Fifties style – pump up the glam
Veronica Lake 1950s / Rosie Huntington-Whitely Love Magazine 2010 / Monroe 1950s / Scarlett Johansen D&G 2010
Hedy Lamarr 1950s / Gwen Stefani LAMB ad campaign 2009 / Jackie Kennedy 1950s / Christina 2010
The fifties were exciting years in the world of fashion. People were celebrating the end of the Second World War and the new prosperity this brought. Women were suddenly thrust into the workplace. And breaking with tradition, the Hollywood greats started projecting high voltage glamour.
Thanks to the new found power of the cinema this ignited something in the hearts of women in a way that no one could have anticipated. Most aspired to look as elegant and glamorous as their favourite stars and the hourglass figure became the ideal after Marilyn Monroe shot to stardom.
The fifties set style standards that are still perceived as glamorous today. When we are reminded of the stars of Hollywood and the impact they had on society’s perception of what women should look like.
High quality mass production in the clothing industry translated to more affordable fashion. Prior to this high fashion was only for those who could shop at salons like Dior. This was the time when the Chanel suit was born. New work wear styles included tailored suits, figure-hugging skirts and fitted blouses shaped at the waist. All flatteringly styled to accentuate a woman’s shape and add glamour.
Music added to the buzz when Rock ‘N Roll lured woman even further away from the traditional to the Teddy Boy style. That’s when set hair styles gave way to pony tails and full skirts with tiny waistlines and skinny pants were seen everywhere.
‘’The fashionable age’’ of being between 30 and 40 at the start of 1950 was turned on its head by the arrival of the teenage cult with its own style and buying characteristics. Before this 18 year old girls dressed and made themselves up to look as old as their mothers!
Trademarks of fifties style
Fifties shoes
There is no doubt that the ultimate trademark of the fifties was the stiletto which was first seen in 1952 at a Dior fashion show. Many younger women also owned pink pumps. Even the most adventurous girls – the Rock ‘n Roll followers - wore heels. Sneakers and bobby-socks only came onto the scene in the late fifties.
Fifties glamour & elegance
Hollywood glamour had a big role to play and clothing patterns and designs were splashed across fashion magazines such as Vogue and Women’s Weekly. Flowers, stripes, spots and abstract shapes all became a part of the fifties fashions.
Gwen Stefani captured the essence of fifties glamour in her 2009 LAMB ad campaign.
The fifties silhouette
The fifties is characterised by two silhouettes; that of the full skirt and the pencil skirt, with both placing great emphasis on the narrowness of the waist. Flared skirts and dainty flared dresses were the fashion staples of this period. The 1950’s also saw the acceptance of trousers and jeans, for the first time shaped for the female figure. Then in the late fifties, the knitted sweater dress became universally popular. Underneath women wore long line bras and girdles to create perfect screen-siren hourglass proportions.
Perfection, glamour and creamy red lips are the trademarks of the 1950s face.
- Perfect finish complexion for a clean blank canvas
- Slightly heavy brows with a defined arch
- Nude eye shadow from lashes to brow that doesn’t detract from the rest of the face
- Cat's-eyes, where eye liner gradually thickens toward the outer corners, ending in tiny extended wings. Black mascara over curled or false eyelashes
- Soft rosy blush blended on the apples of the cheeks for a natural glow
- Vibrant lips with rich red tones. Exaggerated Cupid’s bow.
Veronica Lake’s peek-a-boo hairstyle (above left) was widely copied because it made her seem sexy, mysterious and powerful; qualities that the women of the day clearly embraced. Generally fifties hair was set using rollers to create waves and sprayed to hold hair in place. Overall, the look was polished. Then in the late fifties the beehive took centre stage.
Fifties hairstyles don’t really work today. The stiffly waved look is outdated. That’s why Eva looks a little mumsy in the photo below left. The messy up do on the right is a better choice.
Nowadays it’s better to go for a more relaxed look. Like Madonna’s layered bob in this 2010 Dolce & Gabbana fashion spread.
Luxurious fabrics and bold styling details
In the fifties fierce competition between the fashion houses bred a new sense of imagination as the big names competed for market share. There was pressure to add that unique ‘something’ to every new range to entice consumers.
The widespread use of feathers started in the fifties. Chanel popularised bold ropes of pearls and large bold buttons. Fabrics such as silk and sateen were widely used.
Leopard prints were all the rage during the fifties and wearing fur or fake fur was de rigueur.
Audrey Hepburn 1950s. Jennifer Lopez photographed for Glamour by Ellen Von Untwerth (2010)
Coats & Cardigans
In the 50s women switched to stylish coats instead of the traditional shawls. The coat styles of the era have stood the test of time, making them classics that work.
The prim cardigan also became a fashion essential during the fifties.
Swimwear
Revealing swimsuits first came on the scene in the fifties. Initially, two-piece bikinis were considered to be wearable only by the Hollywood stars. For the average woman strapless designs in stretch fabrics were popular. The overall design was quite modest. Women wore bathing caps so that their hair would be protected while swimming. Fifties style swimwear is still in fashion today.
Lindsay Lohan and Eva Langoria in fifties style bikinis
