American Fashion Spring 1955

As much as we like to look at and dream about Parisian haute couture, American designs were more relevant and more affordable to a 1955 woman here in the U.S.  The styles shown here were featured in an American magazine geared to the average homemaker.  Just as fashion magazines and blogs influence our choices today, a 1950s housewife would see these photos as inspiration for ways to update her wardrobe.  The big difference is that she couldn't run out to H&M or Target and grab a cheap "fashion fashion" version.  No, our 50s homemaker would probably sew her own version or save a few dollars each week for months to be able to purchase one of these designer items that she would then wear for years to come.

Above, Pauline Trigere suit with a striped silk belted jacket and narrow wool skirt.

Golden suit by Claire McCardell worn with blue shoes.

Vera Maxwell silk paisley dress and paisley lined beige silk coat.

Larry Aldrich blue tunic and skirt worn with a nude shoe.

Maurice Rentner cotton sateen floral dress.

Vintage Cotton Dresses for Summer - 1955

I really enjoy these several page advertising spreads that feature various companies working together to share the costs.  In these 6 pages, Macy's joined with Life Savers candy to present sweet cotton dresses that were "life savers" for summer.  Macy's even worked with these manufacturers to produce the dresses in colors that matched the candy.  What a great gimmick!






Carol Craig drop-waisted dress with a double row of buttons at the front.  Came in Life Savers lime, pineapple, orange,  and wild cherry as well as pink, lilac, black, and gray.  Sold in 1955 for $17.95 (about $148.00 in today's dollar.)

Patricia Fair drop-waisted dress with pintucks and bows.  Came in Life Savers lime, wild cherry and pineapple, as well as black and turquoise.  Sold in 1955 for $17.95 (about $148.00 in today's dollar.)

 Jonathan Logan bateau neck blouse paired with a matching skirt.  Came in Life Savers lime, pineapple and wild cherry as well as black and lilac.  Sold in 1955 for $10.90 (about $90.00 in today's dollar.)

 Henry Rosenfeld puff sleeved blouse paired with a full skirt that has a removable bib top.  Came in Life Savers lime and wild cherry as well as lilac, turquoise, and black.  Sold in 1955 for $10.90 (about $90.00 in today's dollar.)

Jo White sleeveless dress with matching bolero jacket.  Came in Life Savers wild cherry, pineapple, and lime as well as periwinkle blue.  Sold in 1955 for $10.95 (about $90.00 in today's dollar.)

Macy's brand permanent pleated cotton tiered dress.  Came in Life Savers pineapple as well as blue, lilac, black, and pink.  Sold in 1955 for $25.00 (about $206.00 in today's dollar.)

All this talk of Life Savers brings me back to my childhood when a roll cost a nickle and I could make that roll last all week. I remember the shock when they went up to a dime.  My favorite flavor was butterscotch.  What was yours?

Jantzen Swimsuits and Playwear - 1955

 In June of 1955, Jantzen joined with several advertising partners for this 5 page spread.  The Italian Line was a cruise ship line that offered trips to Europe.  Two of their ships were fully air-conditioned (we take that as a given nowadays!) and express service meant 6 days to Gibraltar from New York.  Have a month of free time?  Cruise on over to Europe the first week, spend 2 weeks on the continent, and spend the last week cruising home.  Now that's what I call a vacation.  Getting there is half the fun!

Take a look at these wonderful Pete Hawley illustrations of Jantzen swimsuits and playwear from 1955.  They sure make me want to jump on a ship!  Above:  taffeta swimsuit with criss-cross lacing at the center front and legs.  Came in red, black, and navy.  Sold in 1955 for $18.95 (about $156 in today's dollar.)  Warshfest was the maker of the Laton-powered sun taffeta fabric.

Striped cotton swimsuit with Jantzen Crinkelastic shirring.  Came in red, turquoise, and navy striped with white.   Sold in 1955 for $8.95 (about $74 in today's dollar.)

Solid swimsuit with Jantzen Crinkelpuff shirring in all nylon.  Came in red, blue, navy, and black.  Sold in 1955 for $9.95 (about $82 in today's dollar.)  Travis was the maker of the nylon fabric.

Cotton tee-shirt with a zip-front turtleneck and matching walking shorts.  Set sold in 1955 for $10.90 (about $90 in today's dollar.)  Conmar made the zippers.

Cotton gabardine sleeveless blouse and cuffed shorts.  Set sold in 1955 for $9.90 (about $82 in today's dollar.)

Looking for a swimsuit like those shown above?  The best place to find vintage swimsuits online is Glamoursurf.  The fact that the site is owned by my sister Pam is irrelevant!  Pam carries only the finest quality in vintage swimwear and you can be assured that the suits she sells are as wearable today as they were 60 years ago.

David Crystal Dresses, 1955 #2

Today we continue our look at the 8 dresses by David Crystal that were sold in some of America's finest department stores in 1955.

Cotton striped sheath in blue, brown, or pink on white. The Halle Bros. Co. in Cleveland carried the dresses. Sold for $29.95 in 1955 (about $244.00 in today's dollar.)

This silk shantung full skirted dress featured polka dot accents at the neckline and sleeve cuffs. It came in black or navy with red polka dots or beige with brown dots. Hudson's in Detroit carried the line. Sold for $45.00 in 1955 (about $366.00 in today's dollar.)

Pleated stripes with lots of movement in rayon. The dress came in pink, navy, or aqua with white stripes. Burdines in Florida carried the line. Sold for $25.00 in 1955 (about $203.00 in today's dollar.)

Double breasted full skirt dress in Dacron/rayon blend checks. The dress came in navy, black, brown, or red with white checks. Julius Garfinckel in Washington, D.C. carried the line. Sold for $39.95 in 1955 (about $325.00 in today's dollar.)

I'm hard pressed to choose a favorite, but I really like the first silk printed one from yesterday. And the simple dress with matching sweater. The polka dots are really nice. And stripes are always fun................

David Crystal Dresses, 1955 #1

When I say the name David Crystal, what comes to mind are the polyester dresses he made for Izod LaCoste in the 1960s. But the David Crystal label meant quality dresses, suits, and separates from the time the company began in 1906. In 1955, the David Crystal company took out an 8 page advertisement that featured 8 dresses for spring and resort. Each page featured a different high end department store that carried all 8 dresses. I'll show you the pages today and tomorrow. Which one is your favorite?

Gray or blue floral print on white silk surah fashions this classic shirtwaist dress. Bergdorf Goodman, arguably the finest department store in America, carried these dresses. Sold for $49.95 in 1955 (about $406.00 in today's dollar.)

A button front sheath in Tootal linen was offered in ice blue, pink, white, black, and orange. I. Magnin carried the line. Sold for $39.95 in 1955 (about $325.00 in today's dollar.) Want that handbag!

This darling rayon dress came with a coordinating wool sweater in pink, blue or beige. Thalimer's of Richmond carried the line. Sold for $49.95 in 1955 (about $406.00 in today's dollar.)

White polka dots on red, brown, gray, or navy silk shantung. Neiman Marcus carried the line too. Sold for $55.00 in 1955 (about $448.00 in today's dollar.)

I love the drawings, don't you? Unfortunately, there is no credit given to the artist.

Carolyn Schnurer Swimsuits, 1955

Carolyn Schnurer began her design career in 1940 working for her husband's bathing suit company, Burt Schnurer, Inc. It's no wonder that as the years progressed, she continued to feature bathing suits every year. In 1955, Schnurer designed several suits with low-cut back treatments. I find it interesting how changing the strap placement entirely changes to look of the suit.

1. Everglaze rayon crash in a black and white embroidered design. The straps in back close with silver buttons. Sold for $30 in 1955 (about $244 in today's dollar.)
2. Black nylon velvet suit. Sold for $28 in 1955 (about $228 in today's dollar.)

3. Cotton pique embroidered with brown flowers with brown cotton sateen straps. Sold for $23 in 1955 (about $187 in today's dollar.)
4. Blue, black, and white gingham checks in a blend of acetate, cotton, and elastic. Sold for $23 in 1955 (about $187 in today's dollar.)

5. Brown and white striped wool and Lastex jersey. This one is my favorite of all. Sold for $18 in 1955 (about $146 in today's dollar.)

Here's the same suit in a color photo. I'll bet this look influenced Rudi Gernreich about 10 years later.

Summer Breezes, 1955

My longing for warm weather and summer breezes continues unabated. It doesn't help when I see a photo like this one from 1955. I want to be her, sipping chianti and savoring local fare on the beach in Apulia, Italy. She wears pink cotton paisley separates by Polly Hornberg. Polly Hornberg was a native Bermudian who designed play clothes and swimwear for her 6 Calypso stores in Bermuda and Jamaica, as well as for stores all over the US. The set sold for $48 in 1955 (about $391 in today's dollar.)

May your weekend be a warm one.

Greta Plattry, 1955

Greta Plattry was an American designer of sportswear in the 1940s and 50s. Her work was on par with that of Claire McCardell, Tina Leser, and Joset Walker. Her clothes were versatile, comfortable, and extremely wearable. The following photos were taken by Richard Avedon in 1955 for a 4 page advertisement for Greta Plattry co-ordinates. Finding any of these today would surely make me smile!

Left: One-shoulder sundress in a cotton border print. Sold for $25 in 1955 (about $204 in today's dollar.)
Right: One-shoulder swimsuit with drawstrings at the side legs. Matching beach shirt to wear over it. Set sold for $30 in 1955 (about $245 in today's dollar.)

Left: Boat print swimsuit. Sold for $15 in 1955 (about $123 in today's dollar.)
Right: Boat print cotton sundress with rope belt. Sold for $25 in 1955 (about $204 in today's dollar.)

Left: Fish print cotton dress with tiny bows. Sold for $20 in 1955 (about $163 in today's dollar.)
Right: The same fish print cotton is used for a two-piece swimsuit and sailor collared beach shirt. Set sold for $22 in 1955 (about $180 in today's dollar.)

Left: White eyelet full skirt worn with a black cotton one-shoulder top. Set sold for $33 in 1955 (about $270 in today's dollar.)
Right: Swimsuit in white eyelet lined in pink broadcloth worn with a coordinating beach shirt. Set sold for $43 in 1955 (about $351 in today's dollar.)

Polka Dot Shoes, 1955

Gosh, I would love to find a pair of these cute summer shoes by Joyce from 1955. The ad doesn't give many details, but these shoes were made of cotton topsail fabric adorned with white studs. Even the polka-dotted lining of these shoes is great! They were offered in 4 different color combinations, three styles, and a myriad of sizes and widths. Prices ranged from $9.95 - $12.95 in 1955 (about $81 - $106 in today's dollar.) Which ones are your favorites?

Evening Dresses - 1955

The holiday party season has begun. Have you been invited to one, two, or more soirees? This week we'll continue our look at evening wear through the decades. I hope you'll be inspired to dress up and make a lasting impression on your fellow party-goers. Let's all end 2010 with some glamour, OK?

The 1950s were epitomized by a celebration of the hourglass figure. Whether it was a fitted sheath, a fancy figure-hugging cocktail dress, a full skirted party dress or a full-blown ballgown, all dresses had tiny waists that emphasized a fuller bust and hips. Lace was very big, along with satins and taffetas. Enjoy these beauties from 1955.

Pierre Balmain sequin covered sheath. Oh la la!

Jacques Heim fitted sheath with a full overskirt.

Jacques Heim strapless lace ballgown.

Christian Dior silk satin ballgown.

Manguin red silk satin dress with fullness to one side.

Are the 1950s your decade of choice?

DIY 1955 Party Make-up

Here are step-by-step instructions on how to get this Far Eastern influenced holiday party look from December of 1955. Use one or more of these steps to change your appearance, or if you're quite adventurous, go for some serious glamour by following all of them. To see the look in more detail, click on the picture for a larger view. I must make note that many of these ideas are quite extreme and not at all practical by today's standards. Still, it is fun to get a glimpse into high fashion make-up artistry from the past.

1. Pluck away your entire eyebrow from the highest point of the arch out to the outer corner.
2. Cover the entire face and neck with a pale shade of foundation. There should be no pink tint.
3. Cover the eyelids up to the brows with pure white foundation or cream eye shadow. Blend carefully to accentuate the uptilt of the brows.
4. Pencil in the eyebrows with a very dark eyebrow pencil. Note the line of the penciled brow is higher and wider than the natural brow.
5. Outline the upper and lower lashes with dark eyeliner starting at a point near the bridge of the nose and extending both strokes out and away at the outer corners of the eyes.
6. Fill in the tiny triangle at the outer corners of the eyes with the white cream eye shadow.
7. Powder over the foundation with a pale ivory or beige. There should be no pink tint. No rouge or blush is used.
8. Outline the lips. The upper lip is drawn smaller and very thin. The lower lip is fuller. Fill in with bold red lipstick.

Wear your hair combed back straight and tight to the head. Add a black wig, if desired.

Vintage Sweaters - 1955

It's 1955, and sweaters are a big hit for fall. Worn with skirts, pants, or Bermuda shorts, most gals had at least one (or ten) in her wardrobe.

May Claire shawl collar pullover.

Pride O'Glen lambswool sweater could be worn two ways, with the buttons in front or back.

Darlene pullover and twin-set.

Talbott V-neck and turtleneck.

What do you wear underneath to get that true "sweater girl" look? A pointy, circle-stitched bra, of course! And if your cup size was smaller, you wore one with padding.

Here's a current fave at Couture Allure. This lambswool/fur blend twin set comes straight out of the 1950s!

Weekend Eye Candy - Jean Desses, 1955

Gold lamé and fur. What more does a girl need? Cocktail dress and coat by Jean Dessés, Spring 1955.

Photo by Georges Saad.

How to Wear Red - 1955

Red is the color of fire and blood, and is a very emotionally intense color. This is why it is associated with passion, desire, and love. Studies show that red can have a physical effect, increasing the rate of respiration and raising blood pressure. Wear red when you want to stand out from the crowd and be noticed. Here's how to wear red with images from 1955.

Mme. Gres red jersey gown worn with a gold lamé coat.

Cotillion red strapless polka dot rayon taffeta party dress.

Sportgems red suit with flared jacket.

Balenciaga red silk dress.

At left: Lassie Jr. red wool flared coat. At right: Cosmopolitan Juniors red Chesterfield coat.

Need something red for your closet? Check out these choices from Couture Allure, all sure to raise your heart rate!