Fashion The Definitive History of Costume and Style 2012

Felt Tyrolean- WOMEN IN WARTIME 299
style hat

Field ROSIE THE RIVETER
Service
cap Out of patriotism, necessity, or because
new opportunities became available, a
Canvas haversack very high number of women entered the
with ground sheet workforce during the war. In the US “Rosie
attached the Riveter,” from a well-known song,
became a potent symbol of the new
working women who were employed as
welders and riveters on air bases. In Britain
all women between 19 and 40 had to
register at their local Labour Exchange after
March 1941. They were asked to choose
from the women’s services, civil defense,
farming, or industry. At its peak, in 1943,
over 80,000 women were
recruited into the Women's
Land Army.

Water bottle Real-life
in cloth carrier “Rosie”

CWAC cap Hair worn in
“Victory roll”

Canvas Notched Brass White shirt
shoulder bag lapel buttons and tie

with leather Stripes and
strap “curls”

Skirts hang just
below knee

Sari
replaces

skirt

Skirt hangs
16 in (40 cm)
off the ground

High-heeled “Ammo Boots” Brown
pumps worn with short stockings
canvas gaiters

Soldier’s sweetheart The man is in his British Army Army corps The uniform of the Canadian WRINS The Women’s Royal Indian Naval
combat uniform (P-37 or pattern 37). The pattern was Women’s Army Corps (CWAC) consisted of Service based its uniform on that of the
based on skiwear of the time. His girlfriend’s coat has a drab-colored barathea (fine wool) jacket WRENS, their British equivalent. However,
fashionably wide shoulders and a swing skirt. She wears and skirt worn with a khaki drill shirt, instead of a skirt, they wore a sari with a
a small-brimmed hat—hats did not require coupons. brown necktie, and canvas bag. slightly longer jacket, white shirt, and tie.

Collar is unpinned KHAKI TUNIC AND SKIRT 300 FROM GLAMOUR TO UTILITY

WOMEN’S
LEGION

This khaki uniform was worn by a volunteer in the
Women’s Legion, working alongside ARP (Air Raid
Precaution) wardens in England in World War II.
The corps was founded by the Marchioness of Londonderry
during World War I and at its peak had more than 6,000
members working directly with the army in catering and
transportation. During World War II Legion members
continued to act as drivers for the military and run canteens
and support victims in the aftermath of bombing raids.

Service stripes △ LEGION RECRUIT
on sleeve Legion officer Sybil Davis
wears the corps’ badges on
SIDE VIEW BACK VIEW her lapels and cap, and has
leather gauntlets for driving.

Fitted long-line IN DETAIL
tunic ares from
the waist and ◁ SHOULDER FLASH
skims the hips All ranks other than
officers wore shoulder
flashes bearing the
words “Women’s
Legion.” Officers
wore a narrow red
braiding below their
rank badges.

Regulation A-line ◁ BUTTONS
hemline ends skirt The World War I design
14 in (35 cm) bearing the Legion
above the ground Neutral letters was retained
stockings for buttons on the
epaulettes and pockets,
Leather brogues and closing the tunic
with a low heel or jacket.

◁ SHIRT AND TIE
Civilian coupons were
needed for the shirt
and tie. Jewelry and
handbags were not
permitted and only a
minimum of makeup
was allowed.

◁ POCKETS
Notebook pockets
had to be worn flat;
slouching with hands in
pockets was forbidden.

▽ LEATHER BELT
The broad belt has
equipment loops and a
stud and keeper to hold
the end in position.

◁ SMART TAILORING
Side and back vents
shape the tunic and
allow freedom of
movement. Members
were required to wear
full uniform correctly
when working in the
corps, and to maintain
a “smart alert bearing”
at all times.

302 FROM GLAMOUR TO UTILITY Snap brim, Only center
porkpie hat button
1939 –1946 Tattersall fastened

MENSWEAR ON shirt
CIVVY STREET
Flap
American General Limitation Order L-85 and Britain’s austerity pocket
regulations had a greater effect on women’s fashion than on
men’s. Menswear features such as patch pockets, “fancy backs,” Long coat
pants cuffs, and the buckles on vest adjusters were abandoned, but this
did not make much difference to the wide-legged, long-coated
silhouette. More important were wartime shortages, which played their
part in the demise of different suit types for different occasions. Even
before the war, an ample wardrobe had been beyond the reach of most
men. Now demobilized servicemen were issued with one “civvy” suit
only, and opinion differed on whether the, usually, good-quality cloth
made up for the poor fit. Clothes-conscious youth cultures began to
emerge—the male Latinos of Los Angeles and the Petits Swings or
Zazous of occupied Paris used fabric-consuming drape shapes, wide
peg trousers, and low-slung key chains to signal their disaffection.

SPIVS AND WIDE BOYS Workingman’s
cap

Wide Double-
lapels breasted
jacket

Pinstripe cloth Wide
trousers
1939
1940

Very wide
trouser legs

The origin of the word “spiv” applied to a Light-colored Oxfords
salesman is unknown, but the similar term shoes
“wide boy” could come from a penchant Sports suit The checked fabric used for this
for thickly striped suits, generous lapels, or Parisian casual The flat cap and slightly single-breasted suit signals its suitability for
wide, showy ties. A British phenomenon, ill-fitting suit, worn with a sweater instead informal occasions only. It was recommended
spivs waited on street corners, especially in of a vest, by this young French civilian in in the English gentleman’s magazine Pall Mall
London’s East End, for business that would the first year of the war suggest that he is Fashions for Fall/Winter 1940.
come their way. The spiv of wartime cartoons a man of slender means.
wore his suits double-breasted, his soft hat
angled, and his mustache neatly trimmed.

MENSWEAR ON CIVVY STREET 303

Homburg hat Light fedora with
dark hatband
Three-
button cuff Notched Soft-collar shirt set Open-
lapel off by a dark tie necked
worn with a pin sports shirt
Only two of
the three Single-
buttons close breasted vest

Belt Top pleats

1941 1943

Trousers narrow
toward ankle

Front
crease

Pin stripes Tightly
rolled
umbrella

Highly Trench Corespondent
polished coat (two-toned)
shoes
shoes
Sultan of swoon Frank Sinatra is
In town English tailors traditionally called a Muted elegance The always dapper photographed without a tie in a soft sports
single-breasted jacket a lounge coat and a double- Eduard Beneš, President of Czechoslovakia shirt, wide-cuffed peg trousers, and
breasted jacket a reefer coat. This example was in exile, arrived at his London offices wearing corespondent shoes. For suits, he favored
described as a “two-button (show three) D.B. a long-coated, three-piece lounge suit big knots when wearing four-in-hand ties.
Reefer Suit,” appropriate for city wear. underneath a trench coat.

Notched Heavyweight
lapel cloth

Three-piece, Notched
single-breasted suit lapel

includes vest

Flap pockets Checked 3/6 double-
fabric breasted
closure

1944 1945 1946

Front Front Fabric Slim fit
crease crease usually navy
or brown

Pin-striped
demob
trousers

Deep cuff

Suede Oxfords
Oxfords
Ulster “Demob” boxes contained a coat usually
Wide boy The clothes and the attitude of Demob suit When a British soldier had completed of the raincoat variety. This belted Ulster, a sporty
this young Londoner nonchalantly smoking his wartime service he had to report to a take on a traditional style, was popular in the
display several “wide-boy” characteristics: a demobilization center to be processed for civilian 1940s. Double-breasted versions required more
double-breasted suit, a hat worn at a rakish life. His gear was exchanged for a three-piece, fabric than utility coats.
angle, and a wide tie. single-breasted or two-piece, double-breasted suit.

304 FROM GLAMOUR TO UTILITY

1939 –1945 Hat worn at
jaunty angle
FASHION ON RATION Long-
sleeved
jacket

In March 1941 the British government imposed austerity regulations Flap pocket Darted for
limiting the amount of materials as well as features such as pleats and fitted waist
buttons that could be used in a garment’s production. In June of the 1939
same year rationing was introduced to ensure clothes were allocated Gored skirt
fairly. Ration books were issued, and set numbers of coupons had to be Hemline just
presented when buying clothing, cloth, footwear, and yarn for knitting. below knee
More specific guidelines were applied to garments produced as part
of the Utility Clothing Scheme. Clothes marked with the distinctive Puff
CC41 (Civilian Clothing 1941) label had to adhere to shoulder
government-set quality standards and were price controlled.
In May 1942 members of the Incorporated Society of London
Fashion Designers were asked by the Board of Trade
to contribute designs to a utility range to persuade
women that austerity could be chic. British Vogue
declared that the new silhouette, “straighter, trim
and businesslike,” was the only one to follow.

Fair Isle pattern Short and full This Vogue pattern was
knit from published just as Britain declared war against
Germany. The shortness of the skirt remained
used wool a feature of wartime clothing but its fullness
was soon to become a thing of the past.
Only two box
AUSTERITY SHOES pleats allowed Contrasting
edge
Leather was needed for army purposes, so per dress
an alternative material for shoe soles had Wide shoulders
to be found. Wood soles could be bought
coupon-free, but were disliked because Large
they were stiff and noisy to walk in. Split clutch bag
wooden soles attached by a leather hinge
were an attempt to solve the problems. 1943
The traditional Bavarian walking shoe, the
Haferlschuh, provided the inspiration for a
widely produced style that incorporated
side lacing and piping in contrasting colors.
On the footwear front, women were seen
to be at a disadvantage since their shoes
tended to wear out more quickly than
men’s. There were complaints that women
were using all the family’s coupons.

Deep hem

Hinged wooden sole Leather pumps
Utility lace-up
Ready-to-wear When first asked to design for
Moygashel Crease-resistant moygashel, an the ready-to-wear company Berketex, London
artificial fiber made from a viscose/polyester couturier Norman Hartnell refused, believing it
blend, was used for this dress. Patterned would harm his status. He later changed his
knitwear made use of many short lengths of mind and designed stylish utility dresses.
wool, obtained by unraveling old garments.

Hat with FASHION ON RATION 305
crushed
crown Halo hat

Utility range The utility Hats were
designs created by London coupon-free
fashion houses were not
Fur “necklace” attributed, but this wool suit
might be Victor Stiebel’s. The
1940 jacket shape is reminiscent of
British Army battle dress.

Button Pussy bow adds Gloves
closure feminine touch match hat

1942 Small
print
Slimline skirt fabric

Number of
buttons restricted

Frivolous bow Only six seams Asymmetric Wedge
on ankle strap allowed buckle heels
fastening

French fur In 1940 designer Molyneux created August 1942 A print dress by the London
a sensational fur “necklace” consisting of a firm Rahvia appeared in Picture Post under
figure-of-eight scarf of five marten skins. Even the heading “Austerity Clothes For The Fourth
during the war, such luxurious French fashions Year of The War.” Small prints could be easily
continued to appear. matched at the seams, reducing waste.

Fox-fur necktie Fine wool fabric

Self- MAKE DO AND MEND
covered
buttons To save materials, the British Board of
Trade advised housewives to “make do and
Gathered mend” and issued pamphlets explaining
at center how this could best be done. Holes were
covered with embroidery, shirt tails were
1944 used to replace frayed collars, and cheap,
surplus army blankets were dyed and made
Narrow into coats. Many a serviceman was said to
skirt have returned from the front to find his
wardrobe raided
Rationed fur According to a booklet issued by and transformed
the British Board of Trade, loose fur skins were into clothes for his
not rationed but a fur skin made into a “tie” female relatives—
required five coupons. If several skins were plus fours proving
used for a tie, each skin required five coupons. to be particularly
useful. Blackout
cloth, which
could be bought
without coupons,
was another
popular material
to use for slacks,
slips, and
underwear.

Wartime
pamphlet

306 FROM GLAMOUR TO UTILITY

STYLED BY

HOLLYWOOD

Hollywood became a big fashion influence in the 1930s.
Movie-going was a major hobby and alluring movie outfits
provided escapism from the Depression and the war in
Europe. Animal prints flourished after the Tarzan movies;
while bias-cut, satin, Jean Harlow-style evening wear and
Katharine Hepburn’s casual look found numerous admirers.

A white cotton organdie confection stole the show in the
1932 movie Letty Lynton. Worn by Joan Crawford, the
gown’s huge sleeves helped popularize the padded-shoulder
line, promoted by Schiaparelli, of the 1930s and 40s.
New York department store Macy’s was said to have sold
thousands of copies. The Letty Lynton gown was designed
by legendary Hollywood costumier Adrian (Gilbert Adrian,
1903–59); other influential contemporary Hollywood
designers included Edith Head, Travis Banton, and Walter
Plunkett. For The Women (1939), a hit movie about
Manhattan socialites (shown here), Adrian gave each
central character a distinct look. The movie was shot in
black and white but with a short Technicolor fashion-show
sequence featuring avant-garde Adrian designs that caused
a stir. Small, jauntily angled hats like those worn by the cast
became very popular in the US at this time, while Adrian’s pill
box, slouch, and trenchcoat styles were already much copied
from Garbo movies. His square-shouldered look for Crawford
(right) became a popular 1930s and 40s silhouette.

Hollywood’s ascent in the fashion industry was helped
because designers had to create outfits that looked ahead of
the trend by the time the movie was released. The fashions
were then copied by retailers and American design started
to move away from Paris—“historical” couture styles of the
1930s, for example, borrowed from Hollywood costume.

We, the couturiers, can no
longer live without the cinema
any more than the cinema can
live without us. We corroborate
each other’s instinct.

LUCIEN LELONG, 1935

MOVIE FASHION PARADE ▷
In this still from The Women (1939), cast members, including Norma Shearer
(seated, white hat), Joan Crawford (standing, extravagant plumes), and Rosalind

Russell (knitting), are shown outfits at a high-end fashion house.



308 FROM GLAMOUR TO UTILITY Tyrolean-style hat Hair in
neat waves
1935 – 1944 Wide inset
mimics blouse Slim
AMERICAN silhouette
READY-TO-WEAR and jacket
Stylish day
Following the invasion of Paris in June 1940, the rest of Europe and the White shoes
United States were cut off from French couture for four years. During cuffs
the previous decade, American fashion designers had begun to develop
a distinctive style, focusing on easy-to-wear, modern clothing as opposed to 1935
the elaborate and elite confections of Paris. Practicality was one prominent
characteristic, and resulted in the use of easy-care fabrics, adaptable styles, Luncheon wear High
and capsule wardrobes with elements that could be interchanged. The need society continued to
for simplicity required by mass production was not seen as a hindrance wear different types
but was used to advantage. The work of New York-based, ready-to-wear of clothing at different
designers was promoted as symbolic of American values such as democracy, times of day. This dress by
pioneer spirit, and a pragmatic approach to life. The creations of made-to- Mme. Clayton of New York is
measure designers such as Valentina and Adrian, who continued in the being modeled during a fashion
couture tradition, were less aligned with national identity. benefit luncheon at New York’s
luxury Versailles Restaurant.

ON FIFTH AVENUE Knit, standing collar
with strap closure
Pleats create
slight puff Zipper on
either side
of neck

Knit sleeves
in contrasting
color

Buttoned belt

Sleeve
slightly

ared

The recognition of home-grown design 1937 1938
talent in America depended heavily on the
Fifth Avenue department store Lord & Godets (inset Deep box
Taylor, particularly the promotional activities fabric pieces) pleats
of Dorothy Shaver, who became the store’s create fullness
vice president in 1931. In 1932, at the
height of the Great Depression, a series of Contrasts This witty design by Claire Potter Slip-on style This pleated version of one of
window displays featured the work of New incorporates a knit collar and sleeves. Although Claire McCardell’s most famous designs, the
York designers rather than the manufacturers Potter was known as a great colorist, she used “Monastic” is made of open-weave wool.
they worked for. A year later a press release a pared-down palette for this dress. Her designs Zippers on either side of the neck allow the dress
extolled the output of what was called “The emphasised the figure. to be slipped on; a wide belt provides the shape.
American Designers’ Movement,” and in
1938 the store inaugurated the annual
$1,000 Lord & Taylor American Design
awards. In 1945 the store launched another
campaign to promote “The American Look,”
a phrase they also copyrighted.

AMERICAN READY-TO-WEAR 309

Straw Soft
beret tricorn hat

Stand-up Halter neck (cut
collar low at back)

Bishop Metallic
sleeves trim

Off-white Belt trim
silk blouse adds
interest

Long coat Dart Skirt
and skirt below slightly
bust
Denimlike fabric ared

Velvet trim Hemline well
below knee

Contrast
stitching

Deep patch
pockets

Simple lines Designer Helen Cookman Smart casual The simple design of this green
produced good-quality, ready-to-wear lines and knit dress is enlivened by the metallic fastening
was known for her tailored clothes and tweeds. at the collar and the belt. Described as a
The simple line of this ensemble is underlined “sports dress,” it would have been regarded
by the use of velvet trim in strategic places. as stylish casual wear for town and country.

Two side Simple FOOTWEAR TRENDS
pockets, tailored
coat Before the war Paris not only dictated
with fashionable silhouettes but was the source
contrast of inspiration for accessories. American
shoe manufacturer Delman—founder of
lining one of the top footwear brands in the US—
opened a design studio in Paris, so that he
1942 Skirt and could keep up with the latest trends in
vest worn shoes. The designs he brought back to sell
underneath in America during the 1930s had the added
fashion credibility of being Paris models.
1944
Parisian influence was lost during the war,
Hem but made a comeback toward the late
below 1940s. At this time Italian shoe design also
knees started to gain fashion credence with the
production of light, elegant sandals with
slimmed-down heels. The two pairs of
American shoes illustrated below show
the influence of the new European designs,
featuring cutaway sections that reveal more
of the foot, and higher, slimmer heels than
in previous years.

Coordinating separates This 1942 ensemble Vacation clothes Claire McCardell designed this Peep toes Cutaway sides
by Vera Maxwell includes a bloomer playsuit, practical resort-wear ensemble for Townley Frocks.
skirt, vest, and tailored coat, all made from The skirt and halter top could be interchanged with
artificially produced fabrics developed shorts and a slip-on blouse. McCardell liked to use
by American companies. practical, easy-care fabrics like “everfast cotton.”

310 FROM GLAMOUR TO UTILITY Extremely wide, Simple, black
padded shoulders headscarf
1943 –1946
Double- Belted
COMPETITIVE breasted waistband
COUTURE
closure

Commenting on the Paris Spring Collections of 1945, American Vogue 1943
noted “a very slight tendency toward the longer skirts, Balenciaga,
Lelong, and Rochas showing them a bit more below the knee.” The American style This soft wool coat by
supremacy of French couture had been challenged during World War II, with ready-to-wear designer Monte-Sano strikes
Norman Hartnell claiming that London fashion designers had given “the a bold silhouette. The width of fabric over the
home product a stability and elegance which hitherto was possessed by Paris shoulder pads is gathered into deep folds at
alone.” After the Liberation of Paris in August 1944, the fight for the place the waist and forms an extremely full skirt.
at the top of the fashion tree and the search for a new silhouette began.
French designers did not waste time and soon dispatched their latest outfits
to cities in Europe and the US. In London, the 1946 Britain Can Make It
exhibition showcased 5,000 goods destined for export, including ready-to-
wear and couture clothing, which were seen by almost 1.5 million visitors.
In October 1945, Life magazine declared that “New York custom dresses
are high fashion.” But could the US and Britain resist the lure of Paris chic?

UTILITY CLOTHING

Dark Braided
gloves “crown”

Square
shoulders

Fitted
waistband

Crescent-shaped
clutch bag with
wide strap

1946

1944 advertisement Gathering Skirt just
over hips below
Austerity Regulations, which had simplified for a fuller knee
the female silhouette, were lifted in England
in 1946, but clothes rationing continued for skirt
another three years. Utility clothing had
ensured that good-quality garments were Spring fashions Despite being part of the V-necks Despite cloth shortages, very wide
available to all at modest and regulated Spring Utility collection, this dress shows a more shoulders became fashionable toward the end
prices, and was not phased out until 1952. balanced and feminine silhouette than earlier in of the war. These two outfits are variations on a
This 1944 advertisement for the utility range the decade. The slight gathering into the skirt theme: V-necks, narrow waists, skirts with pleats
of the London ready-to-wear company increases emphasis on the waist and hips. on either side of a flat front, and dark accessories.
Jaeger shows the wide shoulders and short
skirts typical of the war years; the narrowing
waists and the slight flare of the skirt on the
right are pointers to the future.

COMPETITIVE COUTURE 311

Herringbone Seams Cossack- THEATER DE LA MODE
pattern used for style hat
shaping and Sleeves
emphasis Wide narrow
shoulders toward

wrist

1945

Hem just In 1945, French couturiers staged what
below Harpers Bazaar called “a luxurious puppet
knee show” to collect funds for war survivors and
to revive the French fashion industry. Each
Balenciaga The straight shoulders and boxy house donated up to five outfits, as well
silhouette seen in England in the war years as accessories, to dress more than 170
were not so prominent in Paris. The narrow fashion dolls. After a debut in Paris in March
waist and the full upper sleeves of Balenciaga’s 1945, shows followed in London, Leeds,
wool coat, plus a large hat, introduce drama. Copenhagen, Stockholm, and Vienna
before the mannequins arrived in New York
in May 1946, now clad in the latest spring/
summer collection. While they had been
traveling a fashion revolution had occurred.

Hat with
tall crown

Collar in Tuxedo
contrasting front
fabric

Narrow skirt Cinched-in
with box pleats waist

Vanity Full skirt
case
Peep-toe
Peep-toe, sandals
sling-back
Charles James The complex seams of this sandals Balmain The first postwar Paris shows caused
herringbone wool suit by US-based Charles both indignation and admiration. Luxuriously
James emphasize the outfit’s silhouette and Wide shoulders Having made the first full skirts, as seen in Pierre Balmain’s coat and
accentuate the nipped-in waist by approaching transcontinental rail trip from Los Angeles to candy-striped dress, stood in contrast to the dire
it from the sleeves. The central button draws New York, this passenger disembarks in style circumstances in which many Parisians still lived.
further attention to the waistline. in a wide-shouldered jacket with a narrow
waist, slim skirt, and a spotted veil.



OPTIMISM

AND YOUTH

1947–1963

314 1947–1963

OPTIMISM
AND YOUTH

Most of Europe faced a long period of recovery following World 1947 1948–50 1951–52
War II, but France’s fashion industry resurfaced quickly, with
the Chambre Syndicale ensuring that the Paris couture houses 1947 1948 1951
could open and show collections. On a cold February day in 1947
Christian Dior showed his La Corolle collection, sowing the seeds of Princess Elizabeth The 21st academy American disc jockey Alan
glamour and creating the basic shape of fashion for the next decade. of Great Britain awards introduces Freed popularizes the term
In Britain clothes rationing lasted until 1950, but Mayfair couturiers marries Lieutenant an award for Best “rock ’n’ roll.” New teen
such as Hardy Amies produced their version of Dior’s “New Look” Philip Mountbatten; Costume Design. styles emerge linked to the
for English women eager for new styles in a drab postwar world. her Norman Hartnell music, such as “Teddy boys”
wedding dress and prom dresses.
Europe and America is the main topic
of conversation.
Buyers from North America traveled to Paris to secure toiles
(mock-ups of garments) to reproduce “Paris Fashions” in the major ◀ Academy award
department stores back home. In Hollywood, costume designers
including Helen Rose and Edith Head were inspired by the styles 1949
coming from Paris, and produced their own versions, including the
ice-cool, elegant clothes worn by stars like Grace Kelly in Hitchcock’s Dorothy Shaver, president of
Rear Window. There was a connection between Italian style, Lord and Taylor department
traditionally excellent for knitwear and printed silk, and American store, launches a line of
fashion, perhaps through the GIs stationed in Italy during the war, casual but elegant
perhaps through mass emigration to the US. Designers in both sportswear dubbed “The
countries, such as Tina Leser and Claire McCardell in America and American Look.” It is based
Emilio Pucci in Italy, produced stylishly casual clothes, as opposed to on an earlier advertising
the more formal feel of French and British fashion. This easier approach campaign featuring designs
to dressing struck a chord, particularly with younger women. by Claire McCardell, Clare
Potter, and Bonnie Cashin.
New consumers
▲ Rock-’n’-roll-style, poodle skirt
Against the backdrop of an uncertain world haunted by the Cold
War and an insidious nuclear threat, young people developed their 1950 1952
own culture. A new term was coined—“the teenager”—and they Father of the Bride, starring
wanted clothes just for themselves. There was a new breed too of Spencer Tracy and Elizabeth Jack Kerouac publishes On
cultural hero or role model, men like Elvis Presley who wore leather Taylor, is released. The lace the Road, which inspires a
flight jackets and other military surplus, and young men wanted to wedding dress worn by Taylor generation of beatniks who
look like him. Work wear and denim blue jeans also crossed boundaries in the movie is considered wear slim-fitting, black
and became fashion wear for both young men and young women. one of her most iconic looks. clothes, berets, and dark
glasses. Audrey Hepburn’s
▼ Elizabeth Taylor in Father of Funny Face in 1957 further
the Bride popularizes
the style.

▲ Christian Dior ▶ Original scroll
manuscript for
1947 On the Road

Dior shows his first collection,
immediately named “The
New Look” by American
fashion editor Carmel Snow,
putting Paris back on the
fashion map.

COSTUME DESIGNER 1952
Edith Head designed costumes for movie
stars including Gloria Swanson, Janet Balenciaga shows the sack
Leigh, and Grace Kelly. She won the Oscar dress, an early stylistic
for Best Costume Design eight times. move toward looser-fitting
garments, which appear in
the late 1950s and 60s, and
include cocoon coats and
shift dresses.

TIME LINE 315

Fashion is not frivolous. It is part
of being alive today.

MARY QUANT, FASHION DESIGNER, 1960S

1953–54 1955–56 1957–58 1959–60 1961–62 1963

1953 1955

Coronation of Queen Rebel Without a Cause is
Elizabeth II, and London released, launching its star,
couturiers including John James Dean, as a style icon
Cavanagh, Victor Stiebel, for the rising youth culture.
and Mattli make ball gowns His death a year later
for guests at coronation cements his legendary status.
balls and dances.

◀ Rebel Without a Cause poster

1953 1957 ▲ Brunette Barbie with brocade ▲ John F. Kennedy is sworn in
The Wild One is released; Jailhouse Rock, starring Elvis dress and coat (available 1959–64) while Jackie Kennedy, wearing a
Marlon Brando’s Presley, marks the spread of gray coat by Oleg Cassini teamed
representation of disaffected rock-and-roll style. 1959 with a pillbox hat and fur muff,
youth popularizes blue jeans Debut of Barbie doll, marketed looks on
and leather jackets. ▼ Scene from Jailhouse Rock as a “Teen-age Fashion Model.”
1961
1953
Pierre Cardin shows his John F. Kennedy becomes
first collection in Paris. president. His wife, first
lady Jacqueline Kennedy,
soon becomes a fashion
icon.

1954 1955 1961 1963

Easy-to-wash and easy- Stiletto heels are popular Fur coats are much sought The Beatles make their first
to-dry nylon twinsets by the mid-1950s aided by after because they are seen national TV appearance.
advertised in British Vogue new technology. Ultrathin, as a status symbol. Their identical haircuts
fashion magazine. ultrahigh steel heels could Movements in the following became a popular look
sustain great pressure in decades protest vigorously among young men on both
comparison to wood heels. against the wearing of fur. sides of the Atlantic.

◀ Full-length fur coat with shawl ▼ “Beatlemania” takes hold and
collar and wide cocoon shape the group’s look is widely copied

1955 1962
Mary Quant opens her
influential store, Bazaar, The Sidney Janis Gallery in
in London. New York exhibits works by
contemporary American pop
◀ Mary Quant’s store artists and the “Nouveau
on the King’s Road Réalisme” movement in a
groundbreaking show called
1956 the “International Exhibition of
Movie star Grace Kelly the New Realists.”
marries Prince Rainier of
Monaco in a religious 1958 1959
ceremony, wearing a lace
wedding dress designed by The youthful Yves Saint Lycra, also known as
Helen Rose. Laurent shows his first spandex or elastane, is
collection at Dior—Trapeze— invented. It revolutionizes
after Dior’s death in 1957. performance sportswear and
then fashionable dress.

316 OPTIMISM AND YOUTH Rounded
shoulder
1947–1955
Nipped-in
THE NEW LOOK waist

Two years after the end of World War II, French haute couture designer Padded hips
Christian Dior introduced the New Look. The silhouette he defined had had
its beginnings in the late 1930s, but during the war its development was put 1947
on hold until couturiers started showing again in 1944. Other designers were also
working on similar skirt shapes but the fashion media credited Dior with the Pleated
inception of the New Look. Dior’s collection—his first—marked a change from the full skirt
shapes of the previous decade. Before and during the war a square-shouldered and
boxy utility suit, which saved on fabrics during rationing, was prominent. The
New Look collection, launched in February 1947, included rounded or sloped
shoulders; a tiny, nipped-in waist (achieved via a short corset and other
undergarments); padded and rounded hips; and a very full skirt
with heavy pleating. Extra fabric and a slip helped to create
the skirt’s fullness.

Demure dressing Silk grosgrain Round red New Look defined The design that started
French couturier Jacques bodice with buttons it all, this Bar Suit of 1947 by Dior defined
Heim designed this New faux-pearl the silhouette of the 1950s. Carmel Snow,
Look-inspired dress in button fastening American editor of Harper's Bazaar, called the
1950. Less flamboyant collection the “New Look” and the name stuck.
than his colleagues, Heim Accentuated
designed couture that waist
was both utilitarian and
ladylike for clients. He Padded hips
also launched a line
aimed specifically at Rounded
a younger clientele. shoulder line

Box pleats for Sculptural
fullness wasp waist

1950 1952

NEW LOOK UNDERWEAR Casual Fabric released
elegance from pleats
Those re-creating the New Look style
utilized separate undergarments to Matching Ankle-strap
create the ideal silhouette. Short corsets, red shoes sandals
girdles, brassieres, or waist cinchers
proved to be the basis of fashions American day wear This 1950s shirtwaist day Luxury fabric Dior’s New Look collection of
during this period and helped women dress from Los Angeles was like those typically 1947 also included Chérie, this blue silk taffeta
to achieve this hyperfeminine look. worn by the American housewife. It is of simple dinner dress. The skirt is made of a full width
red and white cotton gingham, and includes a of fabric, from selvage to selvage, much of
The Spencer “Spen-support” plastic belt and a necktie of matching fabric. which is used to pad the hips.

Luxurious Coordinated THE NEW LOOK 317
materials accessories
PRINCESS MARGARET
Refined Sequins
tailoring and lace An early adopter of the New
Look, Princess Margaret
1948 Silk shirtwaist began wearing this style
in 1948 in the form of a
Floral suit designed for her by
motifs the famed British designer
to the royal family, Norman
Spanish style This exquisite cocktail dress by Hartnell. At each formal
Spanish designer Cristóbal Balenciaga utilizes appearance, her
the New Look silhouette to great effect. The wardrobe reflected
toreador-like black lace in floral motifs over the style of the
deep red silk references the bullfights of Spain. day. She grew
to be recognized
Lavender for her elegant, refined,
print and timeless dress
sense, and quickly
Emphasis became an iconic
on hips fashion figure.
She is pictured
1955 here arriving in
Trinidad in 1955.
Full
skirt Sharp,
tailored
details

Full, gathered
skirt

Cocktail-length
wedding dress

Wide pleats

Feminine florals In 1953 Dior began to use The well-dressed wife Formal Tailored French designer Hubert de Givenchy
bold floral patterns in his New Look dresses, American designer Anne Fogarty is sandals created this tailored New Look suit in 1955 for
and other designers quickly followed suit. Susan best known for her 1959 book, Wife actress Leslie Caron to wear on stage. The skirt is
Small, a British ready-to-wear firm, created this of alternating pleats of silk moiré and wool, and
beautiful floral-print party dress in 1955. Dressing: The Fine Art of Being a the narrow-waisted jacket has off-center buttons.
Well-Dressed Wife, and for her love of
simple New Look-style shirtwaist dresses,
such as this wedding dress from 1955.

Simplicity, good taste,
and grooming are the
three fundamentals of
good dressing.

CHRISTIAN DIOR

OPTIMISM AND YOUTH 319

DESIGNER

CHRISTIAN DIOR

French designer Christian Dior’s revolutionary “New Carmel Snow. So began ten years in which the diligent,
Look” dominated women’s wear from the late fastidious, and shyly modest Dior was at the fashion
1940s to the mid-1950s. Suddenly, waists were world’s pinnacle, bringing Paris-centered haute couture
cinched in and tiny, busts high and prominent, shoulders back after a period of US-style ascendancy. Rita Hayworth,
soft and sloping, and skirts longer than before and Margot Fonteyn, and Princess Margaret were among
voluminous. Dior’s hourglass look revived stiffened many glittering devotees, and in 1957 Dior accounted
bodices and crinolines, and used lavish quantities of for over half of all Paris haute-couture sales.
heavy, expensive fabric. After the plain, boxier styles
of World War II, this return to extravagance and the Changing shapes △ TRADEMARK STYLE
femininity of the past was perplexing to some, but Dior was kind, conscientious, and loved
others found it refreshing and alluring. After Corolle came Spring 1953’s Tulip collection by his employees. He is seen here in
of flowery colors and patterns, and a series of looser 1957 with one of his models, who
In his earlier years Dior had studied political science silhouettes. The “H” shape (1954) narrowed and wears a superbly styled Dior suit.
and had also helped to run an art gallery, but in 1935
he began selling fashion illustrations to newspapers and flattened with an accent across the hips, while ◁ DIOR FOR EVENING
to designers such as Robert Piguet. By 1938 he was spring 1955 saw “A-line” suits influenced by A stunning take on the hobble skirt in
Piguet’s assistant designer. At Piguet’s Dior produced men’s tailoring and flaring from the shoulder; fall’s gleaming satin, this model was presented
round-hipped, narrowing “amphora” dresses, “Y-line” brought tapered skirts and emphasis on at Dior’s Fall/Winter 1959 show.
which reappeared later. He attracted much shoulders. Other style-setting trademarks included Self-fabric roses clutch the dress above
attention with a Café Anglais outfit for sumptuous evening dresses, dramatic “coolie” and the knees, creating a full, bloused effect.
Spring 1939, featuring a houndstooth wool “cartwheel” hats, ropes of pearls, standaway
dress with a tight-fitting top and full skirt. collars, princess-seamed dresses, half-belts
on jackets and coats, and stoles. Navy blue,
Looking to the past black, and white were favorite colors. Eastern
touches were seen in tunic dresses and
Dior’s next fashion post (1941–46) was cheongsams (straight dresses with stand-up
at the House of Lucien Lelong—first collars and a side split). Dior’s styles later loosened
alongside fellow assistant Balmain, into forms such as the vareuse (pea coat).
then as principal designer. Here, while After Dior died in 1957, his young assistant,
making costumes for the film Le Lit à Yves St. Laurent, took the reins, followed by Marc
Colonnes (1942), set in the later 1800s, Dior’s Bohan, Gianfranco Ferré, John Galliano, and Raf
research into period fashions and tailoring Simons. Dior’s success stemmed in part from his
techniques fired his imagination. brilliance at what today is known as marketing, and
that flair for product promotion is as much his legacy
Dior opened his own house in 1946, thanks as his New Look. While at the top for only about
to the backing of textile producer Marcel a decade, the influence of his still-thriving, multi-
Boussac. His first collection, for spring 1947— product global brand has been enormous, and he
named Corolle after its inverted petal shape has been a major inspiration to designers from
and featuring the iconic Bar suit—was called Christian Lacroix to the Marchesa label.
the “New Look” by Harper’s Bazaar editor

TIME LINE 1905 Born in 1938 Hired as 1941 Takes post ▷ 1947 Presents 1953 Launches Tulip 2011–12
Granville, Normandy Robert Piguet’s at Lucien Lelong; first collection, collection, with floral patterns Galliano leaves.
assistant designer. later made soon to be
Begins to develop principal designer dubbed the 1996 John Galliano, first Raf Simons
“New Look” Englishman to run a French appointed
Dior look couture house, leaves Givenchy to artistic director
become Dior’s artistic director
1900 1935 Starts 1946 Founds 1950 ◁ 2009 Galliano
career as a own fashion 1957 Dies at holds triumphant
Montecatini, Italy Spring/Summer
fashion illustrator house in Paris show
1990
1930 1940 2000

◁ ICONIC DIOR The hat, the nipped-in waist, and the full skirt all add up to the “New Look” of 1947.

320 OPTIMISM AND YOUTH Stiffened collar
Lace was often removed
ANTIQUE LACE from an earlier garment and
incorporated into a wedding
WEDDING dress because it was an
DRESS heirloom or, as here, a gift
to the bride
There was a vogue for ballerina-
length wedding dresses in the Darts at the
mid- to late 1950s, often made of elbow narrow
or incorporating lace. This dress, created and shape the
for an English wedding in 1960, shows an lower sleeve
evolution in style from one fashion icon
to the next. In the heady optimism of the Three-quarter-
1950s, Grace Kelly-style dresses like this length sleeves
one—with tiny waists, luxurious full skirts, with lace-trimmed
and copious lace—were copied widely. “wedding points”
Lace production stopped during World
War II, and afterward it was sought after Waist sits just
obsessively. The neat tailoring reflects the below natural
style of an emerging fashion icon, waistline
Jacqueline Kennedy, who became the first
lady in 1960. Made of heavy ivory silk, the
gown was designed by Christina Ciapella
working with the bride, Margaret Carter.
Ivory was a sophisticated color choice in
the 1960s, and the scooped neckline
showcases the antique lace collar.

▷ ACCESSORIES
The bride’s accessories
included cream leather
shoes and a tiny brown
feather hat with a veil.

VEIL

SHOES

Skirt falls in
heavy, unpressed

box pleats

SIDE VIEW

Collar stands clear WEDDING DRESS 321
of the dress
IN DETAIL
Dropped
waistline ◁ BACK CLOSURE
falls into A fashionable long zipper runs
a deep V down the back of the dress from
the deep, curved V of the
neckline. The plunging V of
antique lace, and the inverted V
of the dropped waistline at the
back, mirror the shape to
gorgeous effect. The back of a
wedding dress is particularly
important since this is what the
guests see during the ceremony.

◁ LACE COLLAR
The front of the dress is
completely plain other than the
embellishment of a deep band
of 19th-century lace, thought to
be a type of Brussels lace called
“Duchesse.” It was donated to
the bride by an elderly friend.
Reusing lace and other fabrics
has a long tradition to do with
the expense of textiles as well as
the sentiment attached to them.

◁ BOAT NECKLINE
The stiffened lace at shoulder
height is cut wide to flatter the
neck and shoulders, and creates
the illusion of a cap sleeve,
popular on wedding dresses
at the time.

◁ SIDE SEAMS
A perfect hourglass shape is
produced using two sets of
princess seams at each side of
the bodice, running from the
waist to the bust and armholes,
with another two seams at the
back ending at shoulder-blade
height. The dropped waist
lengthens the body.

◁ BOX-PLEATED SKIRT
The skirt falls just below the
knee, its width gathered into
wide box pleats. Petticoats with
Vilene (a synthetic stiffener)
help to create the shape.

322 OPTIMISM AND YOUTH Demure
neckline
1950 –1959
Silk grosgrain
THE COCKTAIL
HOUR Machine-
embroidered
With the hard times of World War II behind them,
the growing middle class of the 1950s started roundels
to respond to the dawn of a new age and
live their lives in different ways. Cocktail parties, 1950
often held at home, were part of the changing
world. The appropriately named cocktail dress, Strapless Wide,
along with a veiled cocktail hat and gloves, were bodice ared
the requisite attire for such gatherings. The formal,
mid-calf length dresses of luxurious materials such skirt
as velvets and brocades were meant to be worn
between the hours of six and eight in the evening. Feminine
French designer Christian Dior first coined the term side bow
“cocktail dress,” and his New Look silhouette defined
its romantic style with a tight bodice and full skirt Summer dress French designer
emphasizing the waist. But cocktail dresses were not Pierre Balmain created this dress for
restricted to the bouffant skirt, and many designers the jeune fille (young woman). Its light
experimented with the narrower sheath style. color, simple silhouette, and Swiss
embroidery imply the innocence of
youth. A layered slip with a heavily
boned bodice creates the ideal shape.

White silk Dotted Gathered skirt
taffeta net yoke

Gathered net Fitted
bodice
1955

Extends Brown and Dior’s A-line Dior was inspired by
below knee purple-lilac intersecting diagonals for his 1955
print Spring/Summer collection, and he aptly
Little black dress For this 1955 dress, Madame named it the A-line. This short evening
Grès—a French couture house headed by Germaine dress from that collection includes
Émilie Krebs (also known as Alix Barton)—was a cross-over drape bustier with a
inspired by the veiled cocktail hat. Spotted net gathered skirt creating a bowknot.
is draped into an elegant side bustle.

Ties on THE COCKTAIL HOUR 323
shoulder SHOES

Layered, Strapless silk Jean Snug
scalloped Dessès, a Greek designer waist
born in Egypt, drew
bodice inspiration from his
Tightly tailored travels. He designed this
delicate silk organza dress
1951 for Princess Margaret in
1951. A wavelike bodice
Loose pleats and the sea-blue color
at skirt suggest Dessès was
inspired by the ocean.
Long, fitted
bodice Open-toed,
grosgrain shoe
1957
1953
Froufrou
skirt Stiff silk Gold kid peep-
organza toe sandals
Froufrou Inspired
by both Spanish Influential Fath French fashion designer Not surprisingly, short cocktail attire placed
flamenco dress and Jacques Fath designed this stunning silk and emphasis on the exposed foot and ankle,
ballet costumes of the wool cocktail dress in 1953. A well-known requiring an elegant shoe. The high-heeled,
day, French designer name in the Paris couture industry, his designs generally pump, quickly became the icon
Pierre Balmain created appealed to the international, younger woman. of the decade and was soon adopted by
this extravagant cocktail Hollywood starlets like Jayne Mansfield and
dress in 1957 for the Marilyn Monroe, who furthered its sexy
modern young woman. image. Gold kid peep-toes, such as those
The taffeta and tulle are seen here from 1951, were an alternative.
edged with satin ribbon.
Strapless sheath
and wrap

Boned
bodice

Silk ribbon Wraparound
around waist bodice and skirt

Overskirt cut away
at back to reveal
petticoat slip

1958

Bold oral
print

Frilled net Narrow skirt
gives bustle
effect

Accordion Layered net Created for Lanvin by Spanish- Sheath dress This 1958 sheath dress with
pleating and born, but Paris-based, designer Antonio matching wrap in a pink and green floral motif
rosettes Castillo, this dress has its own built-in slip. was created by British manufacturer Rodney
Black net with white felt spots covers layers Dresses. It is an example of an alternative skirt
of silk taffeta, net, and gauze. shape acceptable for the cocktail hour.



OPTIMISM AND YOUTH 325

POST WAR

PERFECTION

Cecil Beaton’s 1948 photograph of stunning evening gowns
by leading American couturier Charles James encapsulates
the heady optimism and return to glamour of postwar New
York. Wartime closures of French maisons and tight postwar
travel budgets had turned influential US magazine editors
toward homegrown design. A vibrant scene of high society
and fashionable clubs, along with a rapidly strengthening
economy, gave American designers a further boost. New
York had become a rising fashion location.

Evening wear in the late 1940s and 1950s by designers such
as Dior, Balenciaga, and Balmain reveled in copious fabric
and the glamorized, old-fashioned feminine ideal. English-
born James, widely considered the only true US couturier,
was said to have inspired Dior’s New Look silhouette, the
ultimate antidote to wartime utility.

James was an obsessive perfectionist, best known for
dressing socialites in fabulously expensive, dramatic gowns.
These intricately constructed sculptures, fabricating a
perfect postwar woman, were art forms in their own right.
James used boning and multiple layers of silk, satin, taffeta,
and tulle to build 19th-century-influenced gowns with
expressive shapes and complex seaming, spiral draping and
wrapping, asymmetric features, light-catching materials,
and differently colored layers that flashed as the wearer
glided across a room. Totally self-supporting, these
hourglass garments tightly molded and defined the torso,
before exploding into vast skirts reminiscent of butterfly
and swans’ wings or four-leaved clovers.

America’s greatest couturier, the
world’s best and only dressmaker
who has raised it from an applied
art to a pure art form.

CRISTOBAL BALENCIAGA ON CHARLES JAMES

◁ “HIGH-SOCIETY” TABLEAU
Poised Vogue models imitate a high-society scene in an elegant,
neoclassical New York interior. Narcissistically checking themselves in
mirrors or touching their fashionably showy jewelry, they are more like
statues than real women, representing subtle variations of a feminine ideal.

326 OPTIMISM AND YOUTH Wrapped Strapless
bodice
1950 –1957 Flowing
Natural sash
COUTURE waist
GOWNS
1950
Typically worn to balls and grand occasions by the wealthy
elite, haute couture evening gowns were the ultimate Ankle-length
expression of couture house art. They were bold and skirt
dramatic, and intended to draw attention to the wearer.
Designers used the finest fabrics and the most intricate Sweetheart Fit and flare This Cristóbal Balenciaga gown
techniques to create them. Best known were French designers bodice shows the dramatic flare expected of haute couture
Christian Dior, Pierre Balmain, and Hubert de Givenchy; evening wear. Often inspired by his native Spain,
Spanish designer Cristóbal Balenciaga; and the American- Fitted his design draws on the bullfighting tradition with a
based Charles James. While based on a runway model, waist sash over an intricately embroidered columnar skirt.
a gown could be customized to the needs of a
client for a specific event. The New Look silhouette
emphasized the hourglass figure, with its narrow
waist. Married women wore strapless gowns but
young unmarried women wore gowns with straps
or capped sleeves. Skirts were usually full, though
the columnar sheath also grew popular.

Covered
shoulders

Slightly Cowl neckline Cream
attened satin
Fullness
bust at back Copper colored
roses
Princess
seams

1955

Ankle-length
skirt

Heavy brocade Hubert de Givenchy, who trained 18th-century inspiration Titled Antonia and Slight train
under Balenciaga, designed this evening dress. Using designed by Pierre Balmain, this gown was inspired
a heavy silk matelassé brocade in emerald green, by 18th-century structure and trimmings. It includes Taffeta gown Cuban-born American designer
Givenchy’s design elements include a draped cowl heavy embroidery work, pearl beading, gold scrolls, Luis Estevez created this gown. After training
neckline and a slightly dropped, sloping waistline. green foliage, and red chiffon roses. in Paris at the House of Patou, Estevez returned
to the US to start his own label, which sold at
department stores such as Bergdorf Goodman.

Bare shoulders COUTURE GOWNS 327

Cross-over Velours de Lyon White Matching
bodice (black velvet) duchess bolero
satin
Tight waist Heavy Silk
understructure organza
Flowers, beads,
1953 and sequins

Wide skirt 1954

Ankle length Clover
hemline
Reveal and conceal This strapless black gown
uses a peekaboo bodice treatment, further Floor length
emphasizing the décolletage. Made of silk taffeta,
the full skirt reveals a section of light pink Clover gown Charles James created his Four-Leaf Custom couture Christian Dior designed this gown,
underskirt below a see-through net panel. Clover gown for Mrs. William Randolph Hearst, Jr. to La Ligne Muguet, based on his runway model Belle de
wear to the Eisenhower Inaugural Ball. His background Nuit for socialite Gloria Guinness. Intricate handwork,
in architecture and his tendency toward sculptural, including beading, metallic embroidery, and ribbon
highly controlled silhouettes are evident here. work, emphasizes the luxury of his couture work.

Strapless Strapless and ACCESSORIES
youthful
Folded Dior necklace and
bustline matching earrings

Wild silk Rhinestone-
organza encrusted bracelet
Women who could afford to buy expensive
Petticoat slip Full-length couture gowns usually had real jewels—
adds width gown including diamonds, emeralds, and rubies—
to go with them. Pearls were popular too,
1957 Gathered either in single strands, or combined with
skirt other elements in statement pieces such as
Draped the 1959 pearl necklace and earrings seen
overskirt here. For those without real gems, there
was costume jewelry. Manufacturers such
Geometric Stripes Frank Usher, an important ready-to-wear as Vendôme created striking costume
hemline design firm in the UK during the 1950s, created jewelry using artificial stones and imitation
this extravagant strapless evening gown in 1957. metals. The bracelet shown above is
Flounces and bustles Victor Stiebel, a South Horizontal stripes in a delicate pink accentuate embedded with rhinestones in emerald-
African-born British designer, referenced historical the high-waisted bodice and daring décolletage. green, ruby-red, and clear crystal.
elements with this gown. The blue and white
striped silk taffeta underskirt includes a knee-high
flounce and the draped overskirt has a slight bustle.



OPTIMISM AND YOUTH 329

DESIGNER

BALENCIAGA

Aprivate man, monastically dedicated to the pursuit paintings. The traditional female dress and religious △ CRISTOBAL BALENCIAGA 1927
of perfection, Cristóbal Balenciaga let his dramatic, vestments of Spain, and other Spanish artists such as Dubbed the “Picasso of fashion” for his
fluid clothes speak for him. Although lauded less Zurbarán, inspired dramatic dark garments. Bolero jackets artistic innovations with shape and form,
than Dior, he anticipated aspects of the New Look, headed and capes echoed toreadors’ outfits, while short-fronted, Balenciaga was among few couturiers
the most exclusive Paris maison in the immediate postwar long-backed garments recalled flamenco dresses. capable of making a haute couture
era through the 1950s, helped create 1960s garment garment from scratch himself.
shapes, and most importantly invented a totally new Down to essentials
silhouette for women. ◁ EVENING DRESS 1946
Balenciaga pared down his elegant lines in the 1950s. Balenciaga loved and understood material
Balenciaga had a legendary talent for cut, seaming, His partly tight, partly loose garments, such as jackets with —hence his cleverly draped gowns
and finish. He understood how fabric draped and how a fitted front and billowing back, introduced around 1951, like this one, reminiscent of flamenco
the stiff materials he loved dictated sculptural shapes. costume. Aside from black, red and pink
Born in a fishing village in Basque Spain, the young created a revolution in fashion. His straight, loose sack were favorite colors.
Balenciaga absorbed a great deal from his mother, dress (1957) prefigured simple 1960s shapes. There
a dressmaker to local wealthy women. In his early were also flounced, trapezoid baby doll dresses with
teens, a local aristocrat, who later became both
patron and client, helped him secure a superior wide waists (1957 and 58), balloon jackets and
tailoring apprenticeship. skirts, cocoon coats, and empire-line gowns.
Standaway collars lengthened the neck, big
The move to Paris buttons added bold detail, and seven-eighths-
length sleeves revealed women’s bracelets.
By his early 20s, Balenciaga had a boutique in Sleeves were an obsession. Balenciaga remade
the fashionable Spanish seaside resort of San any, sometimes on the wearer, that did not
Sebastián. Branches in Madrid and Barcelona
followed as he became Spain’s leading couturier. lie perfectly. He was adept at tricky dolman-style
The Spanish Civil War triggered a move to Paris, sleeves, cut as a piece with the garment body.
where by 1937 he established himself in style at
avenue Georges V. Soon after Balenciaga arrived The 1960s brought bold experiments with fabric.
in Paris, the city hailed him as a major presence. Balenciaga developed a stiff silk called silk Gazaar
He created a series of distinctive shapes, often with Abraham’s fabric house and also used transparent
waistless and loose, that magically seemed both materials and plastic rainwear. He further refined
independent of the body and in harmony with the the linearity that now dominated fashion. Despite
female form. The mature women who made up a producing some of his most exciting work in this
large part of his wealthy clientele found his clothes decade, Balenciaga was perhaps out of step with new
especially flattering. mass-market values and he closed his couture house
in 1968. After a stagnant period and acquisition
His first runway show referred to the Spanish by Gucci, his love of shape lives on with Nicolas
Renaissance, and his collections drew on his country's Ghesquière’s designs for the Balenciaga brand.
culture and past. He put bustles on evening gowns. The Courrèges and Ungaro, both Balenciaga apprentices,
1939 hourglass Infanta gown sprang from Velázquez’s and Givenchy, were all influenced by their mentor. So
were Mila Schön, with her expert tailoring, and Oscar de
la Renta, with details like sash bows on evening gowns.

1895 Born in 1939 Introduces 1960s Experiments with 1972 Dies in 2006 ▷
Guetaria, Spain Infanta silhouette bold shapes, wool capes, Valencia, Spain Actress Nicole Kidman wears
plastic rainwear, and
TIME LINE 1917 Establishes first 1947 Creates more transparent fabrics Balenciaga at the Academy
dressmaking business in voluminous Barrel line Awards in Hollywood
San Sebastián 1968 Designs 1998 Fashion house
1950s ▷ Air France fortunes revive when 2001 Gucci Group
1936–37 Civil war Designs extravagant uniform. Fashion Nicolas Ghesquière is buys Balenciaga brand
prompts move to Paris. evening gowns. Introduces house closes. made design principal (now ready-to-wear)
rollaway collars, slim Balenciaga retires
Shows first collection tunics, and sack dresses 1980 2000
for Fall 1937 1960 2010
1940
1920

◁ ASYMMETRIC JACKET 1950 The sweeping curve of the front, emphasized by bold buttons, narrows to a cinched-in waist, with big pockets at the hips.

330 OPTIMISM AND YOUTH Trim waistline Slanted
echoes “New Look” pockets
1948 –1954 at hip add
1948 volume
FEMININE
FORM Full A-line
skirt shape
Tailoring for women was one of the strongest trends in 1950s fashion.
Stylish two-piece suits with architectural shapes and sculpted lines Neat pleats This gray worsted suit by British
reflected the sophistication and modern aspirations of the times. From designer Hardy Amies retains the influence of
the mid-1930s tailoring had become an important part of the female wardrobe, Dior’s 1947 New Look silhouette. Amies adapts
partly inspired by military wear and partly dictated by a need for practical garb the full-skirted shape into a sharp tailored suit
for women who worked outside the home. In the 1950s designers exploited with the use of a panel of narrow pleats.
tailor’s techniques to help create an idealized feminine form. Innovators
such as US-based Charles James and Spanish Cristóbal Balenciaga injected
fresh ideas into suiting and framing the body. Jackets were typically
rounded at the shoulder, rather than square and padded, and were
tightly fitted through the bodice to shape a small waist before
flaring out to accentuate the hips. Skirts hit mid-calf and were
either pencil slim or very full.

HATS

Black buttons Short, wide Wide,
match braid sleeves for rounded
detail pairing with collar
long gloves
Cartwheel hat Understated
with silk edging tailoring

Beret with Oversized Flared
quill-like feather buttons add jacket hem
slims the
1952 drama hipline

1953

Bird-topped tricorn Toffee-
by Maud et colored
Nano, 1951 wool

Toreador style
with hail-spot veil

In the 1950s the mark of a well-dressed woman was her hat. Precision tailoring This suit by British designer Lightweight wool suit US designer Norman
For day and evening, small hats were in vogue, especially Charles Creed is simple but exact in cut and Norell partnered with Anthony Traina to set
pillbox, cloche, or beret styles, although cartwheel shapes construction. Decoration is kept restrained with up the Norell-Traina label. Their designs were
were also worn. The popularity of the cocktail hour led to inset bands of black braid and small loops, elegant yet relaxed, like this 1954 ensemble
fanciful creations that added drama to an outfit. These often repeated at the back of the skirt. of a slim, straight skirt and half-sleeve jacket.
sat toward the back of the head to prevent flattening the
carefully coiffed hair. Hats were almost always adorned with
veils, feathers, birds, fruit, flowers, or other whimsy.

Navy and white Chic gray Christian Dior displays both FEMININE FORM 331
lends conservatism his dressmaking and tailoring skills in
this gray wool ensemble, in which the Cross-over front
Tight bodice focus is entirely on the upper body. with three-button
emphasizes An intricately paneled and draped closure
hourglass shape jacket is set off against
a plain, slim skirt. Hairline wool
Bracelet- adds texture
length sleeves Notches
add elegance allow for Long,
full skirt slim skirt

Jacket wraps
the body

1950

Full, stiffened
skirt with pleats

Demure suit Worn to Ascot, this 1948 Slender lines The jacket of this hairline-
design creates a demure impression with its striped wool suit by US designer Adele for
shawl collar, bow, grosgrain trim, and pleated Fall/Winter 1952 is cut short to reveal the tiny
skirt. The nipped-in waist and full skirt echo waist. Dolman sleeves and diagonally set hip
Dior’s New Look. pockets emphasize the model’s shape.

Double- Neat collar extends Hand-
breasted, into scar ike ourish embroidered
collarless jacket silk blouse

Narrow, mid-calf- Narrow,
length skirt nipped-in
waist
1954

Straight
skirt has kick
pleats at back

Parisian chic Despite the rise of fashion Curves This beautifully tailored wool suit by
houses outside Paris, the city held on to its British designer Lachasse demonstrates an eye
fashion credibility. Here, Audrey Hepburn starring for detail. Following the line of the darts, flared
in the 1954 film Sabrina plays a girl transformed panels sewn into the jacket bodice fall in layers
into elegance by two years spent in the capital. over the hips to emphasize the sculpted curve.

332 OPTIMISM AND YOUTH Hourglass shape Following Turban-style
Christian Dior’s New Look of 1947, hat
1947–1962 there wasa change in the female
silhouette, seen to some
A GOOD extent in these coats
COAT made the same year.
They are sculpted
Not for several decades had the coat been as to fit the body and
important for women as it was in the years sharply define
after World War II. Uniforms influenced fashion, the waist.
especially the military trench coat, which was adopted for
civilian wear as much by women as by men. This popular 1947
trend was bolstered by Hollywood screen queens: Marlene
Dietrich, Lauren Bacall, Ingrid Bergman, Ava Gardner, and Shoulders
Katharine Hepburn all famously wore trenches in movies still broad
during this period, to glamorous effect. The right coat was
a key element for achieving a polished, “tied-together” Fur
look. It was vital that the outer garment was just long accessories
enough to cover the hem of the dress or skirt underneath.
Since wartime shortages of materials decreased, coats are “in”
became ever more luxurious. Furs, in particular, took off
and for many women a mink coat was the ultimate status Contrasting
symbol of the era. button closure

Large collar Hat worn with
Double-breasted decorative
brooch
closure with
matching buttons Short
cape
Deep, turned-
back cuffs Tie belt
creates
1951 shape

1952

Hemline just Mid-calf Asymmetric
below knee hemline draping of
skirt

Shoes match
buttons and
brooch

Winter warmer Made from a thick wool Short cape German model and winner of Shoes
cloth, this belted coat was a sensible choice for Miss World 1956, Petra Shurmann wears a becoming
women during the 1950s. The tied belt draws smart ensemble of skirt, jacket, and cape from more pointed
the coat in at the waist to give a full-skirted the department store Defaka. Her matching red
silhouette that reflects dress shapes of the time. gloves, hat, and handbag complete the outfit. at toe

Color-coordinated
pumps

Hats become Revival In the late 1940s, A GOOD COAT 333
a statement and into the 1950s, designers
accessory echoed the shape of the redingote, Collar in
or frock coat, of the 18th and astrakhan
Fur trim on 19th centuries. The new style was (lamb skin)
shawl collar formfitting with a nipped-in waist,
long flared skirt, and padded hips. Small, Large black
Double ring of neat buttons
fur on sleeve Peplum collar complement
adds luxury (ruf e) collar
1950
1948
Smocklike cut
More fabric
needed for
very full cut

Wide 1962 Bracelet
shawl sleeves
collar Flared hemline
balances narrow Loose lines A swing coat allows for
Broad shoulder fuller styles worn underneath—ideal
tie belt for wearing over the big skirts of the
Leopard spots Animal prints were in vogue for 1950s. Unstructured cuts like this one
1961 the well-dressed woman of the era. Designers use decorative touches to add punch.
favored real leopard for elegant clothes and
Wraparound accessories. Here, the thick pile of the skin lends JACQUELINE KENNEDY
style structure to Paulene Trigère’s banded swing coat.
At the beginning of the 1960s Jacqueline
Status symbol This fur coat from the early Kennedy, stylish wife of President John F.
1960s has a fuller cocoon shape with a broad Kennedy, was a significant influence on
shawl collar and wide tie belt. Many women fashion. Her neat, youthful appearance
dreamed of owning a fur coat because it
symbolized glamour, femininity, and success. made her a role model for women
who rejected some of the more
radical clothes of those years.
The first lady favored dress
and coat ensembles for day
wear, usually worn with
matching hat, handbag,
and shoes, and often all in
shades of white or a single
color. American designer
Oleg Cassini created Mrs.
Kennedy’s White House
wardrobe. His coats
characteristically featured
straight lines, a mandarin
or stand-up collar, deep
patch pockets, large
self-cover buttons,
bracelet-length sleeves,
and a hem finishing
just below the knee.

Jaccqueline Kennedy: style icon

334 OPTIMISM AND YOUTH

1949 –1959 Darts and Neat,
topstitching modest
WIVES AND collar
MOTHERS on bodice
Useful side
The postwar era saw advances in textiles and technology. Wash-and-wear 1949 pockets
fabrics appeared in the early 1950s, reducing time-consuming laundering.
Mass manufacturing, and the end of rationing in the UK, made a wider range Mid-calf hem
of clothes available. At the same time, women were plunged back into traditional fashionable rather
roles as homemakers. Glossy magazines advocated that women should look well
turned out at all times, even when doing the housework. The housedress was than practical
especially significant since so much time was devoted to tasks in the home,
at least for the majority of women who were not in paid employment. High-heeled
A typical day might include three hours of housework and an hour shoes worn
making the evening meal. For daily shopping trips into town, even at home
a more stylish, fitted, dress was recommended.

HANDBAGS Pretty in pink Doing housework did not have to
mean looking dowdy. As this illustration from French
More relaxed Cross-over magazine Votre Mode shows, the aim was to look
shape, with soft, bodice stylish and feminine in the home. “A housedress for
elegant and practical women,” the caption noted.
fabriclike folds Bow detail
Exotic skins draws eye
height of
elegance to waist

Camel leather with Slimmer Cross-over
concealed snaps silhouette collar

Darting Half sleeves
under bust popular for ease
and modesty
enhances
waist

Formal black bag Abstract
with gold clasp print

Structured
shape in
reptile skin

Red is fashionable Sateen is
accessory color in vogue

A neat, boxy handbag was one of the most desirable Full skirt
accessories a woman could own. It was usually carried with tulle
in the hand or in the crook of the arm so that it would not petticoat
interfere with the line of a dress or suit. The bag generally
held a wallet, compact and lipstick, handkerchief, small Day dress Samuel Sherman’s UK dress Abstract prints The talking point of the
notebook and pencil, and possibly a pair of sunglasses, company, Sambo, became known for its floral 1950s was the new art movement, abstract
and had inside pockets for accessories such as gloves. cotton dresses. This style shows the slimmed- expressionism. Jackson Pollock in particular
down lines, sateen fabric, and bigger, bolder influenced fashion and interiors. Fabric designers
The height of luxury was a handbag that matched the prints that characterized the mid-to-late 1950s. created prints for uses from dresses to curtains.
shoes, though in reality few could afford more than one
good bag. Handbags were engineered with a frame and
gold-tone clasps at the top to enable a firm and secure
closure that also looked stylish.

Shirt-style Wide, sleeveless Stand-up collar WIVES AND MOTHERS 335
bodice cut is unrestrictive with small tie
Boat neckline
Plenty of Button-through with rolled edge
pockets with belt or
waist tie Wide
self-belt is
Wide waistband fashionable
creates hourglass
Rows of tucking Big patch
shape add shape pockets serve
to replace
Inverted apron
pleat for ease
of movement 1950

Metallic
embroidery lifts
plain dress

Cotton pique
(weaving style)
is crisp and cool

Tidy housewife A shirtdress, also called Patch pockets Deep patch pockets were an
a shirtwaister, was a wardrobe staple. important feature of a housedress or casual day
Practical enough to wear for doing heavy dress. They held essential domestic items such
housework, it helped home-makers feel as clothespins, diaper pins, or a notebook and
both comfortable and neat. pen for shopping lists.

Strapless bodice CHAIN-STORE CHIC
made modest
with bolero In the US, department stores such as
J.C. Penney had spread to the new
Slightly high- suburban shopping malls by the mid-1950s.
waisted to These dresses from the company’s 1959
show off catalogue were made from a new cotton-
full skirt rayon called cotron.

Bolero
hem lines up
precisely with
waistband

1953

Pink and
gray, a chic
combination

Stylish day out A dress from British ready- Style and comfort American sportswear designer Catalogue advertisement, 1959
to-wear maker Horrockses was considered the Claire McCardell is remembered for her beautifully made,
ultimate in daytime chic in the 1940s and 50s. The practical clothes, which filled a gap in the market for
brand, known for its fine-quality cottons and cheerful stylish, comfortable day wear. This ivory cotton summer
prints, was famously worn by Queen Elizabeth II. dress displays the purity of line for which she was known.

336 OPTIMISM AND YOUTH Swimsuit
construction creates
1950 –1961 hourglass figure

RESORT WEAR Patch
pockets
The prosperity of the 1950s brought the concept of leisure to
the mainstream. It was no longer just the wealthy who had Matching beach coat Abstract fabrics were big
time and money to take vacations; and since air travel news in fashion from the late 1940s through to the
became less exclusive, more people ventured abroad. The 1950s, and this pairing uses them to great effect.
upper class had mastered the art of dressing for travel and An elastic cotton swimsuit is partnered with a
leisure long ago, and now the middle class embraced terry-cloth robe in a complementary print.
the idea. Responding to a burgeoning market, the
fashion industry produced a new category of Underwiring and Sun top
clothing known as resort wear, comprising diverse padding shape
ranges of vacation clothes and accessories. at bustline
Although “resort” implied a casual look, people
dressed up, if in more colorful and revealing Support in
clothes than for everyday life. That meant bottom keeps
playsuits, beach dresses, bathing suits, and tummy at
coordinating cover-ups for women, and
matching swim shorts and short-sleeved
shirts for men. Vivid fabrics, including
Hawaiian florals, Indonesian batik,
and animal prints, were widely used.
Tropical-themed accessories were
an important part of the look.

MEN ON VACATION

It was not only women who liked colorful
leisure clothes. When men took time off,
they usually opted to break out of the
conservative attire of the 1950s workplace
and embrace flamboyance. Men’s short-
sleeved shirts and coordinating swim shorts
were sold in an array of patterns and colors,
often with a tropical motif.

Practical cut
combined with

pretty print

Blouse

Separate
skirt

1950s High-waisted bikini Brigitte Bardot helped to Separates Summer wear comprising matching
advertisement make the bikini popular when she posed in one separates—such as skirts, sun tops, blouses,
at the Cannes Film Festival in 1953. This design, in and shorts—was fashionable on the beach.
a charming foliage and floral print, is typical of the The various elements of this 1956 striped outfit
era, with plenty of support built into the bikini top. could be bought one piece at a time.

Frilled bikini Hourglass silhouette As RESORT WEAR 337
top shows with foundation garments,
off bust swimwear used rubber elastic ACCESSORIES
fibers, underwiring, boning,
stretch tummy panels, and Halter
padding to create a smooth, neckline
structured look—whether common for
a black bikini in the guise swimwear
of a French maid’s uniform,
or a demure one-piece. Shirred midriff
creates shape
Exaggerated
ruf es for fun

Apron offers Classic Maintaining a polished appearance was
modesty sweetheart a priority for the 1950s woman, so fashion
but adds neckline companies produced resort accessories.
For sunseekers there were cover-ups,
sex appeal Smooth lines costume jewelry, raffia, straw and cotton
thanks to beach bags, hats, shoes, and sunglasses
new rubber to coordinate with their outfits. Because
technology hairdos were carefully coiffed, a bathing
cap was de rigueur; designers had fun with
Girl’s one-piece Surface textures it, turning a mundane piece of sports gear
and effects were popular in the 1950s, into a decorative display adorned with rubber
thanks to new manufacturing processes petals, spikes, scalloping, and ruffles.
and affordable synthetic fabrics. Ruffles
and shirring transform this child’s Peach
swimsuit into a special garment. sunglasses

Loose-fitting, Braids, for Sunflower
see-through girlish effect sunglasses

top More natural
bustline
Bold pattern

Form-fitting Peep-toe mule
capri pants
Out of the water, women wore large straw
Minimal hats, especially lamp-shade styles, often
skirt decorated with embroidered raffia flowers
and fruit. Sunglasses had been mass-
Platform produced since the late 1920s, but after
soles World War II, when UV technology
improved and air force pilots made the
Casual aviator style sexy, they were sold in a variety
ballet ats of novel shapes. Pointed and winged
frames were especially popular. When it
Hooded top Then, as now, summer Head turning Confidence would have All about sex By 1961, when this came to footwear, there were espadrilles
weather was unpredictable. This hooded been needed to parade on the beach in this photo of Brigitte Bardot was taken, (part of a craze for all things Spanish),
beach top from the mid-1950s provided striking outfit, modeled in 1952. Both the resort clothes were more relaxed. The Japanese-style wooden slides, carved
a quick cover-up for swimmers and top and the tiny matching skirt, worn over emphasis was now on youthfulness, mules inspired by Polynesian crafts, and
sunbathers if the weather turned chilly. a bikini, are see through. freedom, and raw sex appeal. rubber flip-flops, which really took off after
the Korean War when returning soldiers
brought them back as souvenirs.

338 OPTIMISM AND YOUTH Black Shawl collar
bowler popular until
1950 –1955
hat late 1950s
CASUAL AND
POLISHED Single- Handkerchief in
breasted breast pocket

vest

After years in military uniform, men were back 1950 Relaxed
in civilian clothes, and now wanted to indulge trouser style
themselves a little and dress in a more relaxed Leather
style. Clothing makers adapted to the new mood. From briefcase Loose,
the late 1940s generously cut, double-breasted jackets wool
were teamed with wide-leg trousers, often pleated trousers
and with a center crease and cuffs. In Britain tailors
in London’s prestigious Savile Row launched a Neo- Business suit In the city of London, Dressing up The tuxedo, or dinner
Edwardian look that harkened back to a time of luxury. menswear retained formal dress codes. suit, first worn in the late 1800s, was
Shoulders followed a more natural line, rather than This gentleman wears a tailored, dark very much in vogue during the 1950s,
being padded, and jackets in expensive fabrics were cut wool three-piece suit and bowler hat – when men’s clothing included formal
for a slimmer fit. Italian menswear makers pioneered a look little changed from the 1850s. wear for most evening occasions.
lightweight suiting using fine fabrics such as silk—the
perfect balance between casual and polished. The Homburg Natural
shorter, sportier-looking continental jacket was very shoulder line
popular in the late 1950s. All shades of gray were Natural
fashionable, especially in flannel pinstripe. shoulder line

Hat an essential
accessory

White cotton
formal shirt

Fashionable
thin black tie

Tie clips all Slim cut with
the rage three buttons

1952 1954

Leather gloves Turned-back
add gravitas cuff

Slimmer-line Creased trousers
trousers dominate the
decade
Work style On the West Coast of
the US and in Europe, suits became less Polished Contrasting, rather
formal, even for the businessman. A brogues than matching,
softer, slimmer jacket was preferred, trousers
along with a slightly tapered trouser leg.
Executive US ambassador to Moscow Old and new A debut design from Neo-Edwardian This jacket and
George Frost Kennan, wears a finely Christian Dior’s menswear line, launched trouser ensemble typifies the New
pin-striped, double-breasted gray in 1954, this suit harkens back to the Edwardian tailoring of the 1950s. The
flannel suit—typical attire for the Edwardian era, but details such as the brown wool jacket is cut on a long
prudent, mature “company man.” cropped vest give it a fresh spin. line, with a slightly waisted effect.

Short Greased hair CASUAL AND POLISHED 339
“boyish” with brushed-up
forelock HATS AND SHOES
haircut
Peaked Single crease
Jazzy lapel in crown
bow tie
Brown Homburg
Light-colored
suiting for Stiff, slightly
upturned brim
casual look
Black Homburg
Long-line
jacket The hat was the key accessory. Not until
the late 1950s was it acceptable for men
Draped to go bareheaded. Along with the revival
trousers of Edwardian fashions in the early 1950s
came the Homburg hat, first popularized in
1955 Britain by King Edward VII. Other favored
styles included the fedora, as famously
Suede sported by Humphrey Bogart, the bowler,
shoes and the porkpie. Brims were generally
narrower than in previous decades.

For the more conservative man, the shoes
of choice were Oxfords, brogues, and
loafers, though gradually toes became more
pointed. Among the younger generation,
desert boots, sneakers, and “winklepicker”
ankle boots were the norm.

Plain, durable
leather

Mid-brown shade
was popular

Laces of
same color

Conservative
pin-striped

annel

Classic Oxford style

Double act Hollywood’s favorite comic duo wears
classic styles of the mid-1950s. While funnyman Jerry
Lewis pairs a light-colored, single-breasted suit with
a patterned bow tie, his foil, Dean Martin, opts for
a more sober, double-breasted, pinstripe look.

340 OPTIMISM AND YOUTH Greased hair
shaped into
1950 –1959 forelock

HIPSTERS AND Cotton
TEDDY BOYS overcoat

Two distinct, mainly male, style tribes, hipsters and teddy boys both dressed Drainpipe
in ostentatious suits to rebel against the social order. The original hipsters trousers cuffed
were African–Americans who emulated the lifestyle and clothing of
“bebop” jazz musicians of the late 1930s and early 1940s. Their fashion uniform at hem
was the zoot suit, consisting of high-waisted trousers with a baggy leg that
tapered dramatically to a narrow cuff, and a long, generously cut jacket with a Duster coat The teddy boy style spread across
wide lapel and padded shoulders. It was usually worn with a gold watch chain, a Britain, drawing on what was available locally.
broad-brimmed felt hat, and two-tone or pointed shoes. Across the Atlantic, teddy This young man, photographed in Derbyshire in
boys were working-class London teenagers, listening to American rock ‘n’ roll but 1957, wears a simple coat more suggestive of
usurping the Edwardian suit revival on Savile Row to invent their own style. They working-class utility than Savile Row tailoring.
wore flamboyant, Edwardian-cut jackets with vests, string ties, and pegged
trousers. Teddy girls mixed these masculine elements with feminine accessories. High-collared
white shirt with
Hair brushed up
from forehead string tie

Half velvet
collar

String
tie

Vest

Watch chain Voluminous
jacket with
piping

Long, Cropped tapered
Edwardian- pants that expose
inspired white socks
drape jacket
Ballet ats
Drapes Working-class London
teddy boys in 1954 wear Style mix A 17-year-old teddy girl poses in
Edwardian-inspired jackets called 1955. Teddy girls were British adopters of
drapes. The boys appropriated American teen basics such as jeans and ballet
upper-class Edwardian dress to flats. They mixed them with clothing styles
challenge the status quo, using from the Edwardian and Victorian eras.
local tailors to make their suits
or buying them secondhand.

Black HIPSTERS AND TEDDY BOYS 341
felt hat
Suspenders hold Satin Floppy silk Wide
Wide trousers under ribs handkerchief cravat lapels
lapels
Silk tie Crisp, white Jacket
dress shirt reaches
to tips of
Bright, double- extended
breasted jacket fingers

Two-tone High-shine
spectator shoes shoes

West Indian style The zoot suit spread from the US Fingertip jacket The drape was a more
to the Caribbean, where the local men interpreted it in conservative version of the zoot suit. It had a
brightly colored cloth. West Indian migrants to Britain shorter jacket, as in this 1994 reproduction by
in the 1950s brought the style with them. This modern Chris Ruocco Tailors, London. Suspenders or a thin
re-creation recalls the snappy fashion of that time. leather belt held the trousers high on the waist.

Neat straw SHOES
boater
Two-tone
Velvet leather shoes
collar

Long
clutch bag

Pencil skirt Crêpe-soled
finishing brothel creepers
mid-calf
Hipsters wore spiffy, thick-soled shoes
Tightly Clownlike that were often shiny, made of exotic
furled trousers skins, or two-tone, harkening back to
umbrella pegged the jaunty, off-duty style worn by the
at ankles wealthy man of leisure in the 1920s.
Two-tone Pointed shoes, historically a sign of
shoes status, were also popular. Shoes were
worn to attract attention, never to blend
Accessorized This teddy girl wears a jacket Exaggerated shape This sharp zoot suit is inspired by with the suit. Teddy boys adopted
borrowed from the teddy boys with its the exuberant jazz singer Cab Calloway in the 1943 movie chunky, crêpe-soled, suede “brothel
loose shape and velvet collar. She carries the Stormy Weather. Political activist Malcolm X once described creepers” to ground their look.
signature teddy girl accessories of a clutch this look as “a killer-diller coat with a drape shape, Alternatively, they sported stylish leather
bag and an umbrella. reat-pleats, and shoulders padded like a lunatic’s cell.” Derbys with thick soles.



OPTIMISM AND YOUTH 343

THE YOUTH

REVOLUTION

This iconic image from the movie The Wild One (1953)
turned the brooding Marlon Brando into a poster boy for
young people feeding off postwar restlessness and aching to
escape the polite conventions of 1950s society. His blue denim
jeans and zipped black leather jacket would become universal
casual wear. In the movie, Brando plays the leader of a
motorcycle gang. When asked what he's rebelling against,
he drawls, “Whaddya got?” The movie caused a scandal.

Two years later James Dean, playing a troubled young man
in Rebel Without a Cause (1955), created a similar look—
blue jeans, white T-shirt, boots, and a leather or
windbreaker jacket (including the red Harrington
windbreaker in Rebel)—that continues across the decades.
Such looks were subversive not just because they were
associated with “working” clothes or hoodlums, but
because they were social levelers—these were styles worn
by movie stars that most people could afford.

Brando became an identity-marker for the teenager—a notion
that had barely existed prewar—and for teenage fashions.
Increased 1950s prosperity, and the rise of advertising and
mass consumerism, helped to celebrate youth while also
giving teenagers something to rebel against.

He pulled on his big leather
motorcycing jacket and went out to
his bike. They met at a café called
Nick’s. It was a working men’s café
in the daytime, quite ordinary, but
at night it was different. It acquired
for them at least an excitement and
glamour.

GILLIAN FREEMAN, THE LEATHER BOYS, 1961

◁ A REBEL WITH MANY CAUSES
Seminal youth-culture movie The Wild One (1953), starring Marlon Brando,
spawned many biker movies and biker-influenced looks.

344 OPTIMISM AND YOUTH Scoop or
square
1949 –1959
neckline
BIRTH OF THE
TEENAGER Belted to
emphasize waist
Up until the late 1940s most young people left school
before the age of 16 to start work or join the military.
In the 1950s families were better off, and young people
stayed at home longer, but this new generation looked for
a way to assert their independence—by dressing differently.
Denim companies targeted teens with the new drainpipe jeans,
and rock ‘n’ roll stars such as Eddie Cochran and Elvis Presley
fueled demand. When Marlon Brando wore jeans and a leather
jacket in The Wild One in 1953, teens found a new fashion
uniform in which to rebel. Many youth style tribes originated
in the US, including bobby-soxers in poodle skirts, and Beats in
bohemian black. But there were also teddy boys, teddy girls, and
rockers in the UK; the Kaminari zoku (Thunder Tribe) in Japan;
and bodgies and widgies in Australia, to name a few.

SILHOUETTE SHAPERS Simply cut
dress in cotton
After the slender silhouette of the 1930s,
Christian Dior’s New Look of 1947 brought or nylon
back the bouffant petticoat. Interestingly,
what began as a high fashion look was Pert bustline
appropriated by teenage girls in the 1950s. sought after
Layers of tulle underpinned cinched circle
skirts, which were paired with a fitted Cardigan
cardigan, ankle socks, and flat shoes. essential
Dance was the catalyst for the obsession
with starched petticoats (crinolines). As girls 1951
danced the jive and jitterbug, crinolines
showed off their moves, and also preserved Wide skirt to
show off legs
their modesty. The while dancing
newly invented
bustier was Stiletto heels Metallic,
equally important are invented, pointed-toe
in creating an though few teens
pumps
alluring silhouette. wear them
Cotton dance dress For girls in the 1950s the
Starched to Sweater girl The cardigan, preferably in mohair highlight of the social calendar was going to a dance,
achieve full shape or angora, was a must-have item. It was often whether a prom or an informal event held by the
worn buttoned at the back, which emphasized school or community. New music styles and dance
Petticoat the bust and created the sweater-girl effect crazes made these occasions constantly exciting.
with bustier made famous by Hollywood sex symbols.

American-style BIRTH OF THE TEENAGER 345
checked shirt
Hair tied
back with
scarf

Black
sweater

Suspenders reference Slightly Three-
the 1930s origins of high quarter
the jitterbug waistline sleeve
blouse

1949 1950

Full circle skirt
supported

by starched
crinolines

No jeans Bare legs and no Wrap skirt
yet for most socks somewhat reveals legs
French teens
shocking

White
ankle
socks

Left Bank cool American teen style was much admired Unisex High school style Although uniforms were not
in France, where young people developed their own sneakers required at American schools, teen girls developed
take on it. The jitterbug, introduced to Paris by American their own—the skirt, either full or pencil shaped
Long, swept soldiers in 1945, became a dance craze. These students finishing just below the knee, and sweater or fitted
back hair show off their moves in a Paris nightclub in 1949. top. Pants and jeans were forbidden.

Turned-up Flattop Casual plaids WRANGLER
collar haircut are popular
Seeking out a mainstream market, work-
Red jacket Patterned, wear maker Blue Bell Overall Company
symbolizes short-sleeve shirts launched the Wrangler brand in 1947 with
protest and are everyday wear jeans tested and endorsed by professional
rodeo cowboys. This tough yet glamorous
passion association was part of the Wrangler appeal
to teens. Designed to look good, as
1955 1958 opposed to simply being functional,
Wrangler’s slim “body fit” jeans were a hit.
Eventually adults and children were wearing
them too—the start of America’s love affair
with all things denim.

Wrangler
advertisement

Worn-out, Jeans with
Western- cuffs
style jeans
Biker
boots Heavy, black
leather boots

look tough

Rebel role model James Dean’s portayal of an Denim revolution Teen style revolved around
anguished teen in Rebel Without a Cause was an dressing down, and attracted the disapproval of adults.
enormous influence on fashion. His jeans, boots, and These boys wear jeans, which were not allowed in
form-fitting, white T-shirt with slightly rolled sleeves school. Like denim, short-sleeved shirts and plaids were
became a uniform for disaffected youth worldwide. popular because they appeared ultracasual.

346 OPTIMISM AND YOUTH Fur adds luxurious
touch to hood
1950 –1960
Jacket
SPORTS fitted to
STYLE show off
waist
In the 1950s more and more people became involved Lightweight
in all types of sports activities, whether it was tennis snow jacket
and bowling, baseball and skiing or golf at the country
club. Even if they were not participating in physical Chalet chic As designers
pursuits, people wanted to look as though they were experimented with fabrics,
aspiring to a wholesome image. Hollywood reflected the skiwear became lighter, yet
mood: when Katharine Hepburn starred in Pat and Mike was just as warm. Items
(1952) as a champion athlete, she created a sensation with such as stirrup pants
her athletic figure and stylish, sporty wardrobe. After and down jackets also
wearing pants and shorts out of necessity during wartime, made their way into
post-war women adopted casual wear that offered everyday life.
slimmer, feminine designs in new stretch fabrics. Clam
diggers, capris, stirrup pants, jodhpurs, and culottes
gradually replaced mannish slacks.

Neat Glossy,
riding waved
hat hair

Tailored Polo-style
jacket hugs knit in pastel

the figure shade

Black, white,
and red

fashionable

Sleek Jodhpurs
knee-high adopted for
streetwear
boots
Feminine,
full mid-calf
skirt

Classic
bowling

shoes

Equestrian elegance Olympic rider Mary Bowling beauty Bowling was all the rage in the
Marshall wears formal riding attire here. Even those 1950s. Advertisements targeted women, and US
who had never ridden copied the equestrian look, manufacturer Capezio launched a range of bowling
lured by the lean lines and aristocratic associations. shoes with a campaign featuring high-society
Avid horsewoman Grace Kelly helped set the trend. ladies. Women wore full skirts and fitted sweaters.

SPORTS STYLE 347

Raglan Well-
sleeves groomed
hair
Shirt Small
with neat High waistline stand-up

collar collar

Fur collar Stylish, Form-fitting
all-white jacket
ensemble
Narrow,
belted waist

Full circle
skirt

White lace-up Swing time Closed shoes Track pants
skating boots Golf attire offered (strappy, open replace
stylish but casual sandals could traditional
Skating style New synthetic fibers developed fashions for be worn off breeches
during the decade allowed for practical, women, both as the green)
comfortable sportswear. This young figure- sportswear and
skater's outfit follows the fashionable silhouette, leisure wear. However, this Glamorous pursuit Fencing, with its skillful, balletic
while giving greater ease of movement. golfer of the 1950s would moves and dashing, pants-wearing women, has long
not have been allowed inspired fashion and sportswear designers. Here,
to wear such brief shorts Bress Aboularia models her practice wear for the
while she was on the green. French women's fencing team in the 1950s.

CHEERLEADING GLAMOUR

Immaculate
hair even for
hard play

Demure
cardigan

Box Short, Cheerleading is an American phenomenon that began
pleats ared in the late 1800s as an activity for boys, but by the 1950s
had become dominated by girls. In an era that prized
Simple white skirt athleticism, cheerleading provided an outlet for girls, who
canvas had limited choices when it came to school and college
Courtside style Tennis was both sports. The uniforms were considered the height of teen
sneakers a social and sports occasion. Crisp, glamour—knee-length skirts (that had crept shorter by the
white, belted tunics and full skirts 1960s), letter sweaters, bobby sox with saddle shoes, and
created a feminine impression on the the all-important pom-poms, originally made of crepe paper
court, especially when paired with and then of water-resistant vinyl in the mid-1960s.
a fitted, cropped cardigan—as worn
here by American world no.1 Shirley
June Fry Irvine (right).