COLD WAR FASHION: THE EARLY YEARS (1950s - 1960s) - Cold War (2024)

FAQs

What was fashion like during the Cold War? ›

In the end, fashion was a trait that was shared by the two superpowers. Russian ethnic prints, pushed in propaganda by the Soviet Union, managed to become popular in the West, and a strong black market was successful in the East. Levi jeans were especially in demand.

OVERVIEW. Fashion in the 1960s became progressively more casual across all genders and ages. Womenswear followed three broad trends: a continuation of the previous decade's ladylike elegance, the youthful styles of Mary Quant and the Space Age influence, and the late 1960s “hippie” style.

Ponchos, moccasins, love beads, peace signs, medallion necklaces, chain belts, polka dot-printed fabrics, and long, puffed "bubble" sleeves were popular fashions in the late 1960s. Both men and women wore frayed bell-bottomed jeans, tie-dyed shirts, work shirts, Jesus sandals, and headbands.

Fashion during the Cold War gave people the opportunity to express themselves through what they wore. Due to Communism in other countries such as China, people were neither able to wear what they wanted nor embrace themselves in the latest fashion trend of that season or even year.

Straight stovepipe trousers, velvet-collar jackets, white shirts, colorful socks, suede creeper shoes, and carefully combed-back hair completed the look. In the United States, film stars Marlon Brando and James Dean popularized jeans, white shirts, leather jackets, and greased-back hair.

War time efforts required manufacturers to be more efficient in the cuts of clothing and type of fabric. Women dress styles were simplified to save on quantities of textiles and certain types of fabrics. Wool became a precious commodiity saved for soldiers uniforms and for knitting socks and sweaters to send abroad.

The 1960s was an important decade for fashion because it was the first time in history that clothing was geared towards the youth market; and featured a wide number of diversified trends. It was a decade that broke many fashion traditions, mirroring social movements during the period.

1960s fashion was bi-polar in just about every way. Bright, swirling colors. Psychedelic, tie-dye shirts and long hair and beards. Woman wore unbelievably short skirts and men wore tunics and capes.

As the decade went on, dress codes, even for the older generation, became increasingly relaxed: tailoring loosened, public figures like Jackie Kennedy began to favour shorter skirts, and fewer people wore accessories like hats and gloves. High-end fashion also embraced the new mood of informality.

During the 1960s, fashion was colorful, creative, and dynamic. With French icons like Jane Birkin, models like Twiggy, and bombshells like Brigitte Bardot all serving as sources of inspiration.

How did fashion impact the 1950s? ›

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.

Fashion in the 1950s saw a clear gender divide. While men and boy's fashion moved towards a more casual day-to-day style, women and girl's fashion prioritized elegance, formality, and perfectly matched accessories.

By 1947, after WWII was over, the "New Look" began to replace the wartime utility fashions. This new style embraced femininity, with rounded shoulders, shapely bust lines, closely-defined waistlines, slightly padded skirts, and full, billowing skirts that hung just below the calves.

1950's fashion was casual yet formal and elegant. Shoulder lines became more softened, corset waists became smaller, and rounded hips with long skirts became popular. The iconic gray felt poodle skirts emerged with white bobby socks and saddle shoes.

It wasn't until this decade that the age between child and adult was acknowledged and a fashion more suited to this age developed. Full skirts, tight tops, capris and flat shoes – well suited to jive dancing become iconic for this age. This influenced casual fashions across the age range in both men and women.

Fabrics with flowers, fruit, and abstract designs were everywhere in the 1950s, as well as bold designs like stripes, checks, stars, and polka dots. Atomic graphics that were inspired by science and space travel, like galaxies, planets, and the notorious “Boomerang” pattern began popping up ubiquitously.

Fashion history is important because it is a visual marker of societal changes. In ancient Rome and Egypt, clothing was used strictly as a status symbol. In 1890, the French started the iconic fashion trend of haute couture. Many women began wearing androgynous flapper style clothing in the 1920s.

The 1960s in American culture was a time of empowerment to battle social injustices such as racism and poverty. In the 1960s, America experienced an optimistic time of hope with plans to eliminate social inequalities, but the decade ended with a failed Vietnam War and the deaths of prominent political figures.

What is a 1960s dress called? ›

The shift became the primary women's 1960s dress style. Skimmer dresses were a cousin of the shift dress. They fit straight on the body with a high neckline and minimal decoration.

Instead, the threads of at least some Ice Age women included caps or snoods, belts and skirts, bandeaux (banding over the breasts) and bracelets and necklaces -- all constructed of plant fibers in a great variety of cloth, from twined and basket wear to plain weaves.

The Cold War was reflected in culture through music, movies, books, television, and other media, as well as sports, social beliefs, and behavior. Major elements of the Cold War included the presumed threat of a nuclear war, annihilation, and espionage.

OVERVIEW. Twenties fashion is often remembered for its glitz and glamour, though underlying this was a move toward simplicity in dress. For women, this meant shorter skirts and simple shapes, while men enjoyed casual suits.

The fashion trend in the late years of the 18th and early 19th centuries was influenced by Classical Greece: high waisted gowns with long thin muslin skirts, heel-less sandals and long stoles. After 1810, skirts gradually became fuller and decorated at the hem with frills and ruchs.

They made boots, tunics, and other garments out of furs, woven plants, and bark.

According to anthropologists and archaeologists, the earliest clothing likely consisted of fur, leather, leaves, or grass that was draped, wrapped, or tied around the body. Knowledge of such clothing remains inferential, as clothing materials deteriorate quickly compared with stone, bone, shell, and metal artifacts.

When the first humans migrated to northern climates about 45,000 years ago, they devised rudimentary clothing to protect themselves from the cold. They draped themselves with loose-fitting hides that doubled as sleeping bags, baby carriers and hand protection for chiseling stone.

How did the Cold War shape impact American society? ›

The Cold War affected domestic policy two ways: socially and economically. Socially, the intensive indoctrination of the American people led to a regression of social reforms. Economically, enormous growth spurred by industries related to war was aided by heavy government expansion.

Three key features defined the Cold War: 1) the threat of nuclear war, 2) competition over the allegiance (loyalty) of newly independent nations, and 3) the military and economic support of each other's enemies around the world.

Yet the effects of war are not only felt directly in the present day, but extend indirectly from well into the past Wars have brought about social changes such as women's suffrage, political upheavals such as the Bolshevik Revolution, or technological innovations such as the jet engine and modern air travel.