Fifties dresses still rule the roost when it comes to parties

The first thing that probably comes to your mind when you think of fifties dresses, is yesteryear Hollywood, with legendry actresses like Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly and the famous fictional character Ophelia. Dresses from the 50s are still able to hold their place in the hierarchy of fashion even today, and are still the most sought after style of dresses for parties, balls, proms and weddings.

Vintage dresses have a long history and the pre-fifties did not see much change in the style of the dresses that were worn. It was only in the late fifties that we saw the emergence of shorter skirts and rising hemlines. Before this, the fashion used to be much more conservative, with most women dressing in what had become the standard style, with not much change in colour or pattern. It was only around 1955, that the fashion world started to wake-up and the biggest trends began to emerge. These trends were mainly focused towards teenage girls, and young adults and teenagers were often the target of department stores. Large sections of department store and fashion catalogues were often dedicated to young women’s fashion. Around this time, teenage culture and fashion had also become the focus point of television and in films.

The Ophelia dress became famous as it was popular with teenage girls who particularly looked great wearing them and it was a popular choice of dress to wear at proms and school dances. Dresses like the swing dress became very popular too, but not only to wear at parties. Women were choosing this style to wear every day because of the dresses’ flattering shape.

Sexier silhouettes were created by the new fashions of the fifties. Dresses that were designed to emphasize the hourglass figure were very much in demand. The fifties fashions hugely reflected and highlighted the feel of the decade’s conformity and consumerism era. The fashion trends at the time, also paved the way for individuality and diversity, which was to become the centre theme behind the revolution that the fashion world experienced in the 1960s.

Vintage 1950s dresses are still incredibly popular today. The shape and style of this era of fashion, is one of the most elegant in women’s fashion history. Even now, women are still choosing this style of dress to wear at parties and formal occasions. Many modern dresses designed today still reflect the 1950s style and its appeal will no doubt continue for many years to come.