The rockabilly style at Mondo Kaos

Have you ever seen the term rockabilly used in connection with some clothing, such as a swing dress, that you like? What is rockabilly, and how does it influence the vintage-style clothing we have at Mondo Kaos, and which you might have at home in your vintage wardrobe? That is what we are taking a look at in this blog post.

Do you also find it difficult to define and make sense of? That is quite simple because it is a style that embraces a lot.

But first and foremost, Rockabilly is the name of the earliest rock and roll music.

It is a musical style that emerged in the connection between country music and rhythm and blues in the USA in the 40s and 50s. The word Rockabilly itself is a mixture of the two, namely 'Rock'n'Roll' and Hillbilly.

Hillbilly is the word used for fans of classic country and western music.

If you are still a bit lost, the pioneers are musicians such as Bill Haley, Johnny Cash, Buddy Holly, and Elvis Presley.

Listen to tracks for yourself such as Rock Around the Clock, Be-Bop-A-Lula, Blue Suede Shoes, and Hello Mary Lou.

The music emerged in a meeting between white working-class musicians and African Americans, where they mixed the black music style with country music.

Since the music particularly belonged to the 50s and swing dance was part of the scene, the 50s clothing style also became an expression of Rockabilly.

Throughout fashion history, clothes and music often go hand in hand, and Rockabilly is no exception! Inspired by the music of the 50s, Rockabilly fashion took on a life of its own, as it used recognizable fashion elements from both music genres and combined them to form something new and exciting. For example, the typical 50s swing dresses and skirts are the epitome of Rockabilly, but it lacks the neatness of the 50s. Often, the combination is somewhat edgier. A leather jacket, a retro print T-shirt…

Rockabilly also became the expression of the young and wild; in 50s Britain, the English Teddy boys were associated with this style. The music was new and wild; one must remember that Elvis Presley could not be shown on TV from the hips down. The look thus became an expression of this young and raw style.

Even though the roots of Rockabilly fashion are firmly planted in the 50s, the influence it has had on both music, film, and fashion can be seen in every single decade since. Rockabilly, for example, became big again when the swing style and swing dance gained momentum again in the 70s and 80s. It was especially picked up with an element of the raw and rocking, later even punky, to create a distance to the neatness of the 50s.

The film is from 1978, and one can clearly see that it is the 50s seen through the eyes of the 70s. The film helped cement John Travolta's superstar status as well as making the rockabilly culture mainstream popular again. While many of the tracks were written for the musical, there is also plenty of original rockabilly music on the film's soundtrack, which gives it a lovely, authentic 50s feel.

If you need inspiration to see other rockabilly-inspired films, you can check out the film Cry Baby with Johnny Depp and Ricki Lake. It takes place in 1950s Baltimore and is a musical romantic comedy. The plot is the classic "bad boy meets and falls in love with good girl." If you loved Grease and want more, but with a real "bad boy."

Or, at the more serious end, you can watch 'Walk the Line', the film about Johnny Cash's life from his childhood in poverty to the times of fame. It follows both the beautiful love story and his battle with addiction, and stars Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon in the lead roles. A wonderful film about a great artist that is definitely worth watching.

Today, the rockabilly scene is not just 50s style but a development of the style over time from the 50s and onwards. Still rooted in the original music, rockabilly today combines influences from rock music, country music, 50s fashion, and a slightly raw attitude. It is a fashion that has seen decades of transformation and slow evolution, culminating in the unique genre it is today.

Here is a small guide to follow if you want an authentic Rockabilly look

Tops and blouses: Tight-fitting tops that accentuate the figure. Lovely necklines such as sweetheart or off-shoulder tops are perfect for this look.

Pencil skirts & pencil dresses: Classic length around the knee or below. They must, of course, fit well, and the skirts must be high-waisted to accentuate the waist and hips.

Swing dresses and swing skirts: Lovely waisted dresses and skirts, with the right swing when you spin around, and optionally with a petticoat underneath.

Pants: High-waisted jeans and cigarette pants in red or black. They can be full-length or 3/4 length, and feel free to use turn-ups.

Swimsuits & lingerie: High waist and lovely vintage cuts, preferably with a little support underneath that supports the body.

Colors and patterns: Contrary to the neat 50s pastel colors, the focus here is on bold colors, and especially red, white, and black are a classic rockabilly combo. The most common ones here are polka dots, cherries, and stripes.

To complete your Rockabilly look, we always recommend styling and accessories. This can be in the form of small bandanas for the neck which we carry in the shop, or it can be lovely hair flowers or bracelets.

The sexy seamed stockings from What Katie Did in, for example, red or green are also an obvious choice for styling, just as we have leopard and fishnet stockings from Swedish Stockings which also give your Rockabilly look a boost.

And, of course, the right shoes are part of your look, and we always have a wealth of lovely shoes in vintage 50s style.

We look forward to seeing you and helping you style your personal Rockabilly look.

Best regards
Team Mondo Kaos ❤