subject: 50s Style Clothing Elegant Innocence [print this page] 50s style clothing remains a fashion inspiration even though the heyday for most of these wardrobe items has long passed. There is an innocent quality to many 50s fashions that continue to appeal to a broad fan base and it is doubtful that clothing from the 1950s will ever go completely out of style.
Some of the influences that shaped 50s clothing were
*The need to leave the restrictive feeling of the 1940s in the past
*New fashion designers wanting to shake up the establishment
*The fact that femininity was currently in vogue
*Parisian styles and ideas concerning appropriate clothing designs
Some of the fashion forward looks of the 1950s style clothing included such designs as:
Hourglass shaped dresses with narrow waists
Full skirts
Strapless gowns
Peter Pan collars
Bermuda shorts
Fitted blouses
Cashmere sweaters with round or V-neck designs
Rounded shoulders in jackets
Poodle skirts
Knee high swing skirts
Circle skirts
Ballet flats for footwear
Oxfords
Penny loafers
Capris
"Peddle Pusher" pants
Jackets, coats, skirts and sweaters frequently featured embroidered designs. Monograms began to be popular as a design on collars and pockets of 50s style clothing, and decorative buttons were frequently used to add more personality to these garments.
Although there were some A-line skirts seen during the 50s the fashion rage was more involved with pleated, circle and gathered skirt designs. A classic look from the 1950s is a circle skirt with a poodle appliqu.
For men the 50s clothes involved suits that had a more streamlined silhouette. Greys and blues were popular color choices. Even the neckties began to show slimmer lines and many of the men's ties were very plain, with only a tie-clip to add decoration. Pink shirts for men were a definite fashion faux pas as far as most 1950s males were concerned.
Dungarees were the predecessor to today's jeans and during the 1950s this ubiquitous wardrobe item was beginning to show up in the closets of both males and females.
Hawaiian print shirts were another must have items for any well dressed man of the 50s. Today many of these shirts have become items that are eagerly sought by those who collect vintage fashions.
50s clothing changed with the passing of time and soon even the balloon skirts, Mary Jane shoes and strapless gowns gave way to new fashion ideas. By the end of the 50s era clothes began to undergo a new transition that was fueled by a new feeling of personal freedom and self expression for both sexes.
