Fifties Fashion
Fifties fashion was extremely feminine, elegant, and… uncomfortable.
Image credit: Janno Joliat2007
I mean, can she breathe in that suit?
Probably not. She looks like she’s holding her breath.
Plus, that suit would explain the need for THIS lovely fifties undergarment:
Image credit: Janno Joliat2007
Fifties fashion was beautiful, but so very restrictive.
Aren’t you glad you’re not a fifties housewife?
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Andre Kibbe responds:
Posted: May 14th, 2008 at 7:18 am →
Try watching In the Mood for Love, a Hong Kong film set in the same era. Maggie Cheung is gorgeous in those long dresses, but man, they’re basically gilded straitjackets.
stephanie (bad mom) responds:
Posted: May 14th, 2008 at 7:40 am →
No way could a woman have a real emotion in those contraptions. I am elated that I’m not a 50s housewife!
Suzie responds:
Posted: May 14th, 2008 at 7:46 am →
Are women really supposed to breath?
Chris responds:
Posted: May 14th, 2008 at 8:11 am →
Ahhhhhh the things people do to please each other…Love ain’t it grand? As for me I go for comfort before fashion.
Randall responds:
Posted: May 14th, 2008 at 8:37 am →
She’s a beautiful lady. The 50s are a special time for me too. In railroading that was the “transition era”, when steam locomotives were being replaced by diesels. Many modelers choose to model this era so that they can run both types of locomotives on their layouts. As to ladies’ fashions of the time, I think they are very elegant. And were they really as hard to breathe in as the corsets in “Gone With the Wind”?
Mrs. Micah responds:
Posted: May 14th, 2008 at 8:53 am →
When it comes to clothes and “feminine products” I’m generally ecstatic that I live now. I mean, some of the older styles were kind of cool…but I couldn’t handle corseting. I *heart* breathing.
Liz responds:
Posted: May 14th, 2008 at 9:00 am →
Yes, but I sort of STILL want to marry one!
ironman responds:
Posted: May 14th, 2008 at 9:21 am →
Wow, she does look like she’s holding her breath. But you know, Vered, women nowadays are still going through a lot to look good, don’t you think?
maya responds:
Posted: May 14th, 2008 at 10:45 am →
i was about to ask the same question as you. This is so classic torture for woman. Great entry. happy WW.
Christine (aka YoungMommy) responds:
Posted: May 14th, 2008 at 11:33 am →
Oh, my goodness… So glad I came after the fifties!! LOL
Happy WW!
Kate responds:
Posted: May 14th, 2008 at 12:38 pm →
She certainly is elegant but wow… i know i wouldn’t even be able to fit that outfit over my left leg!!!!!! Eat woman Eat…
Gypsy at Heart responds:
Posted: May 14th, 2008 at 12:38 pm →
I k women are as much a slave to fashoion these days. I bet she could breathe, but was relieved to get home and get the girdle off.
Holly responds:
Posted: May 14th, 2008 at 12:55 pm →
Breathe, heck, I bet she smokes two packs a day.
Didn’t everyone?
MomGrind responds:
Posted: May 14th, 2008 at 1:22 pm →
@ Andre: sounds interesting. Thank you.
@ Randall: I’m sure they weren’t as bad at the 19th century corsets, but this outfit looks quite LIMITING to me.
@ Liz: lol me too!
@ ironman: I agree, but this is worse than anything that I ever did to look good.
@ Holly: good point about the smoking!
Bonnie responds:
Posted: May 14th, 2008 at 3:50 pm →
I LOVE the fifties! I love looking at the big, perfect air-hair and makeup. And the women were always matched their handbags with their shoes.. and the outfits were just perfectly in place. Sad that technicolor was disappearing later in the fifties.. but I digress. Even with everything APPEARING lovely, I am SO glad I don’t have to suck my stomach in or wear stupid contractions like this. Love WW.
magpie responds:
Posted: May 14th, 2008 at 6:23 pm →
i am SO glad that i’m not a fifties housewife. i don’t know where to begin.
phyllis responds:
Posted: May 14th, 2008 at 7:38 pm →
i, too, am so glad that i’m not a 50s housewife! my lungs and ribs hurt just from looking:-)
Marelisa responds:
Posted: May 14th, 2008 at 8:25 pm →
She certainly looks beautiful. I’d be willing to wear a corset as a one time thing–maybe as part of a Halloweed costume–but that’s it. It so good to be comfortable!
MomGrind responds:
Posted: May 15th, 2008 at 10:57 am →
@ Bonnie: I agree – it all seems lovely until you need to stuff yourself into one of those outfits.
@ Marelisa: that would be a great costume, but I’m not sure I could survive even one night dressed like this.
Becky responds:
Posted: May 15th, 2008 at 3:09 pm →
That’s my mom, dude.
MomGrind responds:
Posted: May 15th, 2008 at 4:07 pm →
Becky, you always make me smile (that is, when you don’t make me cry), over at your blog, and even here.
Evelyn Lim | Attraction Mind Map responds:
Posted: May 15th, 2008 at 7:56 pm →
Hey, I’ve also watched In the Mood For Love. They sure don’t look very comfortable to me. I guess I wouldn’t have survived if I’ve been born in the last eras.
I like your Wordless Wednesday! A mid-week break from the usual spill of articles on the web!
Love,
Evelyn
Phain responds:
Posted: May 15th, 2008 at 8:06 pm →
i wonder what she looks like today…
MomGrind responds:
Posted: May 15th, 2008 at 9:50 pm →
@ Evelyn: thanks.
Wordless Wednesdays are FUN.
@ Phain: wow. That IS interesting. A beautiful woman’s photo is frozen in time, but in reality… life happens. Aging happens.
artiphys responds:
Posted: May 16th, 2008 at 11:52 am →
hmm… as a rare male commenter, I think I need to be careful here.
FIrst of all, this is a model in a photoshoot. While the fashions definitely were similar to this, no doubt the model (thin to begin with) and the clothes were carefully crafted to somewhat exaggerate the silhouette. That said, there are plenty of movies with actresses such as Sophia Loren, Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor and Brigitte Bardot, where the fashions were beautiful but probably didn’t maximize comfort. Again, these are professional actresses who are paid to look perfect.
OTOH, I think it’s a perennial part of the human courtship ritual to make some sacrifices to comfort in the pursuit of an appealing image. The obvious extremes (corsets, footbinding) are well-known; but what about piercings, tatoos, high heels? These are all still in vogue among large portions of the population.
On the male side, I’m sure it’s not easy to look like Arnold Schwarznegger did in his prime. In fact it’s quite difficult for an average man to get the physique of Matthew Mcconaughey (more time in the gym than I’m ever going to bother with).
All in all, what I like about modern times (in this country at least) is that for the most part, no one is being forced to wear something specific, or to adorn or modify their body in some particular way. That we have the choice to do these things, and express ourselves if and when we want, is a precious freedom.
-artiphys
MomGrind responds:
Posted: May 16th, 2008 at 1:14 pm →
@ artiphys: I love your comments. You always make me think!
While both genders go through a certain amount of effort to please each other, I think that the burden placed on women has always been significantly heavier than the burden placed on men. And while we are not FORCED to do anything (such as foot binding) nowadays, we are certainly PRESSURED to.
Kelly@SHE-POWER responds:
Posted: May 19th, 2008 at 11:09 pm →
I understand. I can’t keep my trap shut either.
And I love clothes and styles like this. SO elegant.
Kelly
Pinay Jade responds:
Posted: May 22nd, 2008 at 9:06 pm →
Oh MY GOSH! They definitely look very glam and elegant but it doesn’t look very comfortable at all. I’d stick with comfort.
Fashionista responds:
Posted: October 28th, 2008 at 1:15 pm →
I’m glad I’m not a wife from Fifties.
I love the design but it look so uncomfy. 