Fashion became distinct during the 1950s as
a result of World War II. During the war, the U.S. did not have contact
with Paris, which was the fashion capitol of the world then, and had great
influence on American clothes. Therefore, the United States was forced
to come up with its own styles. Also, with the end of the war, some trends
were adapted from war clothing. For example, many jackets, both leather
and sports, were made in the style of fighter pilot's jackets. Also, pedal
pushers, also known as capri or pirate pants, became popular just like
in Italy. Even Bermuda shorts and Hawaii shirts appeared, partly because
Hawaii had recently become a state.
Along with foreign influences, the endnig
of WWII allowed new materials to be used in clothing. For example, nylon,
which was not used during wartime because of scarcity, now became extremely
popular and could be found everywhere. These new materials were easier
to wash, lightweight yet warm, quick drying, waterproof, and shrank minimally.
They were used as the padding and main fabric of skiing and sailing jackets,
and also in ski pants. Since clothes became easy to wash, pastels and light
colors appeared because there was no longer the fear of getting clothes
dirty.
The look for women changed considerably also in
the '50s. During the war many women had replaced men in the work force,
but when the soldiers returned, they were expected to go back to the dutiful
role of housewife. Not only were they supposed to attend to household chores,
but they had to look stylish, fragile, and feminine doing it. The ideal
wife was portrayed in the kitchen with a full skirt, frilly apron, nipped
waist, and slim bodice all on top of tall stiletto heals. The figure-8
or hourglass shape of women was accented, and the small neck and waist
in contrast to their larger shoulders and hips helped create it. Even the
working women though were dressed with the same femininity. They wore trim,
close-fitting skirt suits which accented their curves. They were accompanied
by dainty veiled hats with feathers, gloves, and small purses. Pencil skirts
also developed and were worn as part of a suit. These were slim, no-flare
skirts reaching to the knee or mid calf.
The '50s woman's face also had a distinct
look. It was a peaches-and-cream complexion with bright red lipstick, liquid
eyeliner, and penciled evebrows. Woman often wore hats, white collars,
pearls, and pearl-stud earings; pierced ears were considered unfashionable.
Many different kinds of shoes became popular
to accompany the new clothes. In the late '50s, winkle pickers developed.
These were stilettos, having a pointy toe and tall thin heal. Another popular
shoe for women, and also for girls was the ballerina slipper. As ballet
and leotards became big, so did wearing reinforced ballerina slippers.
Another shoe to become common was the saddle shoe, or saddle Oxford. This
was a white shoe with a black saddle-shaped piece of leather on the front.
It was a low, broad-healed sports shoe worn by men, women, and children
alike.
Young people's fashion had developed also.
They were expected to dress somewhat similarly to adults and few stores
specialized in clothes specifically for kids. For leisure wear, girls wore
pedal pushers and jeans, which became popular after Marilyn Monroe and
Princess Alexandra were photographed wearing them. They also wore full
skirts-with stiff petticoats or pencil skirts and sweaters. Some popular
fads were wearing a man's shirt outside jeans, sweater sets, collared blouses,
and full skirts. These skirts were usually made of a wool-felt fabric with
a bright motifs, such as a poodle on a leash. A tight, tucked in blouse,
wide waist-chiching belt, and flat-heeled shoes usually accompanied these.
For boys, a shirt, tie, and pressed trousers were common.
There were some kids during the '50s, known
as beatniks, that dressed very differently though. They were poets, musicians,
and other artists who provided a strong contrast to the bland mainstream
culture. They wore black turtle- and polo-neck sweaters or crumpled T-shirts
with unpressed trousers, khakis, or jeans. Girls sometimes wore "sloppy
Joe" sweaters, which were loose and oversized, in comparison to the tight
blouses and sweater-sets worn by others. They wore these with a longs skirt
or black tights. Almost everything they wore was black.
Another group who dressed alternatively and
was against the mainstream was known as the greasers. They wore jeans,
T-shirts, and leather jackets in the same style as pilot jackets worn in
the war.
Part of what the beatniks and greasers were
rebelling against was something known as "the Man in the Gray Flannel Suit".
There was a 
movie
with this title made in the fifties, but it was not only that. This was
a generalization about how men dressed. This title personified the clean-cut,
somber, mature, anonymous, white collar businessman. He wore a white shirt,
a silk tie, penny loafers, and carried a briefcase. If you walked through
the streets of almost any city, you were sure to see many men who perfectly
fit this description. "He" was everywhere, and fit in well with the other
cookiecutter images of the decade, such as Suburbia and chains like McDonalds.
The look was developed by East Coast Ivy League college students who shopped
at stores such as Brooks Brothers. As the decade progressed, new aspects
were added to the image; in 1951 and'52, slubs appeared. These were specks
of bright color woven randomly into the fabric of a suit. Another example
is in 1955 and'56, when synthetic suits and shirts became popular because
they were so easy to wash and also very cool for hot days.
Fashion in the 1950's represented the nation
during that decade. The wealth and gender issues were revealed through
it, along with the rebellious attitudes. There were many stamped images,
such as "the Man in the Gray Flannel Suit" and the doll-like housewife,
which the decade would later be associated and labeled with.
WWII/foreign influence:
1. fighter pilot's jackets
2. pedal pushers/ capri pants (from Italy)
3. Bermuda shorts + Hawaii shirts (Hawaii joined the U.S. in 1959)
4. nylon (rationed during war)
women
wore: supposed to attend to household chores, but look stylish, fragile,
and feminine doing it. The ideal wife was portrayed in the kitchen with
a full skirt, frilly apron, nipped waist, and slim bodice all on top of
tall stiletto heals. The figure-8 or hourglass shape of women was accentuated,
and the small neck and waist in contrast to their larger shoulders and
hips helped create it. Even the working women though were dressed with
the same femininity. They wore trim, close-fitting skirt suits which accented
their curves. They were accompanied by dainty veiled hats with feathers,
gloves, and small purses
face: peaches-and-cream complexion with bright red lipstick, liquid
eyeliner, and penciled evebrows. Woman often wore hats, white collars,
pearls, and pearl-stud earings; pierced ears were considered unfashionable
girls: similar to women, leisure wear, girls wore pedal pushers and
jeans, which became popular after Marilyn Monroe and Princess Alexandra
were photographed wearing them. They also wore full skirts-with stiff petticoats
or pencil skirts and sweaters. Some popular fads were wearing a man's shirt
outside jeans, sweater sets, collared blouses, and full skirts. These skirts
were usually made of a wool-felt fabric with a bright motifs, such as a
poodle on a leash. A tight, tucked in blouse, wide waist-chiching belt,
and flat-heeled shoes usually accompanied these
boys: a shirt, tie, and pressed trousers
beatnicks/greasers:
1. black turtle- and polo-neck sweaters or crumpled T-shirts with
unpressed trousers, khakis, or jeans. Girls sometimes wore "sloppy Joe"
sweaters, which were loose and oversized, in comparison to the tight blouses
and sweater-sets worn by others. They wore these with a longs skirt or
black tights
2. jeans, T-shirts, and leather jackets in the same style as pilot
jackets
"The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit": movie with this title made in the fifties,
personified the clean-cut, somber, mature, anonymous, white collar businessman,
wore a white shirt, a silk tie, penny loafers, and carried a briefcase,
developed by East Coast Ivy League college students
shoes: ballet slippers, saddle Oxford, winkle pickers
