuous, frivolous and alluring. Very bare shoes with jeweled heels, toes or instep bands were a colorful addition to evening clothes. The most typical and universal accessory was the stole, which was work with suits, dresses and evening clothes. They were long and wide and made of cotton, wool, silk or fur.
Large hoop earrings were a big deal in 1953.
The natural look of makeup had one important exception in the vogue for the doe-eye. A fine penciled line edging the entire eye and extending in a slant to the corner, the elongated eye enjoyed great popularity.
Norman Hartnell designs Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation gown.

Fashion in 1957

As one fashion writer put it, 1957 was the year in which Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel (at age 74) became “an adjective in her own time.” Sort of like “Googling,” Chanelisms had been creeping back into fashion ever since the lady emerged from retirement several years before, but in 1957 they were ubiquitous.
1957 Sack Dress
1957 Sack Dress
Short, non-fitted suit jackets often strung with brass buttons and pockets, almost always opened to show the blouse inside; sleeves peeled back to show a shirt’s cuffs; magnificent fakes such as yards of “pearls” and colored stones looped round the throat, or a jeweled Maltese cross winking on a lapel; Bretons perched on the back of the head; pull-overs that matched a jacket’s lining; jerseys, tweeds, brocades; her famous lace evening dresses — all were stamped with elegant nonchalance.
Chanel’s open-jacket policy made display pieces of blouses. No longer a suit’s silent partner, but often the focal point of a costume, the “blouse beautiful” came on the scene.
Even the man-tailored shirt showed signs of softening. Sweaters softened too, as did skirts — the latter via a sash or fringe or other dressmaker detailing.
Pleated skirts came in view, too, topped often by middies (another Chanel-ism) or an overblouse. Among the most ardent devotees of the Chanel look was the American college girl, a breed famous for its fashion nonchalance — a nonchalance proved by her eager embrace of the raccoon coat vintage 1925 (it had to be seedy or it would not do) and the newly revived Shetland sweater.
The biggest bombshell of 1957, however, burst just four months before the year ended when Paris, led by Christian Dior, ushered in the shift. It was, tragically, the last of his surprises. Dior died in October, and was mourned as one of the world’s greatest designers. Saint Laurent was appointed Dior designer.
A dress that bypassed the waist completely, it was actually the climax to a long-evolving “relaxed look” that was everywhere gaining favor. This caused huge publicity unequaled since 1947 when Dior introduced his “New Look.” Ribbons, buttons and bows achieved new importance with the disappearance of waistlines.
The best news about the new fashion for many men who bemoaned the disappearance of the female waistline was that it meant higher hemline. And that in turn meant the longer the leg, the lower the heel of the shoe, and women finally started climbing down from the stiletto heel, but still clung to the stiletto toe.
Their stockings often reflected the shade of the shoe. Hats were reduced to head size, with Bretons, berets, cloches, and slouch hats very popular. So were turbans, tipped back from the face. Gloves grew longer, past the wristbone on to opera length.
The vamp was back. Nonslinkers chose satins, brocade-stiffened fabrics that belled rather than fluttered. The cloche hat, hidden waistline and pleated skirt were prevalent in 1957 fashions.

Source :  http://www.retrowaste.com/1950s/fashion-in-the-1950s/