The Shapes and Lines that Defined 1950s Fashion – Inspirations (2024)

The rise of the ‘ready to wear’ phenomenon, exaggerated clothes, glamorous shapes with colorful prints, skirts and tiny waists – all define 1950s fashion!

1950s fashion clothing started being manufactured ‘en mass’, but with improved standards within the construction and quality. A lot of imports started and the variety of clothes appeared quickly. Nevertheless, Dior’s iconic ‘New Look’ for this decade fashion arrived in Paris in 1947 and due to a different shape – had an enormous influence on the fashion world lovers. Let us introduce you to some of the shapes and lines of 1950sfashion trends!

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Pencil Skirts

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A narrow, tight and straight skirt that was restricting women’s walking created the twist at that time. It was falling from the waist with little excess fabric and a little split at the back. More mature women wore heels and a lot of accessories next to this kind of outfit. But nowadays, a pencil skirt is being worn with a shirt or sweater, the flat shoes for a more modern way and less extravagant accessories. Moreover, the skirt length was also important – it was a must of calf length to look really 50 style clothing.

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The cute small sweater

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This tight sweater appeared in the 40s and was still popular in 50s. It wasemphasizing a conically shaped bust and was worn with a bullet bra, what nowadays seems shocking. Actually, in 1950s clothing everyone aimed for the bosom shape, so many 1950s dresses accommodated perfectly for it also. Nevertheless, the sweaters with turtlenecks became more and more popular.

Petticoats and Full skirts

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In 1950s clothing wide circular or pleated skirts were used with petticoats to make a lift and that it would look more outstanding. It was always to mid-calf length – and never shorter! Can you imagine? Petticoats were with several layers of net and starched for extra stiffness or frothy chiffon. It was in different colors because the more colorful it was, the more fun it was adding to the outfit. Furthermore, bright colors were 1950s fashion trends.

Dress with halter or boat neck

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In 50s style dresses halter or boat neck was very popular. These days, it can be seen that girls are more into crop tops, v-necks and etc. In the 1950s it was all about the fashion and not about showing off the body parts.

Must have accessories that were crucial to these outfits:

Red lipstick

Gloves

Chiffon scarf

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Now you are ready to live like in the 50s!

Essential Home is inspired by the1950s fashion as well! So if you are obsessed with this decade too, do not forget to check out the stunning mid-century furniture pieces.

ALSO:Why Are Fashion Accessories Important When Creating Your

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The Shapes and Lines that Defined 1950s Fashion – Inspirations (2024)

FAQs

The Shapes and Lines that Defined 1950s Fashion – Inspirations? ›

Women's Trends of the 1950s: The Hourglass Silhouette Reigns

What was 50s fashion inspired by? ›

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.

What defines 1950s style? ›

Poodle skirts and ponytails, jeans and slick-backed hair—that's what many people consider iconic 1950s fashions. These looks were popular for teens, but what did everyone else wear? Style in the 1950s offered both men and women a new range of options.

What patterns were popular in the 1950s? ›

Popular prints included familiar patterns like polka dots, plaid, gingham check, and floral. Even these designs, however, changed. Both polka dots and florals tended to be larger and to appear in a wide variety of colors. Abstract designs like multi-color stripes and paisley were popular.

What was the impact of the 1950s fashion? ›

The 1950s introduced timeless fashion with a polished, elegant aesthetic. Designers shaped style with social context, crafting statements through clothing. Fabrics and materials of the time played a significant role in defining the era's fashion.

What were the characteristics of the 50s design? ›

In the world of fashion and design, the decade was notable for its unique styles (like poodle skirts and greaser fashion) and the popularity of modernist design in architecture and interior design. In graphic design, it was characterized by its bold colors and geometric shapes.

What colors were popular in the 1950s fashion? ›

1950s color Colors There were three major color trends in the 50s; pastel, modern and Scandinavian. Pastel colors that were particularly popular were pink, turquoise, mint green, pale yellow and blue. Modern colors were clean and bright and included vibrant yellow, electric blue, orange, red, black and white.

What shaped the 1950s? ›

One major component was the post World War II economic boom that brought America into a time of prosperity. Another was the uptick in population due to the baby boom that happened post war because Americans felt optimistic that the worst days were behind them.

What were the defining characteristics of the 1950s? ›

Historians use the word “boom” to describe a lot of things about the 1950s: the booming economy, the booming suburbs and most of all the so-called “baby boom.” This boom began in 1946, when a record number of babies–3.4 million–were born in the United States. About 4 million babies were born each year during the 1950s.

What is 50s design style called? ›

Mid-Century Modern

Refers to the architectural, interior and product design style that generally describes mid-20th century trends from ca. 1933 to 1965. The term was first used in the book "Mid-Century Modern: Furniture of the 1950s" (1983) by Cara Greenberg.

What was the biggest fashion trend of the 1950s? ›

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.

How did art shape the 1950s? ›

Notably, the most important movement was abstract expressionism, but it influenced the many art practices worldwide, like Modern sculpture, Pop Art, Neo-dada, Art Informel, and Lyrical Abstraction.

What was one of the clothing styles that represented the 1950s? ›

Women's Trends of the 1950s: The Hourglass Silhouette Reigns

Now, shoulders were softened with padding that rounded them, waists were snatched and shrunk to Victorian proportions, and hips were exaggerated with tulle and crinolines that added bulk.

How to dress like the 50s? ›

1950s Fashion Shopping List
  1. Pencil skirt.
  2. Crew neck cardigan.
  3. Petticoat.
  4. Circle skirt or dress preferably halter or boat neck.
  5. Bullet bra.
  6. Waist knickers.

What is interesting about 50s fashion? ›

Women were fond of clothes that emphasized the female figure, with closely tailored bustlines, slender waists, and padded hips. Women also wore plenty of makeup. Men, on the other hand, were not very concerned with fashion. At work, they wore what amounted to a uniform: a gray flannel suit.

How did rock and roll influence fashion in the 1950s? ›

The popularity of Rock and Roll music was a catalyst for new fashion trends including Rockabilly, Pin Ups, Greasers, Teddy Boys and Judies. These subcultures all have distinct styles that took elements of 50s fashion and gave it a rebellious twist. Rockabilly fashion is a style that is still incredibly popular today.

What is a fact about 1950s fashion? ›

The look of the fifties is characterized by elegance. Women, in particular, were expected not only to look their best in public, but also to at home. Fine fabrics such as velvet, tulle, and silk are used for evening wear. During the day, however, manufacturers are increasingly turning to wool and cotton.

What was the 50s aesthetic? ›

Signs of the 1950's are defined by bright colors, fun characters, big lights, and neon. This style developed after the end of WWII, America went through a rapid economic development defined today by its movies, tv's, and rock 'n' roll.

Who influenced men's fashion in the 1950s? ›

With the prices of fabric rapidly decreasing, it was an opportunity for men to have more clothes, which also meant they now had more casual clothes. The '50s saw an explosion of casual clothes that were fueled by stars like James Dean, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, and Marlon Brando.

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