The Complete 1950’s Fashion Guide

June 23, 2021

When it comes to the fashion world, the 1950s are remembered the most for its unique styles and fashion breakthroughs. To think of 1950s fashion is to think of patterned prints, leather jackets, and tiny, tiny waists. Many of our minds jump to pinups and greasers, but the styles of the decade were so much more than that. It was truly an era like no other for sporting future fashion and for beauty icons, too.

To give you a deeper look into what made this decade a modern favorite, in this article, we’re going to delve into everything you need to know about the fashion of the 1950s. From its history to its styles and its most famous icons, let’s dive in and get started with a guide to 50’s fashion for both men and women.

History of 50’s Fashion

Now, before we dive into some of the most popular styles and biggest icons of the decade, to fully understand this era, we’re going to dive into a brief history of how the fashion of it changed from the 40s to 50s.

Now, while the 50s were often known to be a vibrant era of hard work and regaining stability after the war, it was also one of the biggest transitional periods when it came to fashion. This was majorly thanks to Christian Dior, who changed the fashion industry entirely in 1947 by going against the social norms and offering people what was referred to as the ‘new look.’ This ‘new look’ consisted of shoulders that were soft instead of squared, a figure that was feminine instead of boxy, and short skirts of the past now went down mid-calf. This look was entirely opposite of the look that had thrived in the 20s, 30s, and 40s.

Many women of the time were unhappy with the changes made in the fashion world at first and even held protests targeting Dior. However, after the loss, fear, and obstacles that came with the war, people knew it was time for a change, and that included changes in clothing, too. So by the start of the ‘50s, everybody was wearing the ‘new look,’ and soon, it became loved by just about everyone.

50s Fashion Icons

Now, when it came to the icons of the decade, the swift transition to the ‘new look’ was majorly thanks to a few notable people in Hollywood who shined a light on the exquisite design of Dior’s pieces and made them something to be desired. While there were a large number of famous actresses who majorly influenced the fashion world in the decade, men certainly had their fashion influencers, too. With that said, here are some of the major fashion icons of the 50s for both men and women.

Female fashion icons

1. Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn Monroe’s blonde hair, red lips, and luxurious wardrobe were a major influence of the women of the time.

2. Audrey Hepburn

Audrey Hepburn was often seen as one of the most elegant figures of the time and was vastly adored for her short hair and minimalist style.

3. Elizabeth Taylor

Elizabeth Taylor was known for her bold style of plunging necklines and her love for diamonds. She was a role model to many women and became a true staple in the way they would dress during this period.

4. Grace Kelly

Grace Kelly was a timeless beauty, and her classic, chic style was a hit with women around the world.

Male fashion icons

1. Elvis Presley

For male icons of the 1950s, the Rockabilly boy of the 50s inspired men of all decades with a trendy biker look and high-waisted trousers with his first album release in the mid-50s.

2. James Dean

Next, known as one of the most iconic and handsome men of the 1950s, James Dean had a style that blew everyone’s mind. It’s funny because the true key to James Dean’s style was effortless. With a minimalistic style, Dean’s signature look featured a leather jacket and blue jeans, with a staple quiff. It was simple, easy, and classy, and everyone loved him for it.

Popular Styles for Women of the 1950s

Next, when it comes to the styles of this period, fashion in the 1950s was incredibly diverse, especially compared to the decade prior. There were new silhouette styles, unique colors and patterns, and different styling options for just about everyone. And just like nowadays, people all dressed differently for different occasions. However, there are quite a few key styles for the decade that was more favorable than others. Here’s a quick guide to them.

Pin-Up Fashion

The first and perhaps most notorious style that took the spotlight in the 1950s was pin-ups. Inspired by the cheeky poster girls, the ’50s pin-up style was all about feminine sex appeal and flaunting your body. Therefore, the clothing that was typically involved in the pinup look was quite revealing. Key pieces for pin-up fashion included:

Swimwear
Tight-fitting pencil skirts
Hot pants
Halter neck dresses
Bustier tops, and more.

Pinups were also the first time that bikinis really started to grow in popularity with the public, despite their origin time of 1946. You can also read more about pinup style, and it’s influence on 50s fashion here.

Pencil skirt

Next, the pencil skirt was also a popular look of the 1950s and can best be described as a tight, narrow straight skirt that would come down to mid-calf. The pencil skirt would typically give a mature and sophisticated look for the office to a woman when with heels. However, pencil skirts could be worn at any age and could be paired with sweaters or flats for a more casual look. These skirts also typically came in plaid or solid colors.

Casual wear

Now, for casual wear, women typically turned to skirts paired with button-down blouses. This style was always worn tucked in and fit snuggly (although wasn’t necessarily the most comfortable). Popular colors for a look like this typically included pastels, red, blue, black and white. Patterns for these tops and blouses were common as well, especially in the summer, and were often mostly decorated with polka dots or plaid.

Additionally, the 50s were the time in which the trend of women wearing pants started to grow in popularity. Therefore, a woman who was casually dressed could also often be seen wearing cigarette pants, tailored slacks, denim jeans, or capris paired with a blouse or patterned shirt.

Work fashion

When it came to work fashion, the majority of women still played the role of housewife in the 1950s; therefore, work fashion was almost non-existent for females until later on. However, the few women who did go to the workplace wore tailored wool suits with blouses. Certain dresses and skirts were also an appropriate option for the office.

Women’s Shoes

Next, let’s talk about shoes. In the ’50s, there was a variety of different shoes for every occasion. From work to home, shoes were vastly unique and different for every occasion. Here were some of the most common shoes you would find women wearing in the 1950s.

1. Saddle shoes

The first and most common pair of shoes of the decade was saddle shoes. Saddle shoes were black and white in color and worn by just about everyone in the 50s. However, the trend around since the 19th century but didn’t reach a high level of popularity until the 50s. This was because teenagers in the 1950s, typically referred to as ‘bobbysoxers,’ started the fashion of wearing saddle shoes with socks. However, not long to follow, housewives would wear these shoes around the house because of how comfortable they were, and soon, they could be found on the feet of just about everyone.

2. Ballet flats

Next, ballet flats were another common type of shoe worn by women in the 50s. While these shoes had been around for centuries, they weren’t considered to be much of a fashion piece until Rose Repetto reintroduced them in her 1947 collection. Soon to follow, Audrey Hepburn said that ballet flats were her favorite shoe to wear, and therefore, brought them into the light of trendy fashion. Soon, teenagers were wearing them just as often as they did their saddle shoes.

3. Babydolls

Next, babydolls were another popular trend for running errands and going out and about during the day. Babydoll shoes had very round toes that resembled a doll’s shoes, hence their name, and almost every woman of the 50s owned at least one pair of them. This was because they were much more comfortable to wear than a pair of tall heels and were perfect for a woman who was going to be on her feet for many hours.

4. Kitten heel pumps

And lastly, kitten heel pumps were also a big deal in the 1950s. These heels were often referred to as ‘training heels’ for young women who weren’t comfortable wearing larger heels, such as stilettos. However, many famous women of the time, including Marilyn Monroe, had even been photographed wearing them.

Accessories

Jewelry

When it came to accessories, women loved to adorns themselves with lavish designs and colorful jewelry pieces. Costume jewelry was quite popular for this reason, and most jewelry designs featured pearls. Pearls had always been a popular choice of jewelry for women of many decades, but in the 1950s, pearls and faux pearls shot up in popularity again, most likely thanks to Grace Kelly, who was frequently seen wearing them. Pretty soon, they were part of a woman’s daily outfit. Additionally, rhinestone and gold pieces were also very popular in the 50s and would often be worn for special occasions.

Hats and gloves

When it came to the 50s, hats were an absolute must accessory for women. With the rise of the ‘new look,’, bulky hats of past decades became smaller and more feminine and were often adorned with feathers, bows, and ribbons. Common hat styles of the time typically included the round coolie brim or mushroom brim. However, berets also became popular in the 50s towards the end of the decade and were highly sought-after by women of the time. This was majorly thanks to the influence of both Marilyn Monroe and Grace Kelly, who popularized the trend.

Additionally, a well-dressed woman of the time was also often seen wearing gloves whenever she was out and about, with longer gloves for elegant evening occasions and shorter gloves for suits and business occasions.

Hair and makeup

For hairstyles, updos, pin curls, rockabilly styles, poodle looks, bandana-wrapped styles (made trendy by Marilyn Monroe), and pixie cuts (as flaunted by Audrey Hepburn) were some of the most common. However, some women of the time preferred to go against social norms and leave their hair long and straight. These women were considered to be more free-spirited and artsy, and were often referred to as ‘beatniks.’

When it came to makeup, women loved to wear bright colors in clothing and makeup, and it was a staple of the decade to match your eye makeup with your lipstick color. In general, the makeup of the time consisted of a foundation, light eyeshadow, pink blush, red or pink lips, and mascara only on the upper lashes. Filling in eyebrows were also a thing, but they were, for the most part, to be kept light, thin, and feminine. This was also the decade where winged eyeliner became popular and is something that is still a major staple point for many women of today.

Popular Styles for Men of the 1950s

Greaser fashion

Next, the ’50s was also a time when the greaser’s subculture was going full force, and men, women, and teens were drawn to the fashion. This looks heavily consisted of a blend of rockabilly and pin-up styles that created a more edgy, and rebellious look. Key accessories for this look typically included:

White shirt (sleeves rolled up)
Blue jeans (rolled up cuffs)
Leather jacket
Chain accessories
Bandanas
Leather gloves
Motor boots,
Belts, and more.

Basically, anything that would be described as a rebellious fashion of the time could be found being sported by a greaser.

Rockabilly fashion

Next, the rockabilly subculture was also widely popular in the ’50s and was based around the music genre known as rockabilly. Rockabilly was an early form of rock music that originated within the south and was popular from the 1950s to 1960. This music genre was a unique combination of rock and roll and country and was especially popular with teenagers. We included this in the men’s section; however, women we just as involved in this subculture as well. The fashion for women typically consisted of a mixture of pin-up styles and swing looks. As such, many rockabilly girls wore swing dresses, tight pencil skirts, and bullet bras.

Men, on the other hand, often wore comprised leather biker or denim jackets, plaid and bowling shirts, black jeans, and boots. Most rockabilly men also commonly wore a quiff or slicked-back hairstyle for a more edgy look.