Monday, November 14, 2011

What We Were Wearing - Fall 1951

Here is what women were wearing 60 years ago this month.

After being introduced 3 years previous by Dior, full skirted dresses and skirts are now becoming popular and worn for everyday wear by most women.  The skirts are more bell-shaped than the full circles that will become stylish in a few years.  Most are worn without crinolines for daytime.

Every woman had a basic suit in her closet to wear in town, for meetings with professionals, for shopping in the city, or for dinner at a fancy restaurant.

For more casual daytime wear, a skirt with a blouse, sweater or twin set was the way to go.  Pants were rarely worn by women, and if they were it was strictly for work around the house or farm.

Princess line and swing coats were the newest styles that came about to accommodate the fuller skirts, but many women also wore simple straight coats.

Most women had or wanted a fur jacket or stole in their closets.  For those who could not afford expensive options like mink or fox, there were many made from less costly furs like marmot, mouton and rabbit.

Full skirted styles were popular for evening and cocktail wear.

Evening gowns were elaborate with draped skirts and trains with rich satins being most popular.

No matter who you were, you rarely left the house bare headed.  Hats were a fashion necessity.