Dressing in the 1950's

[Roxy Tart {PL Team / Comm. Mgr}]

I love seeing the difference between how people dress nowadays and how they dressed back in the day. We have the thread about how everyday people dressed, http://www.pinuplifestyle.com/forum/topics/everyday-people-of-the-4..., but this article I found got me thinking about how people dressed when they were going places that we still go today.

I think it's amazing (and kind of sad) that we are going the same places they did, but the way we dress has drastically changed, and most of the time, not for the better.

So post up your then and now shots, and who knows, maybe if people see this thread, it will inspire them to dress a little nicer when they go out.

[Roxy Tart {PL Team / Comm. Mgr}]

As do I. It stared with the Beats, moved to the hippys, and kept going down hill from there. Sad. Good thing there are people like us in the world to help bring the pretty back... not to mention class and manners. It's ridiculous how often I want to tell a girl on the street to brush her hair and for goodness sake, put on a bra! 

Kiltedbiker said:

I blame the counter culture of the 60's. :-)

[Valerie Voiture]

I "dress up" everyday (read as: heels, hose, skirts, brooches, etc.) and I get a mixed reaction.  Either people are very appreciative of it or they look at me like I'm some kind of snotty b****.  Sad.

[Esme Avail]

Ha this thread makes me laugh :) I don't have such a vendetta against flip flops.. not saying I choose to wear them myself, but I understand if it's 40'C outside and your a man. Rather flip flops than sweaty man feet that stink the whole house out at night ANY DAY. However seeming I have a long break this summer I will be investing in some gladiator sandals or flat peep toes as they are very vintage-esc and will be great for my maternal swollen ankels!

However I will say ladies in the 50's wore jeans and trousers as casual wear quite often. I own some slim fit high waisted jeans, and high waisted wide legged trousers which can look very smart and great all dolled up! Unfortunately I can't currently fit into them so I'm on the jeggings which can pull of the rockabilly look really quite well :)

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=50%27s+girls+in+trousers&um=1&...

When I go to the cinema I sit in the Directors lounge and usually wear trousers with a blouse and either heels or ballerina flats, When I go to the theatre or one of our city's hidden speak easy cocktail bars I wear a dress with stockings and heels or a skirt, I've never been to Disney land, supermarket shopping is usually done in my work uniform and at the airport I'll wear a big fur coat .. amazing to sleep in whilst flying! :) x 

[Terri Lynn]

Amazingly Sad. I will say that I have just recently made a commitment to myself that I will not just wear jeans and a graphic lettered printed tshirt outside of the house. I will only wear junky tshirts to work in the yard. I went through my closet and tossed all but two or three. I decided that just because I live in WV right now, doesnt mean that I have to LOOK like a West Virginian! I have been doing really well with that commitment and have been feeling much better about myself.

Ya know, traveling, going to Disney, those kinds of things USED to be "events" for people. Not everyone got to do them. They were special and were treated as such. These days we are spoiled and it is all about being comfortable or whatever, not about being respectful.

[trippy]

Ahhhh!!!! Simpler, more elegant times..... How I long for them.... xXx <3

[Gio_fl]

I couldn't agree more...How you look and dress does make a difference not only in how you feel about yourself but how you are perceived.

[Lolita Black]

I don't have any pictures but you know what drives me crazy? How no one dresses to pick up job applications or for interviews. I get dolled up everyday, and yes I let my face rest from make up. I wear petticoats, swing dresses/skirts, wiggles, heels/flats. And i love my red lipstick. But when I see people go ask for job applications in their athletic wear, short shorts, and see through shirts, I just think it's embarrassing and slobbish. I got offered my job simply because I was dressed nicely and I was shopping not applying at the time. People should think about being groomed and what clothing fits whatever occasion.

[Stephanie Lourenco]

This thread makes me so happy. I get it every day 'why are you dressed up? are you going to a party?'. And people are pretty snooty about it. It feels like everyone on here is looked down upon for dressing with some class and elegance instead of being appreciated. One day I was at a very nice mall where I live. And I was dressed up and caught some snooty little 13 year olds in uggs and jeans looking a me and whispering. Its just sad. People should be appreciated for putting some effort and maybe not just wearing jeans and flip flops every day....

[missjessikanicole]

omg I love it!...nut it is sad how people dont get dressed up anymore or if they do everyone looks at them all dirty
I was just telling my friend how I loved how "back in the days" even if women went to the grocery store they were dressed up
and now people go in their pjs and look all tore up...I will say I am guilty leaving the house with no make up but pjs come on people

[Evie K]

Hi all,

I started embracing my vintage, womanly look right before Christmas last year. I'm attaching a photo of me in February last year, compared with February this year. I know which look I prefer :-)

I have a question though. Our Autumn is actually more like an early Winter. The frosts are quite thick already and my work place is a large open building, where they try to maintain temperatures but I'm still becoming very cold in my skirts and cardigans, even when I try layering a little. Any suggestions for remaining vintage and voluptuous without catching pneumonia? 

[Sheree Kelly-The Rebel Belle]

<3 <3 <3 This! I feel overdressed and get funny looks because I even get myself put together to go in the grocery store or even just to the gas station. Its about pride , and too many people just don't have it anymore :(

[TXinSTO]

Dirtee Martina - Thank you for the insight into the evolution of fashion, femininity and the intersection with politics.  Sometimes when I think of the fashion of the 50s, or other eras, I just think of the experience of the US or western Europe, and I forget how different it was in other parts of the world, and how that history influences the way people dress today.  Very interesting, thanks again!

Dirtee Martina said:

seeing all those beautifully dressed women in the '50's really made me think. We never had that in our country. In the '50's the communist party took over and everybody had to dress after the soviet model meaning earth-coloured, shapeless, unimaginative dresses.

I feel as if we skipped a step in our natural evolution as women... in the '20's and '30's romanian women were second best after the french when it came to fashion ....and than nothing.

So after the revolution when they could wear whatever they wanted they didn't know what to wear... instead of discovering their repressed sensuality, their womanliness, they chose to bare it all or cover themselves in horrible clothes because they didn't know any better.

And my generation and the ones that follow, we were born free but we weren't raised with the idea of beauty so we have to figure our ideal beauty on our own, and it's hard to do that when you are invaded with images of anorexic, half plastic girls taking their clothes off on tv and no other option of how women are supposed to look like.