1950's Basic Wardrobe

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

**Since the site got a little setback, I am reposting this question (and a few others..lol)**

If you were to build a basic 1950's wardrobe, what would it have in it? What items would be most important? What would you buy to best get the look?

How about beyond basic? What would a 50's girl need to complete her wardrobe?

[Roxie Roulette {★}]

To cover all basis would take so much time, but I would say definitely at least three floral print day dresses - perhaps one with netting too - and then a more showy, fancy one that of course would be worn to Church! Then a couple of pairs of capri pants, if you were a bit rebellious a pair of jeans but I doubt that; a cute selection of sweaters and cardigans in pastel colours, along side some button up shirts; some amazing vintage underwear including the all important seamed stockings; and finally the shoes, a pair of courts, a pair of stilettos - I don't know about over in the US but in Britain pea green shoes with matching clutch bag was very big - and some pump flats in white or something.

I think that's basically it, anything I've missed?

[C/S]

OK: pass go and collect $200
Trapos = Clothing

For a Male, Vato,Hombre, Man start from the bottom, and work up .....
Shoes Tablitas Stacy Adams, Cap toe boots and wing tips
Pants Khakis , Pleated Wool, military press
Shirts wool blends, Sir Pendeltons, Guayaberas, White tee shirts
Skinny belts,military Webb belts
Hats,tandos,fedoras
Drape ,chones,

Enjoy 1950 Pachuco

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

Thanks for all that! It never crossed my mind that people might think 50's = greaser and nothing else. How bout for girls SF? Got any thoughts for the dames? Guess I should have specified, I'm looking for girls wardrobe basics. Using this stuff for my book wanting to make sure I'm not forgetting any main pieces.

sfphotojournal said:

If you go to any rockabilly or nostalgia events today you'd think every man during the era dressed like the Fonz, Bowzer or Brando in "The Wild One".

Until about the last 30 years men almost always wore suits or at the very least you'd have a tie on. As an adult you would have at least a few suits to wear to chuch, to a night out, to go downtown. Along with suits and ties, men always, not sometimes, always had a hat on.

Look at any photographs of any crowds downtown from that era and almost all the men had a suit on and virtually none would be without a tie or a hat. I've even got pictures of cars at the Bonneville salt flats and you can see guys in 100 degree heat wearing a tie.

Certainly during his causal time a man wasn't wearing a suit but he was dressed more like what we'd call geeky clothes, button up short sleve shirt and long trousers. And if he went to dinner on the weekend, back goes on the suit.

Now you might say, "Hey I'm a rebel...I'm rockabilly." Well go look up some pictures of Carl Perkins, Hank Williams, Johnny Cash or Buddy Holly. They aren't wearing a leather jacket, wife beater and blue jeans. They're most often than not wearing suit and tie. And no selfrespecting Jazz man would be seen not dressed in a sharp "Continental" suit. Even beatniks wore suits.

I have to admit some guys did wear the leathers, jeans and wife beaters. And some guys did have tattoos. But they were a neglible group and you know what society called these people - criminals, degenerates and kooks.

Imagine you're a 25 yr old man in 1957? You've already been drafted and done 2 years in the military. If you were a little older you might have seen combat in Korea. You certainly remember the War and might even remember the Depression. You're most likely married, already have children and you're certainly working.

Not very rock and roll is it? And certainly not the Fonz.

[Scarlett_Rose]

This is all very useful information! Thank you for sharing :o)