June 2017 |Divine Magazine Divine Magazine | June 2017

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50s SLICK STYLE

You have got to admit that the 1950’s was iconic for the fashion and beauty industry.

Fashion in the 1950’s fashion saw the intro-duction of many new styles.But the introduction of these styles all started in 1947 with the ‘new look’ by Christian Dior.He created the ‘bar jacket’ which had wide padded shoulders and a tiny waist, this was the ideal look for 1950’s.Christian Dior also created clothing lines named after letters, for example he created A-line which widened towards the hem.Dior still kept a bit of history in the designs, with full petticoats and bonded bodices.However, the waistline was a major issue during these times.Some women liked the small waist of the Dior dresses but some liked the ‘sack dresses’ with no waistline.There were two main silhouettes during this time, the wasp waist with full skirt and the slim fitting pencil skirt.It wasn’t until this decade when the age gap between kids and adults were acknowledged into the fashion industry.Full skirts, tight tops and flat shoes devel-oped for teenagers.This influenced casual wear for both boys and girls.The ‘sweater girl’ look also developed as well; this look was well acquainted with the girls to give them more of a feminine look.The ‘sweater girl’ look was design to have a large pointed bust attained by the bullet bra.The bra was pre -padded which made the bust be pushed upwards and outwards.Women didn’t just stick with the ‘new look’ design.Actually, some people didn’t even like the design.Coco Chanel sure didn’t, in 1954 she chose to

reopen her shop, which she shut down at the start of the war, and bring back slim suits.Jackets were boxy with no collar, and skirts were straight and comfortable. She topped the look off with costume jewellery and the famous quilted bag.When Hubert de Givenchy unveiled ‘the sack dress’ in 1957, you either loved it or you hated it.Most people hated it.The sack dress had no waistline at all, it was completely loose.The polar opposite as to what they had been wearing for the past 5 years.The ‘sack dress’ was also known as the Che-mise dress.This dress was mostly known as a joke rather

than fashionable attire.Some women hated this dress; it was said it held no fashionable-qualities.It was shapeless and only made thin, skinny girls look good.

Bigger women (especially the ones with wide hips) made them look even bigger.Despite this, it was still one of the most bought dresses in 1958.So how has the 1950’s fashion industry be-come so iconic over the past 67 years?Vivien Holloway, designer and shop owner form London, said: “When we think of the 1950’s, we think of the American dream. The war had just ended, people were looking for happiness and I think they found it with their family but also fashion and beauty.”Vivien is a shop owner based in London and also a designer. Her shop is based solely on the 1950’s because that is what she is passion-ate about.She said: “ [my passion] it never really came from anywhere. It was what I always loved, I was inspired by the fashion.”It’s fair to say the 1950’s fashion and beauty industry was iconic.

“you either loved it

or hated it”