Fifties Dresses - Alberto - [PDF Document] (2024)

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Fifties Dresses

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Womendressed"smartly' in theFifties. Goodgrooming and

a tailored lookwere prized.

Acting andlooking "everyinch the lady"was taughtvirtuallyfromthe cradle andwearing adress was agiven.

Notice our firstladies haveheels andgloves. Thiswas requiredtocompletethe look.

The dress atleft, a

summeryafternoonfloral, haswhat wascalled a swingskirt. Thisverypopular stylehad manyforms,including thepoodle skirt.

At right, theskirt part ofthe dress is inthe pencilstyle.Theobject here isto attain an

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hourglass, orfigure eight,body shape.This type ofdress orskirt

was not wornby young girlsor teens. Tooprovacative.Inthisillustration, thedress alsoboasts bolerosleeves, whichwerepopular.

Although notseen,a girdle was anecessarypart ofallensembles.

At left, two ladies perhaps off to shop or to

lunch. One wears the pencil style and theother a swing.

The blue suit dress on the right features a

short cropped jacket, accentuating thehourglass shape.

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Again, on the left a luncheon dress in the

pencil style and an everyday dress with the

swing skirt.

At right, an afternoon tea dress with

characteristically FIfties soft femininetouches.

Again, dresses very typical of the day.

At left, with or without a short jacket, a

breezy look.

Note the wide collars at right which soften

the neckline. "Peter Pan" or broad collarswere a fixture of the50s.

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Contrary to whatever impression you may

have gathered from watching Donna Reed or

Harriett Nelson, real wives and mothers didnot go around doinghousework in dresses

accessorized by pearls and heels.

Mother might, however, wear a wrap dress aspictured at left. Orthe simple everyday dress

at right.The key here is the word "dress". It

was the most common item worn by womenat the time.

Art and fashion often evolve to display a commonality ofattitude of a culture, place or era. I think this was

certainly true of 1950s America, which gave rise to rock-n-roll.Much of the music of this time had a fun and

carefree air, as exampled by Bobby Darins Splish Splash or BillHaleys Rock Around the Clock. Fashion

styles also evolved to incorporate these themes. Today, I wouldlike to show you two outfits that represent the

fun, feminine fashion that was popular at the time. The poodleskirt, often being used for dancing or just

hanging out at the local diner, and a flouncy knee length dress,perfect for a movie date at the theater or drive-

in. Both are fromIvalde, a wonderful store for vintage shoppers.Neferia Abel has selections from the Baroqueera to current daystyles, much of it sorted into decades for easy shopping.

The pink poodle skirt ensemble, pictured left, comes with twoskirt and two blouse options, each with or

without the poodle, and a prim scarf. The belt is on the jacketlayer so its optional or can be replaced by

another of your choosing. This outfit is also available with ared, black or yellow skirt. Added to the pictured

ensemble are saddle shoes from The 50s Storeand HaalsaHallardlace frill socks with pink ribbon. The

jewelry is pink lulu4 bangle braceletsfromArtilleriandKraftikaearrings no. 106 also in pink.

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On the right is the Selena dress in magenta. The flexi-primskirt, which moves beautifully, and the prim

shoulder straps add to the three-dimensional look. This dress isan excellent example of the nice textures found

in Neferias designs and also comes in aqua, white and black.Added to the outfit are Tesla Leather Vixen

pumps in liquorice andMMCherry Charm necklace and earrings. Thehair in both pictures isArtilleriDayna

black.

If you enjoy vintage clothing as much as I do, I urge you tocheck outIvalde. The hardest thing about shopping

at them is choosing from amongst the wide range of selectionsand colors.

The 1950s' fashion was one that had certain distinctcharacteristics about it. There were alsocertain factors that wereassociated with these 1950s' clothing. This was one period thatwas

considered to be really expensive due to the effects of war.This period saw the dominance of pinkpumps and beehive hairstyles.Brands were launched and designers created new fashion trends.Readon to know more about the 1950 clothing.

1950s' Clothing: Fifties FashionThe 1950s' clothing saw thedominance of designer names such as Christian Dior. Dior'sgarmentsgave a more feminine appeal for women in terms of fashion.The voluminous look also added tothe femininity of a woman. ThePrincess Line launched in the year 1953 soon became popular andDioralso popularized the trend of wearing A-line skirts.

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Most scenes from the fifties fashion depict men in clothes whichwere always structured in darkcolors. This was the time whenmaterials such as cotton and wool were used. Tweed

jackets were seen as well. Hollywood actors such as Gregory Peckwore gray flannel suits whichbecame quite a rage. Flannel pantsworn with comfy rolled up shirts was considered to be the 'inthing'in the fifties.

**Click on the images to enlarge

Women switched to trendy coats instead of the traditionalshawls. One also saw the large use offeathersas a part of the1950s' fashion. Long knee length coats, which had loosesleeves,

caught on really well in the 1950s'. Among the differentfabrics, silk was widely used and furs alsooccupied an importantplace in the wardrobes of most women. Furs were considered to be astatussymbol and purchasing garments of fur was definitely anexpensive affair. The 1950s' clothing alsosaw women go all out toown very expensive fur coats. Since real fur was not affordablebyall, imitation fur also became popular amongst those whopreferred to wear fake fur coats forless. Leopard printswere also arage and made an important part of fashion in the fifties.

**Click on the images to enlarge

Yet another factor of the 1950s' fashion were the popularity ofpetticoats. Women wearing stiffand starched petticoats was quite acommon sight. Colorful skirts were worn as casual-weargarments.Apart from skirts, the 1950s' clothing also saw the acceptanceofpants and jeans inladies fashion.

Elegance was an important factor in the fashion of the fifties.Hollywood also had a major role toplay in influencing the 1950s'clothing. These patterns and designs were splashed acrossglamormagazines such as Vogue and Women's Weekly. Flowers, stripes,spots and abstractshapes all became a part of fifties fashion.Waists became narrow (as is evident from most

movies of that period) and garments were fitted at the waistarea. Flared skirts and daintyflared dresses were seen as adistinguishing mark of this era. Hollywood actors such asMarilynMonroe and Grace Kelly became the style icons for thisperiod.

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**Click on the images to enlarge

Rock N Roll dictated a lot of terms in the 1950s' clothingscene. Teenagers became slightly

rebellious and approached their dressing in rather differentways, becoming more and moreexperimental.

Fifties fashion cannot be complete without the mention of theswimwear worn in this period.Fashion in the fifties may seem odd toreaders now, but this was a period when revealingswimsuits had justmade an appearance on the scene. Stretch fabrics andstraplessswimwearbecame very popular. Straps were detachable andthe overall design was very modest

in the fifties fashion. Two-piece bikinis were considered to bewearable only by Hollywood stars.Women would also make it a pointto wear bathing caps so that their hair would be protectedwhileswimming.

**Click on the images to enlarge

Men were seen wearing polo shirts teamed with sports jackets,cardigan sweaters, wool

suits, and shirtswith patterns such as stripes, tuxedos, snazzytropical shirts and cool

blue denims. These were often paired with loafer shoes.

The 1950s' fashion also saw brand names come up with challengingdesigns. Dior now faced a

challenge when Chanel launched a new design. The Chanel suit wasall about a collarless jacket

teamed with a skirt that went slightly below the knees. Womenloved this elegant and

sophisticated look. The Chanel suit therefore created quite arage.

Thus we see the vivid kinds of styles that were a rage in the1950s' fashion. This was a period that

saw a gradual change in the fashion scenario.

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American Cultural History

1950 1959

1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990

ABOUT THIS GUIDE

The end of World War II brought thousandsof young servicemenback to America topick up their lives and start new families innewhomes with new jobs. With an energynever before experienced,Americanindustry expanded to meet peacetimeneeds. Americans beganbuying goods not

available during the war, which createdcorporate expansion andjobs. Growtheverywhere. The baby boom wasunderway...

The purpose of this web and library guide is to help the usergain a broad understanding andappreciation for the culture andhistory of the fabulous fifties (1950s). In a very small way, thisis abibliographic essay. While there is no way we can link toeverything, we have attempted to find areasof special interest andto select information that we hold dear today - movies we watch,songs wesing, events that move us, people we admire.

To see the whole picture, we encourage users to browse all theway through this page and then visitthe suggested links for moreinformation on the decade. We feel the best way to immerse oneselfin

a topic is to use both Internet and the library. The real depthof information is best read in books.More photographs, moreinformation, more depth. Then, there is information that will befound onlyon the Internet; a journal from someone, photographs likethose on our pages. We invite youto write. Thanks for the visit.ENJOY

EVENTS AND TECHNOLOGY

Facts about this decade---Population: 151,684,000 (U.S. Dept.ofCommerce, Bureau of the Census)*Unemployed: 3,288,000Lifeexpectancy: Women 71.1, men 65.6Car Sales: 6,665,800

Average Salary: $2,992Labor Force male/female: 5/2Cost of a loafof bread: $0.14Bomb shelter plans, like the government

pamphlet You Can Survive, become widelyavailable

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Important Historic and Cultural Events

1950 - Pres.Harry Truman ( 'til 1952) approves production of thehydrogen bomb and sends air

force and navy to Korea in June.

1951 - Transcontinental television begins with a speech by Pres.Truman.

1953 - 1961 Dwight D. Eisenhower is president.

1952 - TheImmigration and Naturalization Act of 1952 removesracial and ethnic barriers tobecoming a U.S. citizen.

1953 - Julius and Ethel Rosenbergare electrocuted for their partin W.W.II espionage.

1953 - Fighting ends in Korea.

1954 - U. S. Senator Joseph McCarthybegins televised hearingsinto alleged Communists in

the army.

1954 - Racial segregation is ruled unconstitutionalin publicschools by the U.S. Supreme Court.

1955 - Rosa Parksrefuses to give up her seat on a public bus inMontgomery, Alabama.1955 - TheAmerican Federation of Labor and theCongress of Industrial Organizations merge

making the new AFL-CIO an organization with 15 millionmembers.

also in 1955 Dr. Jonas Salk developed a vaccine for polio

1956 - The Federal Highway Act is signed, marking the beginningof work on the interstatehighway system.

1958 - Explorer I, the first U.S. satellite, successfully orbitsthe earth.

1958 - The first domestic jet-airline passenger service is begunby National Airlinesbetween

New York City and Miami.

1959 -Alaskaand Hawaii become the forty-ninth and fiftiethstates.

LINKS

Historical Atlas of the 20th Century | Collection of maps andstatsof the 20th century

American History 1860-present | Chronological arrangementofhistory of this century

Biography.com | Biographies of over 15,000 famous persons.Genealogy Guide | Helpful guide for locating past people,places

and events. Dwight D. Eisenhower| "Character above all" byStephen Ambrose, a

PBS website. The Cold War Museum | From the 1940's until the1990's, the cold war dominated foreign

relations.

BOOKSLibrary of Congress areas :

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es of American History Include history and politics, the arts,science and technology, and other info of interest.

erica in the 20th Century 1950-1959 is covered in volume 6.Typical of Marshall Cavendish, this encyclopedic set isaccessib

r this decade. Covers subjects from art to transportation.

als of America Volume 17 of this set contains essays and exceptsfrom important writers and on important topics of the time.

ry of American History From very brief to multi-page signedentries on topics in American History.

of American History Vols. V and VI - are a great books to givethe reader the real flavor of the 1950's because of the manypho

ary of American Portraits Photographs or drawings of importantAmericans. Brief descriptions of their contribution. Arranged

ART & ARCHITECTURE:

"Painting is a state...self-discovery. Every good artist paintswhat he is." Jackson Pollock

There was a fresh artistic outlook after World War II ended andthe artistic world reflected this

outlook.Abstract expressionismlike Jackson Pollock , BarnettNewman,Willem de

Kooning , Clyfford Stilland Franz Klinereceived officialrecognition at the New YorkMuseum of

Modern Art. These artists, referred to as the New York School,were generally experimental. Other

abstract artists rebelled against the self-absorption of the NewYork School and delved

intoexistentialism. Mark Rothko used large scale color blocks tocreate an overpowering material

presence. Painters like Robert Rauschenberg and Jasper Johns,also abstract artists, did not wantthe viewer to rely on what hesaw to interpret a painting. African American artists John T.

Biggers, Romare Bearden and Henry Clay Anderson presented adifferent view of American life.

Part of the 1950's boom in consumerismincluded housing.Peoplecould afford single family dwellings and suburbia wasborn. A smallsuburban community called Levittownwas built byWilliam Levitt forreturning servicemen and their families. Aninfluence ofFrank LloydWright is seen in the popularRanchstyle house. Designers likeBauhaus , who helped createtheInternational style, influencedLudwig Mies van der

Rohe, Philip Johnson,Charles and Ray Eames and EeroSaarinen.Louis Kahn, architect of the Salk Institute, was anoted architectduring this period.

LINKSRothko Chapel in Houston||Abstract Expressionism||Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History-AbstractExpressionism

African Americans in the Visual arts || Great BuildingsCollection

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Library of Congress browsing areas are: N-NX This area includesall forms of art, art history and

architecture.

N 6490 .L792 Visual Arts in the Twentieth Century History of artin the 20th Century including all art forms an

ND 237 .R725 B74 Mark Rothko A biography with illustrations ofhis work.

ND 237 .P73 S65 Jackson PollockA biography with illustrations ofhis work.

NA 737 .K32 B73 Kimbell Art Museum Architecture in detail;examines buildings with photos, drawings, discus

BOOKS & LITERATURE

America had just begun her recovery from World War II, whensuddenly the Korean Conflictdeveloped. The USSR became a majorenemy in the Cold War. Senator Joseph McCarthy claimed

to know that Communists had infiltrated the United Statesgovernment at the highest levels.

Americans were feeling a sense of national anxiety. Was Americathe greatest country in the world?

Was life in America the best it had ever been? As the decadepassed, literature reflected the conflict

of self-satisfaction with '50s Happy Days and culturalself-doubt about conformity and the true worth

of American values.

Authors likeNorman Vincent Peale , The Power of Positive

Thinking, orBishop Fulton J. Sheen -Life is WorthLiving,indicate power ofthe individual to control his or her fate.The concern with conformity is reflected

in David Riesman's The Lonely Crowd, John Kenneth Galbraith

-The Affluent

Society, William H. Whyte's The Organization Man,Ayn Rand-Atlas

Shrugged, and Sloan Wilson'sThe Man in the Gray Flannel Suit.Anewgroup of authors appeared on the scene in the form of the Beats,or the beatgeneration or some called them beatniks. Best known ofthese are JackKerouac - Kerouac's works- On the Road, Dharma Bums,The Town and The

City, Mexico City Blues (poetry),Lawrence FerlinghettiA ConeyIsland of the Mind , Pictures of aGone World, and Allen GinsbergHowl(Poetry).Gregory Corso , Neal Cassady ,Michael

McClure, Gary Snyder, William S. Burroughs were other beatauthors giving voice to theanti-establishment movement.

Science Fictionbecame more popular with the actual

possibility of space travel, Ray Bradbury wrote TheMartianChronicles. Isaac Asimovwrote I, Robot, andother books about worldsto be discovered. Establishedauthors continuing to writeincludedTennessee

Williams-The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone; RobertPenn Warren-World Enough and Time; Carl Sandberg -Complete Poems; Herman Wouk-The Caine Mutiny; J.D. Salinger-The Catcher in the Rye; TrumanCapote-The Grass Harp; John Steinbeck- East of Eden; Edna

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Ferber-Giant; James Michener-The Bridges of Toko Ri, Hawaii;Thomas Costain-The SilverChalice; Eudora Welty -The Ponder Heart;William Faulkner-The Town; Lorraine Hansbury - ARaisin in theSun;Langston Hughes- Laughing to Keep from Crying;James Baldwin- GoTell It onthe Mountain.

LINKS

1950s Bestseller Literature and Culture of the 1950s LifeMagazine presents Disney Land in the 1950s African AmericanLiterature Book Club

Library of Congress browsing areas include: PS - AmericanLiterature; Z - books and

libraries.

me

id Riesmannegut

ght Mills

The Bridges at Toko Riby James Michener

The Conservative Mindby Russell KirkThe Crucial Decade: America1945-1955by Eric F. GoldmanMrs. Bridge by Evan Connell

Books About Books

ama 1940-1960A critical history of American drama

of AmericaVol 17contains essays by the important people of thetime, including excerpts from books listed above.

American Literature Multi volume work with excerpts from modernAmerican writers showing changes in their work.

nding the Beats A survey of the four major Beat writers,Kerouac, Ginsberg, Burroughs and Corso.

Children's Book Award winnersof the fifties:

Newbery Award Winners - Began in 1922 (include the mostdistinguished children's book

published the previous year).

1950 - The Door in the Wall by Marguerite de Angeli

1951 - Amos Fortune, Free Man by Elizabeth Yates

1952 - Ginger Pye by Eleanor Estes

1953 - Secret of the Andes by Ann Nolan Clark

1954 - ...And Now Miguel by Joseph Krumgold

1955 - The Wheel on the School by Meindert DeJong

1956 - Carry On, Mr. Bowditch by Jean Lee Latham

1957 - Miracles on Maple Hill by Virginia Sorenson

1958 - Rifles for Watie by Harold Keith1959 - The Witch ofBlackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare

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Caldecot Award Winners- Began in 1938 (include the mostdistinguished American picture bookof the previous year).

1950: Song of the Swallows by Leo Politi

1951: The Egg Tree by Katherine Milhous

1952: Finders Keepers, illustrated by Nicolas, pseud. (NicholasMordvinoff); text: Will, pseud. [WilliamLipkind]

1953: The Biggest Bear by Lynd Ward

1954: Madeline's Rescue by Ludwig Bemelmans

1955: Cinderella, or the Little Glass Slipper, illustrated byMarcia Brown; text: translated from

Charles Perrault by Marcia Brown

1956: Frog Went A-Courtin', illustrated by Feodor Rojankovsky;text: retold by John Langstaff)

1957: A Tree Is Nice, illustrated by Marc Simont; text: JaniceUdry

1958: Time of Wonder by Robert McCloskey

1959: Chanticleer and the Fox, illustrated by Barbara Cooney;text: adapted fromChaucer's Canterbury Tales by Barbara Cooney

EDUCATION

During the fifties, American

education underwent dramatic

and, for some, world shattering

changes. Until 1954, an official

policy of "separate but equal "

educationalopportunities for

blacks had been determined tobe the correct method to insure

that all children in America

received an adequate and

equal education in the public

schools of the nation. In

1954,Chief Justice Earl

Warrenand other members of

the Supreme Court wrote in Brown v. the Board of Education ofTopeka, Kansas that separate

facilities for blacks did not make those facilities equalaccording to the Constitution. Integration was

begun across the nation. In 1956, Autherine J.Lucysuccessfullyenrolled in the University of Alabama

at Tuscaloosa. In 1957, Elizabeth Eckford was the first blackteenager to enter then all-white LittleRock Central High School,Little Rock, Arkansas. Although integration took place quietly inmost

towns, the conflict at Central High School in Little Rock wasthe first of many confrontations in

Arkansas which showed that public opinion on this issue wasdivided.

Another crisis in education was uncovered by critics likeRudolph Fleschin his bookWhy Johnny

Can't Read, who claimed that the American educational system wasnot doing its job. Other voices

in the movement to revamp American schools wereArthur Bestor-Educational Wastelands,Albert

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Lynd- Quackery in the Public Schools, Robert Hutchins- TheConflict in Education, andAdmiral

Hyman Rickover- Education and Freedom.

GENERAL LINKS

Developments in Education Use the National Assessment ofEducational Progress, theNation's Report Card to see statistics onprogress in Math, Reading and Science. Education Statistics fromthe Statistical Abstract of the United States, years 1960 to 1995.History of the United States Department of Education

BOOKS

ducation : The Metropolitan Experience 1876-1980History ofeducation. Other titles by Lawrence A. Cremin may be helpfu

of America Vol. 17 p.253 - 258 essay on Brown v. Board ofEducation of Topeka as well; p. 371-378 two essays on integ

ry of American History This multi-volume set has a very goodentry under "Education" in Volume 2 and an entry on "integrati

etically by title, ex. Brown v. the Boardin Volume 1.

opeka An African American's View of desegregation andmiseducation.

ducational Heritage The final long chapter contains a history ofthe American educational system. On page 535, a discussion

ion of schools in 1950.

FADS & FASHION - these were a few of our favorite things

Perhaps one of the things which most characterizes the

1950's was the strong element ofconservatism and

anticommunist feeling which ran throughout much of society.

One of the best indicators of the conservative frame of

mind was the addition of the phrase "under God" to the

Pledge of Allegiance. Religion was seen as an indicator

ofanti-communism. Fiftiesclothingwas conservative. Men

woregray flannel suits and women wore dresseswith

pinched in waists and high heels. French

fashion designers such asDior,Chanel and Givenchy were

popular and copied in America. Families worked together,

played together and vacationed together at familythemedentertainment areas like national parks and the

new Disneyland. Gender roles were strongly held, girlsplayed

with Barbie dolls and Dale Evans gear, boys withRoy

Rogers and Davy Crockett paraphernalia. Drive-in

movies became popular for families and teens.Carswere

seen as an indicator of prosperity and cool-

ness.Highways were built to take people quickly from one

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place to another, by-passing small towns and helping to createcentral marketing areas or shopping

malls such as Sharpstown Mall, Gulfgate Mall and Meyerland Plazain Houston.

Fashion successes were Bill Blass and his blue jeans, poodleskirts made of felt and decorated withsequins and poodle appliques,pony tails for girls, and flat topsand crew cuts for guys.Saddleshoesand blue suede loafers were popular. Teenagers weredefined as a separate generation and

were represented by James Deanwho wore blue jeans inRebelWithout a Causeand created afashion and attitudesensation.Activities we liked were flying saucer watching , andwatching anddancing to Dick Clark'sAmerican Bandstand . Fad hitswith kids were toys like hulahoops andHopalong Cassidy guns andwestern gear, Davy Crockettcoon skin hats and silly putty.

LINKS

The Nifty Fifties Links to many Fifties fads and otherinformation. Costumer's Manifesto Links to wide world of fashion .Good ones.

Twentieth Century Fashion Women's fashionsof the fifties.

Soulmates: A Century in Shoes Shoes throughout the century.Houston growth A history of the city from the Handbook of TexasOnline. Fashion Era a British view of fifties fashions. Otherdecades of fashion are also linked.

BOOKS

REF E169.1.P19 Panati's Parade of Fads, Follies and ManiasArranged by decade, includes fads, dance cra

E 169.1.R7755 Mass Culture: The Popular Arts in AmericaImportant essays analyzing mass culture in Ame

E169.1.S9733 Culture as History : The Transformation of AmericanSociety in the Twentieth Century E

political and cultural face of America in this century.

Costumes / Fashion

0th Century Fashion History with photographs of fashion

tory of Costume The Twentieth CenturyPages 93-105 showillustrations of fashions in the 1950s

nce 1945Chapter 2 focuses on the1950s with line drawings ofstyles.

MUSIC

When the 1950s are mentioned, the first type of music to come tomost people's

minds is rock 'n roll. Developed from a blend of Southern bluesandgospel

music with an added strong back beat, this type of music waspopular with

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teenagers who were trying to break out of the mainstream,conservative, American middle class

mold. Popular artists such asBill Haley, Elvis Presley, andJerry Lee Lewis were promoted on radio

by just as popular disc-jockeys (DJ's) likeAlan Freed and theBig Bopper. The deaths

ofLubbock singerBuddy Holly , Ritchie Valensand the Big Bopperisstill lamented by fans.

The influence of these early rockershas been felt in popularmusic worldwide.

Music in the fifties was more than just rock 'n roll. Croonerslike Nat King Cole,Frank Sinatra, PerryComoand Dinah Shore were allpopular. Many of these singers were the idols of the rockerswho

developed the new sounds. Many of their songs are still beingplayed on radios, home stereos, CD

players and ipods all over the world.

LINKS

Heavens Gate | top tunes and artists of the fifties, music andlyrics. Banned Music | timeline of events concerning banning rockand roll. Gershwin | timeless music, still popular during the'50s.

BOOKS Library of Congress browse areas: M

nicle of American Music 1700-1995Arranged by year. Historicalhighlights, world cultural highlights, American art andliteratu

Since 1900 Arranged by day. Includes important premiers andmusical events.

Great American Song Thesaurus Arranged by year. Summary of worldand musical events, list of important songs.

Tunes 1905-1985 Features important composers. Lists their showsand the published music for each show.

TELEVISION

Perhaps the most far reaching change in communications

worldwide was the advancement in the area

oftelevision broadcasting. During the 1950s, televisionbecame

the dominantmass mediaas more people broughttelevision into

their homesin greater numbers of hours per week than ever

before. In the early fifties, the number of hours youngpeoplewatched TV steadily increased, a trendwhich has not

changed greatly since that time. What was portrayed on

television became accepted as normal. The ideal family, the

ideal schools and neighborhood s, the world, were all seen ina

way which had only partial basis in reality. People began to

accept what was heard and seen on television because they

were "eye witnesses" to events as never before. Programssuch

as You Are There brought historical events into the livingrooms

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of many Americans. The affect on print news media andentertainment media was felt in lower

attendance at movies and greater reliance onTV news sources forinformation. And then, in

1954,black and white broadcasts became color broadcasts. Showscalled "sitcoms " like TheHoneymooners, Lassie, Father KnowsBest,The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, and I Love

Lucyfeatured popular characters whose lives thousands of viewerswatched and copied. Families

enjoyed variety shows like Disneyland and The Ed Sullivan ShowonSunday evenings. Daytimeprograms likeGuiding Light, a "soap opera"were popular and helped advertisers sell many products

to the homemakers of America. News broadcasting changed fromnewsmen simply reading the news

to shows which includedvideotaped pictures of events which hadoccurred anywhere in the world,

and then to more and more live broadcasts of events happening atthe time of viewing. This was

made possible in 1951 with the development of coaxial cable andmicrowave relays coast to coast.

WhenEdward R. Murrow began offering his weekly radio program(called "Hear It Now") on TVas

"See It Now," the world of news broadcasting was irrevocablychanged (eyewitness recounts the

change)

LINKS

Television News Archive Television news history presented byVanderbilt University. Chronology of TV broadcasting from JeffMiller, teacher at Gulf High School in New Port

Richey, FL The first 75 years of Television from Tom Genova,many links on development of TV

including advertising. Includes a timeline.

BOOKS AND VIDEOS

REF PN1992.18 .M874 Museum of Broadcast CommunicationsEncyclopedia ofTelevision - an excellent resource to use tounderstand the medium of television.

E215.4 .Y68 2004You Are There: The American Revolutionprepares.Just one of the You

Are There TV broadcasts the Kingwood College Library owns

THEATER, FILM & RADIO

Works by well known dramatists still held audiences and won newadmirers. Tennessee Williams'A

Streetcar Named Desire, and Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesmanwere written in the 40's but were

still very popular in the '50s. Eugene O'NeillfinishedLong Day'sJourney into Nightin

1957. Williams wrote Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1955) and BabyDoll(1956) . Musicals were very well

received. Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II, and JoshuaLogan won acclaim with South

Pacific in 1950. One of the most emotionally charged plays of1956 was The Diary of Anne

Frank. Dance underwent change during this period. MarthaGraham's work influenced dancersworldwide. In 1958, Alvin Aileycreated theAmerican Dance Theatrewhich featured all-black casts

and dance styles that were culturally based and truly Americanin style. Radio's influence was still

very great as is seen in the rapid growth ofRock 'n Roll. Themusic of Perry Como, Rosemary

Clooney and Nat King Coleamong others was listened to by peoplecarrying small transistor radios.

Music could be heard in any location because it wasnowportable.

LINKS

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History of Broadway Broadway 101 by Robert Rusie. Historic Filmsfilms of the fifties. Alien invasion and creature features ScienceFiction in film from Clemson History of Science Fiction FilmScience Fiction film since the early twentieth century. Chronologyof films Some favorite fifties movies Anne Frank's Diary Theexhibit based on Anne's original writings. Launch the

exhibition to hear as well as see the diary. Sci-Fi in the '50ssometimes called the golden age of Science Fiction movies

BOOKSLibrary of Congress browse area: PN - theater, PR - Acting,SF - producing plays

REF PN2189.L85 Twentieth CenturyA theater buff's bible This booklists and describes by year premiers, p

Great Britain. Theatre

REF PN1993.5.U6H55 The Transformation of Cinema Volumes 1 and 2are needed to cover this decade. A

The list below are representative of what was happening in thecinema industry. New ground wasbroken with each new film. Books maybe the best means of learning more on this topic.

ovies made their debut with Bwana Devil;Cinerama, CinemaScopeand color were other special effects used to lure audiences

d adopts a by-law banning Communistsfrom membership

vies too expensive, so they stay at home to watch TV

SPORTS

People in the Fifties loved sports. More leisure time andgreater general prosperity led to greaterparticipation in athleticactivities for the average person and added large numbers of fansto all typesof sports. Unlike many areas of society in this decade,athletes were a diverse group. Popularity wasnot based on socialstatus, but on the ability of the individual. All American sportssuch as baseballand football gave opportunities for the rise ofstars likeJackie Robinson,Roy Campanella,Henry(Hank) Aaron,JuanMarichal,Jim Brown, andFrank Gifford. Great women athletes playedin theAll-

American Girls Professional Baseball League.

As television became more popular and available, other sportsfound growing numbers offans. College footballwas widely followed.Professional golf became very popular with stars likeBenHoganandArnold Palmerhelping to create the idea that to succeed inbusiness, men needed to playgolf. Women like BabeZaharias-Didrikson created theLadies Professional Golf Associationin 1950,so women were joining men on golf courses all over America.People watched the Olympics1952 and 1956, and in part due to theCold War, rivalry between countries became very fierce.Track andfield athletes likeBob Mathias (decathlon) and Bobby Morrow (relay)were favorites.Sportslike tennis, basketball and boxing were alsopopular in the fifties.Althea Gibsonwas the first African-

American to play in the U. S. Lawn Tennis Nationals at ForestHills, NY. Major names in basketball

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were Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor, Bob Cousy,Oscar Robertsonand Dolph Schayes. Anotherfavorite, boxing, gave opportunities togreat athletes, Sugar Ray Robinson andRocky Marciano.

BOOKS Library of Congress browse area: GV - Sports. Also searchunder an athlete'sname for a biography on a specific person

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19451960 in fashion

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The examples and perspective in this article may not

represent aworldwide view of the subject.

Please improve this articleand discuss the issue on the talk

page. (March 2012)

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Elizabeth II and Minister for RepatriationWalter CooperinAustralia, 1954. The Queen's summer suit

features a fitted short-sleeved jacket with a peplum and a fullskirt. The Minister wears a double-breasted

suit.

Fashion in the years following World War II is characterized bythe resurgence ofhaute coutureafter the austerity

of thewar years. Square shoulders and short skirts were replacedby the soft femininity ofChristian Dior's "New

Look" silhouette, with its sweeping longer skirts, fitted waist,and rounded shoulders, which in turn gave way to an

unfitted, structural look in the later 1950s.

Innovations in textile technology following the war resulted innew synthetic fabrics and easy-carefabric

finishesthat fitted the suburban lifestyle of the 1950s with itsemphasis on casual sportswearfor both men and

women. For the first time, teenagers became a force infashion.

Contents

[hide]

1 General trends

o 1.1 The return of fashion

o 1.2 Casual clothing and teenage

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style

2 Womenswear

o 2.1 The New Look

o 2.2 Clothes for the space age

o 2.3 Sportswear

o 2.4 Hats and hairstyles

o 2.5 Maternity wear

o 2.6 Style gallery 19451954

o 2.7 Style gallery 19541960

3 Menswear

o 3.1 Suits

o 3.2 Sportswear

o 3.3 Hats and hairstyles

4 Decline of hats

o 4.1 Style gallery 19451949

o 4.2 Style gallery 1950s

5 Children's wear

6 See also

7 Notes

8 References

9 External links

[edit]General trends

[edit]The return of fashion

By 1947, the Paris fashion houses had reopened, and once againParis resumed its position as the arbiter of high

fashion. The "orderly, rhythmic evolution of fashionchange"[1]had been disrupted by the war, and a new direction

was long overdue. A succession of style trends led by ChristianDiorandCristbal Balenciaga defined the changing

silhouette of women's clothes through the1950s.Televisionjoinedfashion magazinesandmoviesindisseminating

clothing styles.[1][2]

[edit]Casual clothing and teenage style

One result of the Post-World War II economic expansionwas aflood of synthetic fabrics and easy-care processes.

"Drip-dry"nylon, orlon anddacron, which could retainheat-setpleatsafter washing, became immensely popular.

[3]Acrylic,polyester, triacetateand spandexwere all introducedin the 1950s.[4]