While many people think of poodle skirts or bowling shirts when they think of 1950s fashions, there were several styles of dresses that helped define the era. Women who enjoy vintage or retro fashion, especially 50s style dresses, know what to look for, but if you want to buy dresses from the 50s, here are three styles to consider:
First Mate Dresses
The First Mate dress was a popular style in the 50s and is easily identifiable by its nautical appearance. They have full skirts with some tops that have a square collar. For solid color dresses, the top usually was trimmed in white around the collar and the sleeves. They were made to resemble the tops, called blouses, worn by sailors.
Shirtwaist Dresses
A shirtwaist dress was one of the most popular 50s style dresses ever made. It is easily identifiable because it has a button down top that ends at the waist and usually has a full, pleated skirt. Some shirtwaist dresses had a simple, narrow skirt, but the top of the dress is always buttoned down. This style was popular with housewives of that era.
Sheath Dresses
Another popular style of dress that was made in the 50s, and is still made today, is the sheath dress. It was opposite of the 50s style dresses that were made with full skirts because the skirt was more form fitting and had a top that was tailored and tapered at the waist. This dress had two lengths, one with a hem that stopped just below the knee and the other whose hem stopped mid-calf.
There are many other styles of 50s style dresses, but these are the three of the most recognizable styles of that era. Many retro dress makers imitate these styles in their clothing lines if you want a 50s style dress in your wardrobe.