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Every decade has its own look, and the 1950s may be one of the most recognizable. If you show someone a poodle skirt or a pair of cat-eye glasses, they can probably immediately guess the decade it’s from. While the fashions ranged from sweet sock-hop outfits to the hourglass silhouettes worn by Hollywood stars, there were a few fads that everyone seemed to partake in in the ’50s.
These are the looks that still come to mind when we picture the ’50s.
How we curled our hair
The poodle cut featured short, tightly arranged curls that resembled the fluffy coat of its namesake. Actresses including Peggy Garner and Faye Emerson wore versions of the hairstyle, but Lucille Ball may be its most famous fan. Her red curls became almost as recognizable as the series I Love Lucy itself. Women could create the look with naturally curly hair, pin curls or a permanent wave. The Smithsonian notes that permanent waving helped popularize shorter styles filled with carefully controlled curls, which remained fashionable into the 1960s.
How we dressed for a sock hop
Ponytails tied with scarves, poodle skirts, bobby socks and saddle shoes have become the ultimate ’50s sock-hop outfit. Designer Juli Lynne Charlot created her first circle skirt in 1947 using felt and holiday appliqués. After trying a dachshund design, she moved on to poodles, and the look became especially popular with teenagers. However, not every “poodle skirt” actually featured a poodle. The inexpensive circle skirts could be decorated with records, musical notes, flowers, and other colorful designs. According to the Fashion Institute of Technology, they were often paired with fitted twinsets.
How we did our makeup
Bold red lipstick and cat-eye eyeliner created one of the decade’s most recognizable beauty looks. The upper lash line was carefully extended past the corner of the eye, while a sharply defined red lip provided the finishing touch. Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly all wore variations of the bold look. Makeup was also becoming more common among younger women. The Smithsonian reports that 80 to 90 percent of American women wore lipstick after World War II and that teenage girls commonly wore makeup by the 1950s and ’60s. Revlon’s famous red “Fire and Ice” lipstick campaign appeared in magazines in 1952.
How we framed our faces
Cat-eye glasses turned an everyday necessity into a fashion statement. The frames swept upward at the outer corners and were often decorated with rhinestones, glitter or other embellishments. Although the style first appeared during the 1930s, cat-eye frames reached the height of women’s fashion in the 1950s, when they were also known as Harlequin glasses. Some designs were relatively simple, while others looked more like jewelry than eyewear.
How we created curves
Bullet bras and pencil skirts helped create the fitted hourglass silhouette associated with Marilyn Monroe and other Hollywood bombshells. Bullet bras had structured, pointed cups that emphasized the bust. The style emerged during the 1940s but became closely associated with the following decade and the “sweater girl” look. Pencil skirts offered a narrow alternative to the full circle skirt, fitting closely through the hips and tapering toward the knees. Together, the two pieces created a dramatically different shape from the looser, more casual clothes that would become popular in the decades ahead.
How we kept it casual
Capri pants offered women another alternative to skirts and dresses at a time when pants were not ordinarily worn by women and girls. German designer Sonja de Lennart introduced the cropped pants in 1948 as part of her Capri collection. Their high waist, close fit and hem above the ankle made them feel more polished than ordinary trousers. Audrey Hepburn helped turn them into an international fashion staple when she wore them in Sabrina (1954), and Marilyn Monroe also wore capris when out and about.
How we wore our jeans
Rolled or cuffed jeans became part of the decade’s growing youth culture. The cuffs originally served a practical purpose because early jeans were not preshrunk and were often purchased several inches too long. Levi Strauss & Co. notes that high school boys even used the roomy cuffs to hold candy, coins and pencils. Marlon Brando wore denim and a leather jacket in The Wild One, while James Dean’s jeans, white T-shirt and red jacket in Rebel Without a Cause were widely copied.
What is your favorite ’50s fad? Do you still rock any of these looks today? Let us know in the comments!
