Season For Suits (National Bellas Hess, Fall-Winter 1957)

 How could I let the 1950s slip by without posting any pictures of suits?  In the top centre, we have an example of the fitted suit most popular early in the decade, but the rest of the models here are wearing suits with the boxy jackets which became prevalent later on.  The skirts, however, darted at the hips and gradually narrowing to mid-calf, would look at home any year in the 1950s.

[32] Boxy Tweed Suit in Choice of Fabrics — Felt Cloche

Buttons accentuate the positive flattery of this twee suit  with its boxy jacket, slim zippered skirt. Jacket is rayon-and-acetate lined.

[33] Fur Trimmed Cape Suit

Stunningly styled cape suit in white-flocked 70% wool, 20% nylon, 10% rayon.  Jacket has rounded collar, button-trimmed tabs at the hips.  Detachable cape has rich, white-dyed mouton-processed lamb edging all around; buttons to suit for stay-neat look...

[34] Fashionable Tweed Ensemble... Packable Cloche

Three-part harmony ... tweed suit plus bonus blouse!  Choose your suit from two of your favorite fabric blends.  Boxy jacket has blouse-matched lining; back bow.  Wool jersey blouse is trimmed to match suit, has short sleeves, zip in back...

[35] Three-Piece Tweed Ensemble

Big news in suits... our 32-in. topper, matching skirt and coordinated blouse.  Warmly interlined topper has jumbo pockets with "surprise" side slits, is lined to match the washable cotton print blouse.  Can be worn over almost anything...

[36] Tweed Suit with Mink Collar

Cosy warm, ultra smart.  Luxurious 100% new wool tweed suit is magnificently set off by detachable genuine ranch mink collar (see description below).  Jacket has raglan-type sleeves, jet buttons, hand-bound buttonholes; iridescent acetate taffeta lining.  Slim skirt has back kick pleat, zipper.

[37] Genuine Ranch Mink Collar
Rich, beautiful, genuine ranch mink sides... so soft, so flattering!  We're "mad" about it and we're sure you will be too when you see the luxurious air it adds to every blouse, dress, sweater, suit or coat with which you wear it...

"A billow of chiffon" (Vanity Fair, June 1956)

 Here we have a couple of wildly romantic dance dresses in chiffon.  (The one in the background is "ballerina length", or just reaching to the bottom of the calf.)  The object of fashions like these was to look attractive in a ladylike way rather than being blatantly sexy.

OUR COVER GIRLS... dance in a billow of chiffon... two versions of the same dress, by Roecliff & Chapman... candy pink... pineapple ice... note the longer length.

Vanity Fair's "VANITIES" column noted some of the latest fashion trends for June 1956:

NEW AGAIN... THE ORGANDIE BLOUSE (Dior showed it time and again with his little city suits.)  Make it like a shirt in whitest cotton organdie and let the collar turn over the collar of your suit's jacket...

NEW ANCHORAGE...  for a floating, fragile , tulle stole... wear it straight across your throat, held in position by ropes of pears, the ends of the stole flung over your shoulder and flying free.

PRETTIEST POSSIBLE WAY TO LOOK...for the season's most formal occasion... carry a sunshade to match your dress... perfect for a garden party, Henley or Ascot... and a wonderful way to shelter a sun-shy skin.

HOW MANY SUMMER DRESSES IN YOUR WARDROBE?  Collecting summer prints can be an expensive business... Easiest to wear... the rose prints (that Dior adores and uses time and again; Digby Morton, too), the Van Gogh prints, mere smudges of colours, exquisitely merged, spots, diamonds (in fact most geometricals).  If you can be really strong-minded... keep your prints colour coordinated so that you can indulge in a brilliant pair of shoes.

Australian Home Journal, September 1955

 The free patterns for Spring "frocks" which came with the September 1955 issue of the Australian Home Journal were so typical of their era that they've almost become cliches.  They are all variations of styles which combine cinched-in waists with bouffant, calf-length skirts.  The artist who illustrated them for the cover of the magazine has accessorised them with hats and white gloves.  The two figures on the right are wearing fashions for younger women: the woman on the left is wearing a "matron's frock" designed for older women.

As usual the Australian Home Journal has lots of fashion news and advice, including some suggestions on how to spark up your accessories!

Full-skirted, sleeveless cotton frocks are featured in teenage styles for the coming season.  In bright prints or soft pastels, many of them have special petticoats or hip stiffening to accent their swirling skirts.  Simplicity of design is combined with trends which characterise the spring silhouette for adults.  The elongated line is seen in long torso dresses and in frock with a hipline emphasis (a band of braid, velvet or ribbon extending extending around the skirt at hip level is one of the ways in which this is achieved).

Coat frocks, buttoning from neck to hem, have established themselves as  a classic which appears in many attractive versions nowadays, from slim sheaths to styles with graceful fullness in the skirt.  Their capacity to look equally dressy when worn on their own or when partnered with a coat makes them a particularly practical style.

Fashion's latest . . . Add a rhinestone buckle to a belt, the bow of a sash, or the centre or side of a scoop neckline: stitch brilliants to the curve of a turn-down collar or add a rose to either corner: pull a pert white organdie bow through slots at the jewel neckline of a dark frock: stitch groups of gay glass beads on to a cinch belt: brighten a round necked sweater with a collar of vivid felt flowers sewn on to a foundation.

"Choose Partners... Change Partners" (Good Neighbor Club Plan, Spring and Summer1954)

 At first glance, these demure, ladylike separates look as if they would have been right at home at the turn of the century—skirt lengths excepted, of course!

For the Beach (Vogue, British edition, July 1953)

 The 1950s aren't usually thought of as a decade of daring fashion innovation, but this model is wearing shorts that would have been considered daringly brief by the standards of the 1930s or 1940s (the better to show off her long tanned legs!)  Of course this outfit would never have been worn anywear but a beach, or possibly the wearer's own back yard.  That's a pity, because this outfit is undeniably stylish.

COVER: latest in beach news—tan tones to match your sun tan—worn with mouth-melting pastels.

Unfortunately for the curious fashion historian, Vogue doesn't provide much information about this outfit, such as: Who designed or manufactured it? What was it made of?  My guess is cotton, which, then as now, was popular for informal summer wear.

Butterick Pattern Book, Fall 1952

 In Fall 1952, Butterick Pattern Book showed readers how one pattern would look made up in two different fabrics.

on the Front Cover

One pattern equals two dresses... or as many dresses as you wish!  All you do is make the same design in a variety of fabrics.  We show you an example on the Front Cover of this issue... Butterick design 6292 is made in a dark grey crepe for daytime wear and in subtle pink silk taffeta for late day and evening occasions.  You could make the same designs in various other fabrics such as; wool crepe, wool jersey, flannel, rayon jersey, faille, cotton jersey, gold or silver printed cottons, Shantung in silk, rayon or cotton, Jacquards, brocades, surah and many blends.. wool and rayon, wool and nylon, orlon and nylon.

(Capitalisation and ellipses as they appeared in the original.)

The design is classic 1950s.  I've been trying to imagine how it would look made up in the different fabrics listed above!

David Jones catalogue (Autumn and Winter 1951)

 These pictures came from David Jones's Autumn and Winter catalogue of 1951.  David Jones was (and is!) an upmarket department store, and its catalogues were aimed at its country customers.  The clothes advertised inside would have been good quality, but fairly conservative in style.

Apart from that I don't have much to say about the fashions below.  Let the pictures speak for themselves.

JAEGER coats box or belted style, all fully-lined

These beautifully tailored coats are made in camel-coloured wool and fully lined with good quality lining.  In cosy "Jaeger" with easy-fitting raglan sleeves, you'll be ready for the coldest winter.  Each has vent back.