Women may choose a housedress when running light errands such as visiting friends or buying groceries and may add fancier accessories such as necklaces, earrings, gloves, or hats as needed.
Christian Dior’s sophisticated New Look became immensely popular, featuring dresses with rounded shoulders and cinched-in waistlines that featured full or puffed skirts, full-skirt blouses with padding, and tiny hats made of felt, lace, or delicate straws.
Housewife Look
Women of the ’50s who worked as housewives took great pride in looking their best while doing domestic tasks. Housedresses proved an ideal outfit, featuring a fitted bodice with a full skirt and feminine prints for household tasks. Women often pair this style of dress with matching aprons that came as coordinate sets; its wide neckline also made an impression statement about feminine shape. Meanwhile, pin-up clothing often seen on men featured tight-fitting pencil skirts, hot pants, halter neck dresses, and bustier tops to complete domestic chores in style!
Women often preferred pastel or brighter hues like red and pink when selecting dress colors. Polka dots, floral prints and gingham were popular selections; other patterns included cherries, flamingos, and even Marilyn Monroe’s signature cat-eye glasses! For evening events in particular, tea-length party dresses were an iconic fashion choice during this era; typically made of satin or velvet and featuring floral patterns or bold prints with elaborate designs to complete the look – pair one of these beauties with clutch bags and pearl jewelry for an ensemble that was both stylish yet classic!
Greater fashion was another fashionable, daring, seductive look, drawing elements from rockabilly and pin-up styles for an unforgettable look. Both men and women could sport this trend, though teens and working-class women were particularly fond of wearing it.
Women during the 1950s enjoyed wearing more comfortable attire besides dresses; swing dresses were designed to be worn easily and relaxedly. Also popular during this era were ballet pumps and flats for extra comfort.
Today it’s easier than ever to tap into the 1950s style. From vintage dresses and corsets to crinolines and crinoline slips – not forgetting accessories such as poodle skirts or aprons – thrift stores or online provide many options you can wear as part of an ensemble from this decade.
Gingham Dresses
Gingham fabric was an indispensable part of women’s clothes in the 1950s. Women often donned blouses and dresses featuring wide, full circle skirts from just above the hip to around the knee – usually complete with crinolines to add additional shape – worn with blouses tucked into it to further give a fitted appearance; this style was known as shirtwaist dresses; they were especially worn by housewives running errands or school runs (Lucille Ball made these style famous through I Love Lucy), while younger women favored younger styles such as poodle skirts or denim jeans.
There were two popular coat styles seen during this era – swagger style coats which hung below the waist, and more streamlined belted styles that fell past the knee. Pastel colors often complimented dresses and skirts worn during this period.
Trousers were typically straight and slim at the beginning of the decade; however, as time passed, they became figure hugging. Three-quarter length capris displayed delicate ankles while looking modern and youthful; pedal pushers, tailored slacks, and dark blue denim jeans were also frequently worn; in the later part of decade, women began sporting tighter shorts that zippered up at one side before being tied around the waist with a belt cincher.
Women typically donned hats and gloves when leaving the house, as well as carrying handbags that complemented their outfit. Silk scarves were sometimes tied around their necks or wound in their barrel curls for added flare. Shoes were equally important; saddle shoes, Mary Janes, kitten heels or pumps, and ballet flats all offered feminine finishes, while parasols provided shade from direct sunlight, while many carried coordinated handbags to complete their ensembles.
Casual Outfits
The 1950s was known for its iconic fashion moments that immortalized feminine silhouettes and understated casual looks, made famous by Audrey Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor and Marilyn Monroe, among many other women who became bona fide fashion icons with their stunning wardrobes ranging from slim cigarette pants to glamorous form-fitting gowns; effortlessly mastering both casual and formal clothing styles of their time with ease.
Casual 50s attire was dominated by dresses. Sundresses or day dresses were typically worn with hats, gloves, and kitten heel shoes to achieve an effortlessly preppy look, perfect for everyday use. As the decade progressed, more casual garments such as sweaters were worn over dresses for added warmth.
Bottoms have also seen an upswing in casual fashion scenes. Girls would frequently pair tight knee length skirts with loose sweaters in vibrant hues to wear to parties or diners for lunch, or trousers could be combined with cinch belts to emphasize natural waists; jeans were another popular option with pockets in the front to store lipstick and other essentials.
Stockings were an indispensable component of every woman’s wardrobe in the 1950s. They typically featured seams that ran along their calf, often worn with black or white fold-down bobby socks and looked fantastic when combined with skirts or dresses of any type. Women also began wearing panties more regularly – either rolled up at their ankles for show, or left down to show off delicate calves.
Are you looking to add some 50s flair to your everyday wardrobe? Consider pairing a day dress with sunglasses and a cute hat, plus tight lace or silk stockings and a girdle for an eye-catching 50s look.
Accessories
Women’s fashion in the 1950s was defined by feminine elegance and complementary accessories, including gloves, vintage-style ,handbags, and pearl jewelry – staples of ladylike wardrobes at that time – along with silk scarves tied around ponytails or looped around the handle of bags for effortless ladylike fashion. Shoes also played an integral part of this period’s look – from high heels popular among rockabilly girls to flat sandals worn by more refined 50s fashion women.
Women favored formal occasions with long dresses featuring soft colors, wool chiffon, or jersey fabrics with matching hats in soft hues. Jackets were worn open so as to showcase blouses. As time progressed, silhouettes softened further with the introduction of sack dresses and relaxed-fit blouses.
In the 1950s, men’s suits began shifting away from their classic blazer and striped shirt styles, with jersey pants becoming more casual; velvet or cotton short jackets also became increasingly popular during this era.
1950s dresses had an hourglass silhouette, featuring a rounded shoulder line. They cinched waistline, with full skirts featuring either an adjustable waist band or fullness at the hemline that reached down towards ankle level. Petticoats of various colors often served to support these designs as well.
At that time, women adorned themselves with sophisticated accessories: pearl necklaces and earrings with close-hanging pearl drops that hung close to the collarbone were popular, as were matching bracelets and pearl buttons on shirts and blouses, along with brooches worn on suit lapels.
Bettie Page Clothing offers an excellent selection of vintage dresses to give you that authentic 1950s aesthetic, as well as hard-to-find separates like circle skirts and sailor shorts to complete any ensemble. Additionally, their site is an invaluable source for finding crinolines to give 50s dresses their voluminous fullness – plus other accessories for the fifties look such as gloves, bags, and jewelry!
