This blog post is the second of three themed blogs on fashion history from the 40s, 50s and 60s.
Fashion in the 50s continued to celebrate the soft, feminine forms. It was also in this decade that the hourglass silhouette, which Christian Dior had recreated in 1947 with the New Look collections, really became the ideal in the fashion industry, particularly personified by the Hollywood icon Marilyn Monroe.
The fashion of the 50s was also influenced by the Rock'n'Roll culture and the new generation, the 'teenagers'!
New Look and hourglass figure without the use of the corset
After the Second World War, the world of fashion changed again, with Christian Dior at the forefront. The hourglass silhouette emerged, as a tribute to life and 'the return to sophistication'. It wasn't long before Dior's ultra feminine cut was copied by designers and tailors worldwide – despite the outrage that Chanel had expressed about his look, as mentioned in our blog about the 40s – read it HERE .
50's lingerie
However, women did not return to corsets as Chanel had feared because they instead began using a new type of lingerie made of elastic mesh to create a slimmer waist. The new material allowed greater freedom of movement than the stiff corsets, and enabled the women to still work and be active, while maintaining their femininity and vanity in the beautiful new look dresses!
The 'Girdle' became the modern cross. It had to be rolled on and off, and therefore not fastened with laces or hooks. However, there were also other lingerie inventions to help create the hourglass figure – one of the funnier ones was the blow-up bra, which can be seen in the picture below. The bra was simply filled with air through a small pump to make the bust look bigger!
As the designs of the dresses evolved, the hourglass silhouette took its cue from the female curves, and designs with cut waists and V-necks have been popular ever since, precisely because they specifically highlight the female body and create a flattering silhouette, focusing on all shapes, regardless of size and body type.
Hip brace in peach from What Katie Did
'Waist-chincher' in black from What Katie Did
Easy-up 'Waistnipper' from Maidenform
The evolution of the hourglass silhouette in the different trends of the 50s
During the 50s, the hourglass silhouette evolved in different ways, making it possible to create it with your everyday clothes. However, there were two dominant forms of the hourglass silhouette: the flowing and the tight. The bubbly one was the classic one with a very full swing skirt, and the fitted one was the body-hugging pencil skirt that stopped at the knees. Characteristic of both, however, was that the waist was narrow and defined and the bosom/shoulders and hips were emphasized with fullness. However, it was also possible to create the close-fitting hourglass silhouette with a pair of high-waisted capris or jeans.
The Sweater Girl Look
The name 'Sweater Girls' came about in the 40s, when Hollywood actresses like Lana Turner, Jayne Mansfiels and Jane Russel started wearing the tight sweaters over their pointy "bullet bras". In the 40s it was a 'shocking look', but in the 50s it became a popular look, especially among the younger generation. The tight sweaters, with short or long sleeves, went to the waist and were worn with a high-waisted skirt, a pair of high-waisted trousers or jeans. For the younger generation, the knit tops were usually simple, plain, or perhaps with a contrasting color on the rib edges. For the older generation, the sweaters were embellished with beads and embroidery.
Image: Jayne Mainsfield in sweater and high-waisted trousers
Waisted cardigan in off-white from Emmy Design
High-waisted jeans from Lady K Loves
Waisted cardigan in dusty blue from Emmy Design
Early 50s look: The swing dress
For a classic, early 50s look à la Dior's, the swing dress is a must have! The classic 'New look dress' is cut at the waist with a full swing skirt, and the bodice often has a detailed neckline that focuses on the bust and makes it fuller.
You can emphasize the silhouette further with a belt at the waist and with a petticoat underneath.
A petticoat is a full underskirt, built from several layers of soft tulle, which gives extra volume at the bottom of the skirt – the more volume on the skirt, the smaller the waist appears!
Image: Swing dress from Dior's 'New Look' collection
One of our swing favorites is the Hourglass dress from The Pretty Dress Company . It is a perfect example of a modern new look dress that creates the ultimate hourglass silhouette on all body types! The hourglass dress is available in several colors – and even in a pencil version if you're more into the tight-fitting hourglass silhouette!
50's style swing dress in red from The Pretty Dress Company
Classic 50's style petticoat in black
50s style swing dress in na from The Pretty Dress Company
Another of our swing favorites is the classic 50s style dress from Unique Vintage . This is also a waist cut swing dress with short half length sleeves, flattering pleats across the bust and a full skirt. This dress is one of our bestsellers, because of the delicious stretch material that gives the perfect fit for all figures and we carry it in sizes small - 4xlarge!
Navy blue swing dress in 50's style from Unique Vintage
Black swing dress in 50's style with dots from Unique Vintage
Green swing dress in 50's style from Unique Vintage
From American Heart Of Haute also has some very popular models, namely Milan, Monte Carlo and Beverly. They are in a super nice and very period-typical cut with a defined waist, and they are in a wonderful material that falls beautifully and does not crease.
Milan 50's swing dress from Heart Of Haute
Monte Carlo 50s swing dress from Heart Of Haute
Beverly 50s swing dress from Heart Of Haute
50's Swing skirt
Following on from the swing dress, another indispensable garment from the 50s is the iconic swing skirt. This was no doubt inspired by Dior's 'New Look' collection, but a real 'circle skirt' was home-sewn from a large circle (hence the name) and preferably with different kinds of appliqués. Here, 'The puddle skirt' was the most famous swing skirt, and the idea behind this type of DIY skirt was that no one was the same.
Perhaps a creative idea in these times when most of us are 'at home'?
We have different types of skirts in the 50s style, e.g. the beautiful button-through skirts with attached pockets from Hear Of Haute. We currently have these in three different colors (two are shown below).
And then of course we have the classic 50s swing skirts. Those from i.a. from Daisy Dapper in navy blue and red, in addition to the black one seen below.
50's inspired skirt in green from Heart Of Haute
Classic black swing skirt in 50's style from Daisy Dapper
50's inspired skirt in blue from Heart Of Haute
Mid/Late 50's look: The Pencil Dress
The late 50s look was characterized by form-fitting dresses and skirts. The dresses were mostly sleeveless, or with a very short sleeve that just covered the shoulders. Or they have half or 3/4 long sleeves. The waist was marked and the length was just below the knee. There was a slit at the back to allow the dresses to move in - it was simply a necessity as they were so tight.
The sexy wiggle or pencil dress is the ultimate dress for the 50s pinup! Here, the entire figure is framed by a tight-fitting dress that emphasizes all the shapes!
Image: Marilyn Monroe in costume test for the film 'Niagara'
The Billion Dollar Baby dress from Stop Staring! is a fantastic dress with small sleeves with a little puff, wrap-twist in the bosom and a nice slit at the back, for better mobility, which is also helped along the way by the delicious stretch material. The dress accentuates the whole figure without actually showing skin, which makes it suitable for many occasions, whether it is the business meeting, the annual party or something else entirely! Below you see it in red and black, but we also have it in navy blue, purple and white.
Red 50's inspired pencil dress from Stop Staring!
Red asymmetrical pencil dress from Stop Staring!
Black 50's inspired pencil dress from Stop Staring!
From Zoe Vine we also have several pencil dresses in the 50s style. We have the turquoise blue with short sleeves and 'sweetheart' neckline, the black with a period collar and the simple navy blue with 3/4 length sleeves. And many more!
Turquoise 50s style pencil dress from Zoe Vine
Black pencil dress in 50s style from Zoe Vine
Navy Blue pencil dress in 50's style from Zoe Vine
50's Pencil Skirt
The narrow pencil also called 'wiggle' skirt saw the light of day with Dior's 'H-line' collection in 1954. The 'H' refers to the cut with the parallel lines. The skirt sat down over the hips and went inwards down towards the knees. The skirt had a slit at the back to allow movement in the skirt. However, it was still very narrow, hence the name 'wiggle', as it made the women 'wiggle' when they walked.
The skirt became a permanent part of the woman's wardrobe since the mid-50s.
Image: Marilyn Monroe in a wiggle skirt
Classic navy blue 50's pencil skirt from The House Of Foxy
Classic red 50s pencil skirt from The House Of Foxy
Classic black 50s pencil skirt from The House Of Foxy
Mondo Kaos' selection of 50s clothing
The range of 50s clothes in Mondo Kaos is large, and you will find clothes inspired by various 50s trends such as 'New look', Grease, Pinup, Rockabilly etc..
Our selection of classic pencil and swing dresses includes dresses with and without sleeves, different types of necklines such as scoop, sweetheart and deep v and they come in a multitude of beautiful colors and prints. Our separates include flattering pencil and swing skirts, gorgeous capris and jeans, and tops with strategic cutouts that draw extra attention to the bust!
If you are looking for an outfit that gives you the beautiful hourglass silhouette, you can find it here.
Loving greetings,
Team Mondo Kaos ♥
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