Following the smash hit TV series Mad Men, 1950s glamour is back. This is no surprise as this flattering, feminine trend often pops back into fashion and has a style to suit every body shape. Like all trends, though, it does come in and out of fashion so how can you embrace the trend without breaking the bank? The answer is easy – accessorise!
1950s Basics
If you do want to invest in a few key items, then the main key to 1950s dressing is getting the right silhouette. Skirts were generally mid calf length and were either very full (think Grease) or pencil skirts (think Marilyn Monroe). Sweaters and blouses were tight, heels were high or kitten heel height and ballet pumps were in. In the late 1950s sweater dresses also made an appearance in some British wardrobes.
Dior launched their Corelle line which became known as the New Look and celebrated tight fitted jackets with full skirts.
Underwear
Most people will not think of underwear as an accessory, but in the 1950s, wardrobe underwear was what was needed to create the correct silhouette. To create your 1950s look with the clothes you already have, invest in some of this underwear:
- Finding a conical bra is almost impossible nowadays, but a good alternative is a very structured bra which creates a sculptured, solid look.
- Big pants! To create the smooth lines needed for a pencil skirt buy some specially designed underwear to hold in lumps and bumps. The style which has a high waist and goes to just above the knee is ideal.
- A crinoline or net underskirt to create volume under a skirt you already own.
1950s Belts,Jewellery and Bags
Buying several cheap 1950s style accessories is the easiest way to turn your 21st Century wardrobe into 1950s glamour. Some great 1950s items are:
- Belts: Elasticated belts can be worn just under the bust to create a 1950s line. The thicker the belt the better as the effect you are looking for is that of a waspish, pinched in waist. The 1950s was all about slim gamine girls and buxom, curvy women. A thick elasticized belt is the quickest way to achieve that buxom screen siren look.
- Jewellery: Chanel popularised strings of pearls, most often worn with black to give a touch of glamour.Spectacles were big and winged and often decorated with rhinestones. Novelty brooches were popular, especially ballet dancers, cowboys and animals. Diamantes and lucite were also popular. Corsages were pinned to the lapels of swing coats.
- Berets protected bouffant and curled hairstyles without crushing them.
- Gloves added a touch of class to any outfit, from leather wrist high gloves to elbow length fabric ones. They were worn in many different bright colours.
- Handbags were small, but not too small, and either clutch bags or bags with a small handle so that the bag could be held in the hand or at the elbow.
- Shoes: Kitten heels and stilettos created the necessary wiggle when women walked, but ballet pumps were also popular, as were Cuban heels. This was also the era of the peep toe.
- Coats: 1950s women were rarely seen in the colder months without their swing coats. They hid pregnancies, which rose dramatically after the war, and also sat comfortably over those full skirts and petticoats.
- Make-up: Make-up was immaculate, with heavy foundation, crisp eyeliner and red or pink nails and lips.
So being a 1950s sophisticate is easier than you think. Just target charity shops, vintage shops and cheap accessory shops for those key kitsch items.
Sources
Dulcinea Norton-Smith - Dulcinea is a writer, an avid reader, a loving wife, a terrible housewife, a mother of two, a Civil Servant and of course a freelance ...
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