Fashion is one of the many highly discussed topics in today’s world. While talking about fashion, we mostly talk about the up and coming trends that are destined to govern the adults’ wardrobes. What we tend to forget is that fashion for kids is something that calls for quite a lot of discussion as well. They require clothes that are comfortable and convenient enough. The 1950s may not have been a great time overall, but it sure saw some pioneering steps toward the position of kids’ fashion today. The 1950s saw various changes in various sectors of life and they had their effects on other aspects of life accordingly. The change in dressing styles topped the list. If you are looking for some such retro styles that were introduced in that era, then this is the best place for you. Come, let’s take a scroll through.
1950s Fashion for Kids
The years that followed World War II, changed a lot of aspects if people’s lives. Clothing was one of the most important ones. It started to become a lot more convenient and made from materials that were easy to wash and carry. We are now going to discuss some predominant styles for little boys and girls from the 1950s. If you are someone who is highly fascinated by retro clothing styles, then here are some that you could give a thought to.
For Girls:
Some subtle changes came about in the styles of clothing of little girls in this era. The pioneering steps to today’s style of clothing were taken during this era only. Clothing styles such as overall for girls were something that was introduced during this period. These changes, of course, had mixed responses. Let’s take a look at some of the changes.
- Frills:
The 1950s saw a rising amount of dresses having frills. These were especially good for girls of ages around 7 to 11 as they have a fun vibe to them. The dresses were usually checked or stripes. Plaid and ruffles were a common addition to frilly dresses as well. They were mostly meant to be worn daily or casual outings.
- Party dresses:
Apart from the short and sweet frilly dresses, party dresses joined into the list of fads too. The 1950s called for a time when distinguished clothes were to be worn for distinguished occasions. Short and puffed sleeves with a net underskirt and a tight bodice were the ideal characteristics of a typical party dress of the 1950s. Unlike the frilled dresses which would be short skirts on more occasions, party wear for younger girls was longer skirts. They were similar to the ones that the grownups wore, but only more modest.
- Pinafores:
These were initially not meant to be a part of any proper outfit. Pinafores were primarily a piece of cloth very much like the apron and would be worn by girls while helping out in different chores. With time, however, frills were added to them and they became a lot more decorative. This led them to become quite important and integral parts of clothing in the 50s. They could be worn with both dresses for casual outings and parties.
- Two pieces:
The 1950s saw an increasing number of girls opting for this style of clothing owing to its convenience. Even though, dresses were still the predominant style amongst the females, two pieces gained immense popularity too. There were instances where one would wear a cotton day dress paired with a knitted top or a cardigan. This would give it a look of a skirt and a top. Skirts with blouses, worn with suspenders proved to be the favorite fad for many at that time.
- Cuffed denim pants:
One of the most comfortable kind of attires, denim pants became increasingly popular during this era. These were a significant improvement over the extravagant dresses that women and girls were expected to wear otherwise. The cuffed ends gave a feminine look and charm to the otherwise sturdy denim. When paired with cotton or flannel shirts, these could be a dress code for work and play both.
For Boys:
Sturdy and hardy outfits were the only fashion for boys whatsoever. But it can be certainly said that fashion for the little guys out there took some very subtle but significant bends during the years of 1950s. The clothing styles for boys were meant to make them feel a lot freer than that of girls. But one thing that matched both of the clothing styles was that distinguished outfits were chosen according to the purpose of various occasions. Let’s take a brief look at the styles of clothes for boys from this era.
- Jeans:
The rise of the jeans was probably one of the most significant changes in the dress codes of boys. Jeans were worn by older boys previously. Now, little boys could also enjoy the privilege. They did not have to wait until their teen years anymore. The hardy and tough appearance of the jeans was probably what made it look so attractive. Younger boys were even increasingly being allowed to wear jeans to their primary schools as well.
- Abandonment of short pants and ties:
Younger boys did not have to any longer wait for them to reach their teen years to enjoy the privilege of long pants. Earlier little boys were to wear short pants only, preferably with half sleeved shirts. This called for the typical good boy look. The boys were no longer required to wear ties or bows like earlier days.
- Cardigans and sweaters:
Well-tailored and extravagant jackets were slowly but steadily being replaced by the much more convenient option of sweaters. Throughout the decade, hand-knitted sweaters, found preference over the tailored, no matter of however intricate detailed, jackets. Caps too found themselves go down in the rank of fads during the 1950s. They were still worn, but not in such abundance as they were earlier.
- Vests:
The style of vests too became quite popular during this time. Vests and pullovers were a style of clothing that boys of young age as well as the ones in their teens could sport equally well. Even girl were increasingly seen in overalls, though dresses and such attires were much more acceptable for them by society.
The 1950s saw a lot of changes in a lot of places and the field of fashion was one of the topmost ones. These dresses may now seem too sweet too ignore. But at the point when they were in fashion, not everyone was happy with them. Especially the dress codes that were set by society for women regarding skirts and frocks and frills, were a major place of discomfort for most women, even though the kids on more occasions were oblivious. But all in all, the era did give us some of the best and everlasting fashion trends such as cuffed denim and vests too.