35 Charming Photos of Ladies in 1950s Dresses

In the 1950s, women wore dresses the way we wear t-shirts and jeans today. A 1950s dress was a wardrobe staple and came in a wide variety of colors and two primary silhouettes. The shoulders were narrow and soft. The waist had to be small and pulled in – a 'wasp waist'. A tight bodice came down to the natural waist or slightly higher, where the skirt took over.

The skirt created the two silhouettes of the 1950s. The full swing skirt and the tight pencil skirt. They were complete opposites, but were both worn equally by women in the 1950s.

The fabrics for 1950s clothing were endless and made a dress more casual or elegant depending on where it was worn. Cotton was used for casual wear. Wool and linen were popular, as were the new synthetic fabrics rayon and polyester. Tweed, like wool and acetate blends, was in vogue for fall in the mid-1950s. Silk shantung can be used to make a dress a little dressier for a dinner out.

The colors went from light and girly to bold. Pastel colors were very popular in all clothing, and dresses were also done in jewel tones such as royal purple, ruby red, navy blue and emerald green.

These charming photos captured portraits of beautiful ladies wearing dresses in the 1950s.