Modern retro fashion look

RETRO-SPECTIVE: HOUSEWIFE FASHION

1950s Fashion

The Fabled '50's

Announcing the Quintessential 1950s Dress!

Vintage 50s Red Polka Dot Full Skirt Dress: This Sweet vintage 1950’s full skirted dress is fashioned from sheer cotton organdy in off-white with red flocked polka dots. PS For Sale at www.coutureallure.com for only Feb. 7th, 2009- somebody go buy it so they don't come after me for using their picture!

1950s Party Dress

1950s Bespoke party dress with pouf skirt in iridescent green silk organza.

1950s Dress in gray-green silk voile. Ribbed bodice decorated with pleats and loose panels of fabric in front and back.

Late 1950s Bespoke dress in silver lamé with ribbed bodice with draping at bustline and very full skirt.

From Left to Right: 1950s Bespoke Party Dress with pouf skirt in iridescent green silk organza. Halter neckline, ribbed bodice. Rear zip closure. Lined in yellow silk. Made of Silk (3/4 length dress) December 2008 YOOX PRICE 8.00; 1950s Party Dress in gray-green silk voile. Ribbed bodice decorated with pleats and loose panels of fabric in front and back. Lined in silk. Rear zip closure. Made of Silk; Late 1950s Bespoke Party Dress in silver lamé with ribbed bodice with draping at bustline and very full skirt. Rear zip closure. Made of 100% Other Fibres. Source: Vintage Party Dress Collection on Yoox.com. (December 2008)

We know what Lucy wore, and there are plenty of pictures of Grace Kelly, but what did the average American housewife wear in the 1950s? Was it all gloves, skirts and sweaters? Find out here as we research the fab 50s fashion.

This is a pattern for a dress that Lucy might have worn, and other middle class ladies too! It was straight from Paris to you! (Assuming you were alive in the '50s.) Yup! That's the story of this stunning two-piece fashion - the prettiest flattery your figure ever had! See those lovely long lines that curve from bodice to hips, the gentle flare of the skirt. Wonderful! Now see how simple it is to sew. (Assuming you were not the type to sew your fingers together...)

Underneath it all:

The Bra: Large, lifted, pointy breasts were all the rage. Exercises to increase bust size were popular in teen magazines. "We must, we must, we must increase our bust" was the mantra for a generation of girls. Gals didn't have to be pencil thin in the 50's, which helped in the bust size department.

Marilyn Monroe circa 1957 and 1955

Rumor has it Marilyn Monroe slept in her bra to keep her breasts from sagging.

British Vogue, May, 1950 by Norman Parkinson

OK, so none of these dresses are what the typical 50s housewife would wear...I'll get to that! I just got stuck in the glamour girl department for a bit....can you blame me? Sheesh!

50's inspired retro flat in Green Leather - Sensible Girls wore these... ==>>

Plaid Accessories were a noted must-have for the well accessorized gal in the Fall Fashion Season of 1954.

1951 Tiered Evening Dress - A woman would describe this dress as "dreamy" in 1951. It is dreamy, don't you think?

OFF TO CHURCH Mr. and Mrs. Richard von K. Bruns of 130 Hampton rd. leave for Easier services in Park Central Presbyterian Church. Between them are their children, John, Linda, Andrew and Betsy. Mrs. Bruns is wearing a grey suit, geranium topper and white rough straw cloche with rosebuds. Her daughters, navy blue double-breasted coats and natural straw hats with, navy streamers. John and Andrew have camels hair coats and Eton caps. Mr. Bruns is wearing a bankers grey flannel suit, dark brown felt hat and carries a tan topcoat.

50's Fashion Sense

Tip: Check out the DECADES OF STYLE - '50s - "1950's Clean and Classic" - Section at Saks 5th Avenue - for some modern interpretations of classic 1950s fashions.

The Posers (Models); What A Difference 57 Years Can Make

What do you suppose one should make of the difference in "attitude" expressed by the lovely ladies demonstrating the latest fashions? For example, I give you Exhibit A: A fashion model from the year 1954 striking a very obvious "pose" looking not at all natural and rather oddly perky and cheerful.

And then I came across the other extreme while poking around in the women's dress section over at JCrew. The fashion models there are the epitome of nonchalant, to put it mildly.

Maggie London Silk Halter Dress

This Maggie London dress (Nordstrom) is similar in style to the dress Miss Monroe wore in her famous "Oops my dress" picture from the Seven Year Itch; Feminine full skirt, fitted waist line that accentuates the bosom. (Model needs to add a few pounds to pull that off).

Add some strappy sandals:

and you too can get your heel stuck in a ventilator grate! (The shoe shown is an Anne Klein New York 'Francoise' Sandal, also at Nordie's! )

Black and White Polka Dot 1950s Style Dress - By XOXO, 2006. Poor scrawny little thing is a bit lost in the dress though...compare to a real 1950s woman who could fill out a dress...

1954 - Floral Evening Gown by Jacques Fath

1952 Calico Shirt And Herringbone Twill Shorts

Headless Fashion

Michael Kors 1950s Style Skirt
(At Yoox => www.yoox.com)

Hmmm....now I need something here, don't I! Let's try a modern 1950s style pencil skirt. Pencil skirts look fantastic on the svelte. In the '50s, skirts were worn longer and reached at least 2 inches below the knee to your shins.

I found this particular skirt at QVC. It wasn't easy, either!