Timeless Elegance： 1951 Women's Fashion Revealed)

In 1951, Life magazine sent three photographers to Paris during the fashion week and give readers a first look at what might be headed their way. Until the models hit the runways, no one really knew what the designers had been planning. A new hemline was as carefully guarded in Paris as a barrel of plutonium in the US, Life wrote in its cover story for the March 5, 1951 issue. For some years, the new looks were so different that they pushed last year's rocks to the back of the closet. The looks in 1951 were more of an evolution. To the disappointment of an adventuresome few, but to the relief of most of the trade which did not want to cope with anything revolutionary, this showing would not, like the new look explosion of 1947, tend to make prezzy wardrobes obsolete, Life wrote. The new trend, if anything, was conservative. The new designs may not have been radical, but they were popular. Life reported gangbuster sales, which may have been the real point, as the designers achieved the goal of broadening the type of stores that carried their clothes. The stately houses, which once preferred to cater to exclusive stores and private clients, were taking increasing interest in the buyers for lower-priced stores. Life's photographs, taken by Aces Gordon Parks, Nina Lean and Fardman, capture the excitement of being there. Some pictures highlight the clothes, of course, but others show the frenzy of the business and media folks as they gathered for seven days, that could change their world. More than 70 years have passed since then, but not much has changed in the fashion world in this sense. What do you think? Are we living in a new way? Or are we just repeating the same cycle from revolution to revolution? So, women's fashion in the early 50s was inspired by Dior's new look collection of 1947. He replaced the stiff boxy silhouette of the war era with an hourglass shape that consisted of rounded shoulders, small waists, and full skirts. Dior's other popular silhouette was the long narrow sheath dress with the high v-neck bodice, slim skirt, and short jacket. One constant of the decade was the rolling waistline. Depending on the look, it was fashionable to have a high waist, natural waist, low waist, or even no waistline. If you're trying to put together a specific look, try to find photos from that year for waistline inspiration. Other early 1950s looks included long skirts with petticoats, tailored tweed dresses, low neckline and ankle-length dresses in grey, green, blue, purple, or pink. However, while the new look was ubiquitous, it was not the only look that rose to prominence in the 50s. In fact, fashion curator Daniel Mulford Cotton writes in Fashion in the 1950s, One particularly striking aspect of the decade was the emergence of stylish options. Two ladies could walk down the street in different outfits, yet appear equally modeish, be their skirts full and narrow, or one in a form-fitting sheath and the other in a loose sack dress. He continues to explain that the idea of choice rather than following one specific style, was relatively new in the 1950s. As the decade continued, these choices became varied, as new designers such as Cristobal Balenciaga, Charles James, and Hubert de Givenchy introduced different silhouettes. In Costume and Fashion, A Concise History, James Larver writes, As the decade progressed, clothing became less structured and straighter in cut. Introduced by Chanel, Dior, and Balenciaga around the same time, the straight-cut suit, in contrast to the new look, emphasized a woman's natural shape with the jacket hanging at the widest point of the hips. While designers such as Dior, Balenciaga, and Charles James created beautiful couture pieces, the craze for sportswear continued. Claire McArdle, the American designer who rose to prominence in the 1940s, continued to produce her popular wrap-over dresses and also introduced pebble pushers with matching tops. While overall, fashion in the 1950s prided elegance, young women turned to McArdle and other sportswear and less formal designs. Perhaps one of the most enduring images of everyday fashion in the 50s is the poodle skirt. Credited to Julie Lynn Charlotte from California, these simple felt skirts were cut in a circle and could have any sort of embellishment. Not just a poodle. They were paired with tight knitted twinsets and while much more casual than the haute couture coming out of Paris, these skirts still followed the line of the new look with a defined waist and full skirt. No matter what time of day, throughout the decade, it was exceedingly important that a woman be impeccably turned out. This meant perfectly groomed hair, spotless makeup, and sets of matching accessories, as we see in those Vogue 1951 covers. This was encouraged through the glamorous fashion photography of the day. Fashion historian Gerda Buxbaum writes in Icons of Fashion, The 20th Century, The long years of deprivation during World War II brought forth a yearning for luxury and fashionable things, and women made a special effort to dress appropriately for every occasion. It was considered imperative that one's accessories matched perfectly. Whether she was wearing a twinset and slacks, a poodle skirt, a sheath dress, or one of Dior's new look styles, a woman did her best to ensure that she looked cool together through her accessories and overall styling.