Vintage Fashion Magazine

V I NTAGE F A S H I O N

1950’s Women’s Glove Etiquette

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Fashion Compared from 1950 to Now! December 2014

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TA BLE OF CONTE NTS 4 & 5 1950’s Fashion 6 & 7 1952’s Fashion 8 & 9 Fashion Then To Now 10 & 11 1954’s Fashion 12 & 13 1950’s Women’s Etiquette

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1950

Fashion remained deliberately fluid when they all swing one feelers were cast in the ­direction of the 1920s, ­especially by Hardy Amies, who showed suits with straight ­unbelted ­hip-hugging jackets over straight skirts.

Dior launched a “vertical

line” - sheath

­dresses whose narrow straightness was ­emphasized by fine pleating or tucking, or by narrow ribbon bands ­running from neck to hem.

The basis was a figure-fitting sheath, but only in certain ­instances was this left in a simple, ­uncompromising form.

Simple tailored coats in ­chiffon, lace and organdie ­floated over narrow ­summer dresses. Loose coats in thin silk were worn over suits, and the prettiest evening coats were those which ­added no whit of ­extra warmth but floated with the transparent ­buoyancy of balloons over narrow or ­crinoline evening dresses.

Although the straight hip-hugging jacket did not seem to make much ­headway in its extreme form, modified versions of the same feeling were seen in the ­prevalence of low buttoning and low-placed pockets. Many suits were open to the waist, and ­buttoned ­importantly below it. Revers became ­almost ­waist-length, leaving a horse-shoe opening over a blouse.

In the spring Dior first showed a dress

“...the prettiest evening coats”

slim to the knees and then breaking into pleats which developed by the autumn into the full flare of the trumpet skirt. This, in day and evening versions, swung in heavy pleats or ­stiffened flares, from knee-level, below the simplest of sheaths.

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The phrase “the

wandering waistline” was coined at the Paris

spring c ­ ollections and the waist continued to wander to the point of ­disappearing, ­throughout the year. High waist, low waist, natural waist, no waist: all had their ­devotees.

Dior’s markedly high waists melted, as the year went on, into a ­development of his earlier princess dresses a molded figurine line, which followed the ­figure as closely as a swim suit from high neck through waist to hips, and then flared gently. wonderful ease, being cut just not to touch the body.

Each line called for a different type of corsetting, a different ­figure,

1952

No final answer to questions about the waistline was given in 1952.

a ­different posture, a different personality. Whether the two could ­continue to exist side by side or whether one would ­eventually ­triumph over the other remained to be seen.

It seemed that, since the end of World War II, ­fashion was ­taking a long time to ­settle into an accepted form which would stand, ­historically, as the look of the ­mid-century; but maybe it was part of the ­character of the time to allow this latitude for women to suit ­themselves instead of ­forcing them into a mold that might

“High waist, low waist, ­natural waist, no waist”

be suitable or ­unsuitable.

Interesting adjuncts to the ­waistline ­controversy were a ­legion of ­boleros and ­spencers; with ­pretty feminine p ­ leating ­breaking from them to form an ­entire dress; belts low slung at the back or ­following the ­hemline of jackets; belts ­buckled across the chest or, on the contrary, ­cummerbund belts, wide or ­elasticized, the better to grip the ­midriff.

“...with pretty feminine pleating”

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1950

Pencil Skirts

Ful l Skirts

Dolman Sleeves

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2014

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1954 wanted a prominent, pointed bosom and a ­straighter, ­softer s­ ilhouette. Many U.S designers featured relaxed ­waistlines, placed less importance on the bust and placed belts, s­ ashes and ­drapery at the hip. The intent was to give the a ­ ppearance of a longer torso.

Dior presented the H-line, which had a ­silhouette relatively straight from ­shoulder to hip. His designs were strikingly ­different, raising the bust nearly two inches.

1954 fashion was marked by a ­subtle, ­elegant mood. Soft and ­often brightly

“subtle, elegant mood”

­colored, high quality ­fabric was in high demand.

The costume look was in full swing in 1954.

Coats nearly ­always came with matching

dresses and jacket costumes were ­accompanied by ­specially ­designed overblouses.

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1 9 5 0 s Wo m e n ’ s G l ov e s E t i q u e t t e

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Color, Style, and Length White or beige gloves are equally appropriate for any costume with which colors will h ­ armonize. Black gloves are always smart. Formal occasions do not demand, but ­somehow s­ uggest, white gloves.

The length of the glove is decided by current fashion and the length of the sleeve.

Shortie gloves to 8-­button length are normally worn on the street, in the daytime and for informal e ­ venings. Long gloves are usually ­reserved for more formal occasions.

The style of glove is dictated by fashion and the style of the lady’s outfit.

When a Lady Removes Gloves Gloves must always be removed before eating, drinking, smoking, or putting on ­makeup. When lunching in a restaurant, a lady removes her coat but keeps on her hat and gloves, ­removing her gloves when seated at the table.

At dances, long gloves would be part of a ­lady’s ­ensemble and as such, kept on. The glove ­fingers should be tucked into the opening at the wrist while smoking or drinking, and the gloves removed entirely immediately upon ­sitting at the table.

When gloves are worn merely as a covering for the hands (such as heavy winter gloves), they should be removed with the coat.

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