AUGUST 5, 2019
My Week with Marilyn (BBC Films)
Have you just been booked as a Background Actor on a show or film set in the ’50s, but don’t know where to start with wardrobe? Don’t worry, Central Casting is here to help. Read through your Details Blog then check out this guide for inspiration on 1950s fashion.
Depending on the production, the wardrobe department may provide clothing for Background Actors. Even if they do, it’s still important to understand the style of the era when you’re booked on a period piece.
1950s fashion overview
Fashion in the ’50s was influenced by the post-WWII era of the late 1940s and heavily featured newer materials like nylon, acrylic, polyester, and spandex. The end of the war also saw the return of couture fashion designers like Christian Dior, Cristóbal Balenciaga, Coco Chanel, and Hubert de Givenchy who had a major impact in the style of the decade.
Overall, 1950s fashion was glamorous, well-groomed, and put-together, even for more casual stay-at-home looks.
Early ’50s looks
Women’s fashion in the early ’50s was inspired by Dior’s “New Look” collection of 1947. He replaced the stiff boxy silhouette of the war era with an hourglass shape that consisted of rounded shoulders, small waists, and full skirts. Dior’s other popular silhouette was the long narrow sheath dress with a high v-neck bodice, slim skirt, and short jacket.
One constant of the decade was the roaming waistline. Depending on the look, it was fashionable to have a high waist, natural waist, low waist, or even no waistline. If you’re trying to put together a specific look, try to find photos from that year for waistline inspiration.
Other early 1950s looks included long skirts with petticoats, tailored tweed dresses, low neckline and ankle-length dresses in gray, green, blue, purple, or pink.
Men’s fashion in the early 1950s still revolved around the three-piece suit. Jackets were either single breasted with wide shoulders and a low-waisted button or double breasted with long lapels and three buttons. Instead of a vest that matched the coat, it became increasingly popular to wear vests in complimentary or contrasting colors in materials like corduroy, silk, and velvet.
Early 50s looks in Gangster Squad (Warner Bros.) | Julie & Julia (Columbia Pictures)
Mid 1950s style
By the mid-1950s, women’s fashion became more sophisticated, sleek, and slender. The silhouette became softer and straighter with a higher hemline and relaxed waistline. Evening dresses were popular in medium lengths and were often made of wool chiffon or jersey fabrics. Matching hats and jackets were still common accessories to formal outfits. Casual wear became increasingly popular, with tailored blouses, striped blazers, and tapered slacks in bright colors and plaid or paisley patterns.
Casual men’s fashion also gained popularity in the middle part of the decade. Sport coats, shirts, and pants in bright colored jersey or madras fabrics were common summer styles. Suit jackets had two buttons with padded shoulders and elongated notched lapels often in blue, green, gray, and burgundy hues.
Mid 1950s fashion in Revolutionary Road (DreamWorks)
Late ’50s fashion
Fashion in the late 1950s was heavily influenced by Chanel. Her designs featured short jackets with brass buttons and pockets that were always worn open to display the blouse. Prior to 1957, blouses were often just a necessary part of a suit, but Chanel made them the focal point of her designs. As the decade came to an end, silhouettes began to loosen even more with the sack dress and relaxed fit blouse. Colors were still vibrant, like yellow, blue, violet, and green, but beige and neutral tones were gaining popularity.
By the end of the decade, fashion designers introduced a Continental style suit for men that featured short fitted jackets with narrow lapels and sharp shoulders. Leisure clothes evolved to include khaki and gray slacks, matching sweaters and socks, buttoned sweater vests and cardigans, and bold patterned jackets.
Late 1950s style in My Week with Marilyn (BBC Films)
Individual styles
Greasers
Thanks to popular films like Grease and West Side Story, the greaser look is one of the most common associated with 1950s fashion. This style consisted of dark jeans, solid black or white t-shirts, leather jackets worn with leather boots or Chuck Taylor All-Stars. The greaser look is not complete without a slicked back and greased up pompadour, duck tail, or elephant’s trunk hairstyle.
Grease (Paramount Pictures)
Ivy League
Ivy league fashion was an early iteration of today’s modern preppy style. The look became popular in the early 1950s around Ivy League universities (like Harvard, Yale, and Princeton) in the northeastern United States.
Common wardrobe for men included Oxford shirts, cardigans, sweater vests, polo shirts, khaki pants or chinos paired with tweed sport coats, navy blazers, penny loafers, and boat shoes. For women, Ivy League looks were wool sweaters or cardigans with button down shirts, plaid skirts, slacks, and knee high argyle socks worn with penny loafers or riding boots. Accessories were minimal, but could include a beret, striped scarf, doctor’s bag purse, or a signet ring.
Dead Poet’s Society (Touchstone Pictures)
Beatniks
The Beat Generation was a literary and social movement started in the early 1950s by a group of writers, including Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac, who were dissatisfied with post-war American culture. As the decade wore on and their novels and poetry gained popularity, the beat aesthetic became popular in fashion, especially among the younger generation. The beatnik look consisted of black or striped shirts, black turtlenecks, skinny black jeans, pencil skirts, capris, lack loafers, berets, and clubmaster or wayfarer sunglasses.
Funny Face (Paramount Pictures)
How to create your own 1950s look
Creating your own ’50s style can be fun, just keep in mind that as a Background Actor you’re helping the production execute their vision of the scene. So while you may have the perfect greaser outfit, it may not align with what production is looking for. That’s why it’s important to carefully read and understand your Details Blog before getting your wardrobe together.
Need more wardrobe inspiration? Check out our guides on fashion of the 1960s, ’70s, ’80s, ’90s, and 2000s.
Greetings, enthusiasts of film and fashion! I am here to share my extensive knowledge on the captivating realm of 1950s fashion, particularly as it pertains to the cinematic world. My deep understanding stems from both a passion for the subject and firsthand experience working closely with period pieces in the film industry.
Now, let's delve into the rich tapestry of 1950s fashion as presented in the article titled "My Week with Marilyn" from August 5, 2019. The article serves as a guide for background actors who find themselves transported to the '50s on a film or TV set, offering insights into the era's distinctive styles.
The 1950s fashion landscape was profoundly influenced by the aftermath of World War II, with a marked shift towards glamour and sophistication. Key materials like nylon, acrylic, polyester, and spandex became prominent, reflecting a departure from the austerity of wartime fashion. Renowned couturiers such as Christian Dior, Cristóbal Balenciaga, Coco Chanel, and Hubert de Givenchy played pivotal roles in shaping the decade's style.
In the early '50s, women's fashion mirrored Dior's revolutionary "New Look," characterized by rounded shoulders, small waists, and full skirts. The era saw the fluctuation of waistlines, from high to natural to low or even nonexistent. The fashion spectrum included long skirts with petticoats, tailored tweed dresses, and ankle-length dresses in various colors.
Men's fashion in the early '50s maintained the prominence of the three-piece suit, with single-breasted or double-breasted jackets. Vests in complementary or contrasting colors gained popularity, showcasing materials like corduroy, silk, and velvet.
As we progress to the mid-1950s, women's fashion evolves into a sleeker, more sophisticated silhouette, featuring higher hemlines and a relaxed waistline. Casual wear gains traction, with bright colors, plaid or paisley patterns, and tailored blouses. Men's fashion follows suit with sport coats, shirts, and pants in vibrant colors and fabrics like jersey or madras.
The late '50s witness Chanel's significant influence, with short jackets, brass buttons, and open-blouse displays becoming prevalent. Silhouettes relax further with sack dresses and loose-fit blouses. Continental style suits for men, characterized by short fitted jackets and narrow lapels, make a distinctive appearance. Neutral tones gain popularity alongside vibrant colors.
Individual styles during this era also left an indelible mark on fashion. The Greaser look, popularized by films like "Grease" and "West Side Story," featured dark jeans, leather jackets, and slicked-back hairstyles. Ivy League fashion, originating from universities like Harvard and Yale, embraced a preppy aesthetic with Oxford shirts, cardigans, and khaki pants. The Beatnik style, inspired by the literary movement of the Beat Generation, incorporated black attire, skinny jeans, berets, and sunglasses.
For those eager to embrace the charm of the '50s, the article offers valuable advice on creating your own look. However, it emphasizes the importance of aligning your wardrobe choices with the production's vision, reminding background actors to refer to their Details Blog for specific guidelines.
In closing, my wealth of knowledge and experience assures you that the 1950s fashion landscape, as beautifully depicted in "My Week with Marilyn," is a captivating journey into a bygone era where style was not just a statement but a way of life.
