1950’s Fashion

It’s pretty fascinating to see how large, advanced, and fickle the fashion industry is today and to think back about how recently this industry this developed.  Although fashion has evolved constantly ever since the cavemen days, the fashion industry can really be traced back to the 1950s.  Although some people may look back at the 1950s and think that it was a “square” time, it was actually a period full of flurry and rapid changes.  Many social experts look back to the 1950s as the time where teenaged and youth fashion was created.  Considering that we live in a time that can’t help but look reverently at previous generations, our fashion experts will examine some of the best parts of 1950s fashion.

The 1950s were a time of immense prosperity as most of the world was recovering from World War Two.  This optimistic period ushered in a series of serious cultural changes that was reflected in its fashion.  As cars and television were becoming popular, the youth of this time were staking its claim to its own unique individuality.  Whereas before, children tended to dress in a similar fashion to their parents, 1950s fashion can be described as the beginning of the teenage rebellion.

The 1950s were a time where a young Marlon Brando, Elvis Presley and James Dean were captivating the hearts of young people throughout the world.  This can be seen in the rise of the greaser looks in America and the teddyboy look in England.  Arguably the most defining look in 1950s fashion, the greaser look can be described as having tight trousers and leather jackets.  This simple look represented danger and echoed the sentiments of James Dean’s Rebel without a Cause character.  This simple 1950s fashion has become timeless and its influence can be seen in punk fashion and emo fashion.

For women, 1950s fashion was also a time of sophistication.  Chanel produced a series of dressers that were looser fit and also a number of sophisticated suits that continue to be popular today.  Additionally, the 1950s produced a series of fashionable dresses for women that reflected teenage rebellion.  Women and girls at the time were in love with empire line dresses that have been described as the baby doll style.  This girlish look represented youthful enthusiasm and is a look that continues to be popular today.

When people talk about 1950s fashion, many people think of boring suits and dresses.  However, when you look closer to 1950s fashion, you will see it as the starting place for many future rebellious teenage fashions.  These simple teenage fashionable looks continue to be popular and in many ways you can describe 1950s fashion as being completely timeless!