Fifties Males’s Trend – Timeless Mid Century Type | FashionBeans

Diving into the golden period of fashion, Fifties males’s style epitomized a interval of transition, magnificence, and the start of contemporary informal put on. This decade, post-World Struggle II, was a time of financial increase and cultural shifts that considerably influenced how males dressed, each of their every day lives and on particular events. 50s males’s style additionally laid quite a lot of the groundwork for fashion staples that also hold in individuals’s closets at this time.

Nonetheless, the early years of the last decade had been a mode desert, a buttoned-up hangover of inflexible post-war conformity by which even the maddest of males had been trapped in grey-suit lockdown; however an incredible loosening-up had begun to happen by the point the like of Brando roared into city.

Rock ‘n’ roll music, Beat poetry, and the summary expressionists had been main the countercultural cost, and style took its cue from their let-it-all-hang-out ethos; cuts turned looser, collars misplaced their starch, and parts of sportswear, workwear, and navy uniform started to search out their manner into the on a regular basis wardrobe.

This text delves deep into the essence of the period, exploring the basic items that outlined males’s wardrobes and the way these types have left an enduring legacy on up to date style. Maintain studying to find all that there’s to find out about males’s style within the Fifties.

Key Takeaways: What Is Fifties Males’s Trend?

This was a time when a few of at this time’s fashion staples – the turtleneck, the denim jacket , the knitted polo – had been beginning to come into their very own, worn with an air of studied nonchalance, if not a sneer on the be-hatted company drones. However maybe nothing symbolised the brand new, rebel-yell period extra potently than the elevation of the common-or-garden white T-shirt.

Previously a military-issue undergarment, it was immediately draped throughout the last decade’s most iconic chests; Brando received sweaty in a single in 1951’s A Streetcar Named Want, whereas James Dean brooded in a single in Insurgent With out A Trigger (1955). Even Arthur Miller was pictured in a single at his writing desk. “It became a kind of visual shorthand for rebellion,” says G. Bruce Boyer, style historian and writer of True Type: The Historical past and Ideas of Basic Menswear, who was himself a youngster within the Fifties. “It represented the appropriation of blue-collar clothing for those who refused to buy into corporate society.”

In the meantime, rockers like Elvis Presley left extra formal costume codes, effectively, all shook up, changing trilbies with slick quiffs, ties with button-down shirts, and fusty flannels with featherweight fleck-linen jackets. Jack Kerouac and the Beats made a fetish of utilitarian workwear, each of their lives – of their plaid shirts and beat-up blouson jackets – and of their literature: “His dirty work clothes clung to him so gracefully, as though you couldn’t buy a better fit from a custom tailor but only earn it from the Natural Tailor of Natural Joy,” writes Kerouac of Dean Moriarty (impressed by real-life Beat hipster Neal Cassady) in 1957’s On The Street.

Main the pack of unruly artists, Jackson Pollock sported splattered denim overalls when creating his epoch-making drip work: “A lot of artists in the 1930s and 1940s dressed like accountants,” says Boyer. “Jackson and his peers wanted to look like the antithesis of that.” Of their decisive break with sartorial custom, the Fifties rebels discovered their final – and most enduring – trigger. “They broke the mould,” says Boyer. “And we’re continuing to live with their legacy.”

Fifties Males’s Trend: A Transient Background

The Fifties had been a pivotal decade for males’s style, characterised by a mixture of conservatism and flamboyance that mirrored the post-war financial increase and the rising youth tradition. At the start of the last decade, males’s style was closely influenced by the austerity of the Nineteen Forties, with clothes that was useful and reserved. Nonetheless, as the last decade progressed, males’s style started to embrace extra coloration, sample, and informal types, reflecting a society that was changing into more and more prosperous and leisure-oriented.

Hollywood actors like Marlon Brando and James Dean turned fashion icons, influencing males’s style with their informal, rebellious appears to be like, together with leather-based jackets, denims, and T-shirts. This decade additionally noticed the rise of designer style in males’s put on, with designers like Christian Dior and Hubert de Givenchy starting to affect males’s style selections.

Tv and promoting turned extra prevalent, enjoying an important position in spreading style tendencies and making a unified sense of fashion throughout the US and past. The Fifties additionally marked the start of the Civil Rights Motion, which, whereas primarily a wrestle for social justice, subtly influenced males’s style by starting to problem conventional norms of costume and grooming based mostly on race and sophistication.

Our Favourite Fifties Males’s Trend Staples

Males’s Trend within the Fifties: Type Necessities

Fits

Fits within the Fifties had been all a couple of masculine silhouette, with a transparent emphasis on straight strains. The basic sack swimsuit (suppose: looser jacket) was nonetheless standard in early Fifties male style. As the last decade progressed, the straight sillouete remained however turned barely extra form-fitting and slimmer than in earlier years, that means shoulderpads used to create a extra V-shaped torso in earlier years fell out of style.

The double breasted swimsuit was very a lot nonetheless in vogue, however the single-breasted jackets with wider lapels and rounded factors had been largely changing into the norm. The Roman-style swimsuit (invited by Brioni) additionally made its debut. Its largest contribution to at this time’s fashion was the inclusion of facet vents (one on either side of the hip) vs. the only again vent regular within the American sack swimsuit. 

Materials performed a key position, whereas polyester had been invented within the Nineteen Forties, it actually took off in Fifties males’s style. However wool, flannel, and ultra-luxurious mohair continued to be predominant selections for his or her sturdiness and magnificence. The colour palette was comparatively conservative, dominated by shades of gray, blue, and brown, although the top of the last decade noticed a gradual introduction of extra vibrant colours and patterns.

Shirts

Shirts within the early Fifties had been sometimes made from cotton or linen and featured daring patterns and infrequently loud colours. As the last decade progressed, males’s Fifties style started to include softer pastels – some argue that is to permit for louder and bolder ties. The most typical types had been the shorter level collar and the unfold collar, and the membership collar (rounded edges) which had been appropriate for each formal and informal settings. In contrast to the Twenties when removable collars had been the norm, the Fifties males’s style solidified the recognition of the hooked up collar – each for consolation and ease functions.

Fifties males’s style additionally noticed the introduction of extra informal shirt types, together with the polo shirt and the Cuban collar shirt, reflecting a rising curiosity in leisure and luxury.

Emulating the Hollywood superstars of the day, like Marlon Brando (particularly from his position in A Streetcar Named Want in 1951), the plain t-shirt actually started its reign throughout this decade – an informal wardrobe staple that continues to be standard to this present day.

Pants

Trousers through the Fifties emphasised consolation and mobility, preserving with the loser lower of the earlier many years. The cuff on the underside of pants was highly regarded on the time, no matter whether or not you had been carrying denims or trousers. The cuff was sometimes 2-4 inches, relying on top and private tailoring.

The popular pant fashion of males’s Fifties style was high-waisted, usually single or double-pleated pants that offered an extended silhouette. Shorts or Bermuda shorts, round knee size, had been additionally highly regarded, these had been lower and designed identical to dress-trousers or swimsuit pants and featured bolder colours and plaid patterns.

Denim denims started to emerge as a well-liked informal put on choice, particularly among the many youthful era, impressed by Hollywood and the rising music scene. Chinos and khakis additionally gained reputation from the rise in preppy style for each informal or semi-formal events, providing a lighter, extra versatile different to conventional wool trousers.

Sweaters & Knitwear

50s males’s style marked a big interval for sweaters and knitwear as important parts of a gentleman’s fashion, reflecting the period’s shift in the direction of extra informal and versatile clothes choices.

Sweaters turned standard for his or her consolation and practicality. They had been usually worn over shirts for a smart-casual look. The V-neck sweater, particularly, was a staple. It was simply paired with a collared shirt beneath and typically a tie, making it appropriate for each workplace environments and informal outings.

Using new artificial fibers, alongside conventional wool, allowed for a wider vary of types and colours, making sweaters and knitwear extra interesting and accessible to the on a regular basis man.

Jackets & Outerwear

Outerwear and males’s jackets within the Fifties had been characterised by variety, splitting style tendencies and innovation, catering to each useful wants and style statements.

Cardigans, leisure jackets, and sport coats turned symbols of the relaxed motion to males’s fashion. The teenage revolt of the last decade, thanks partially to Hollywood’s affect, noticed the rise of leather-based bike jackets and new rising subcultures. The ditch coat maintained its reputation from earlier many years, serving as a classy choice for wet climate, whereas the pea coat supplied heat and sturdiness for colder months.

Outerwear within the Fifties not solely offered practicality and luxury but additionally a chance for males to specific their particular person fashion and flexibility to altering social norms.

Footwear

Footwear within the Fifties noticed a mixture of conventional types and rising tendencies that mirrored the last decade’s various style panorama. Oxford footwear remained a staple for formal events, accessible in a wide range of supplies and finishes, together with the ever-popular patent leather-based for night put on.

The idler, initially an informal shoe, gained reputation for its consolation and ease of wear and tear. When crafted in finer leather-based, it turned acceptable in additional formal settings. The leather-based slipper turned the substitute ‘house shoe’ of the period.

The introduction of the desert boot and the chukka offered an informal but fashionable choice that paired effectively with more and more standard informal put on, like chinos and denims. Sneakers, like Converse (nonetheless standard at this time), as soon as primarily seen as athletic put on, started to cross over into informal style, influenced by the youth tradition and icons like James Dean.

The footwear selections of this period underscored the evolving nature of Fifties males’s style, balancing custom with a rising appreciation for consolation, versatility, and private expression.

Males’s Formalwear within the Fifties

Males’s formalwear within the Fifties continued to emphasise magnificence and class, with a give attention to tailor-made fits and a spotlight to element that outlined the period’s strategy to formal events.

The tuxedo remained the gold normal for night put on, that includes a single-breasted jacket with a scarf or peak lapel, usually in black or midnight blue. The dinner jacket, in lighter materials and colours, supplied a barely much less formal choice for night occasions, particularly in hotter climates.

Formal shirts had been sometimes white with a wingtip or turndown collar, accompanied by a bow tie or a slim necktie. Cummerbunds and waistcoats added a layer of refinement, whereas patent leather-based footwear accomplished the ensemble.

This era additionally noticed the rise of bespoke tailoring, permitting males to personalize their formalwear with customized fittings and distinctive particulars, reflecting the significance of particular person fashion even in probably the most formal settings.

Males’s Casualwear within the Fifties

The Fifties had been a turning level for males’s casualwear, marked by an rising need for consolation, performance, and private expression outdoors the constraints of formal apparel. The last decade noticed the rise of leisurewear, influenced by the booming financial system, elevated leisure time, and the affect of youth tradition and Hollywood icons.

T-shirts turned a staple, transferring from underwear to a standalone piece, popularized by stars like James Dean and Marlon Brando. Denim denims emerged because the image of informal and rebellious youth, because of their sturdiness and luxury, paired usually with leather-based jackets or informal button-down shirts for a whole look.

The introduction of the Hawaiian shirt within the ‘40s continued to add a colorful and exotic flair to men’s Fifties wardrobes, reflecting the period’s fascination with journey and leisure. In the meantime, knit polo shirts supplied a smart-casual choice, bridging the hole between formal shirts and informal tees.

For footwear, canvas sneakers, leather-based boots, and loafers had been favored for his or her consolation and flexibility, complementing the informal look.

Males’s Equipment within the Fifties

Hats

Hats maintained their standing as a vital accent for males within the Fifties, although their reputation started to wane as hairstyles turned a extra outstanding function of males’s style.

The fedora, with its large brim and indented crown, continued to be standard amongst males in search of a classy addition to their ensemble. The trilby, a shorter-brimmed variant of the fedora, supplied a extra informal look, appropriate for each formal and leisure actions.

For extra informal events, the flat cap, baseball hat, and newsboy cap offered a contact of working-class stylish, reflecting the last decade’s mix of types from totally different social backgrounds.

Regardless of the decline in hat-wearing in the direction of the top of the last decade, these items remained symbols of magnificence and had been key to finishing the well-dressed man’s outfit.

Watches

Watches within the Fifties weren’t simply timekeeping gadgets however symbols of standing and elegance. The last decade noticed the rise of luxurious Swiss manufacturers, with Rolex, Omega, and Patek Philippe main the way in which in innovation and design.

Watches had been sometimes mechanical, with guide or computerized winding, and featured elegant, easy designs with leather-based straps or steel bracelets. The recognition of dive watches and chronographs additionally elevated, reflecting a rising curiosity in sports activities and outside actions.

Ties

Ties within the Fifties had been an integral part of a person’s wardrobe, signifying professionalism and individualism – as ties had been nonetheless seen as skilled with wild and daring patterns. Nonetheless, it was gaining popularity and nonetheless skilled to go to work or occasions with out one. The last decade favored wider ties with pointed ideas, reflecting a return to the daring types of the pre-war period, with vibrant colours and elaborate patterns, together with stripes, polka dots, and paisleys.

Silk, wool, rayon, polyester and even cotton knit had been the supplies used for ties of the period, providing a wealthy texture and sheen that complemented the period’s tailor-made fits. The bow tie additionally loved reputation, particularly pre-tied variations, providing a dapper and less complicated different to the standard necktie.

Suspenders and Belts

Suspenders remained a useful and trendy alternative for securing trousers, favored for his or her basic enchantment and luxury. Nonetheless, as the last decade progressed, belts turned extra standard, partially because of the rising casualness of Fifties males’s style.

Leather-based belts, particularly, had been seen as a extra trendy and versatile choice, accessible in a wide range of widths and finishes to enrich each formal and informal apparel.

Glasses

Glasses within the Fifties turned a style assertion past their sensible goal. The introduction of horn-rimmed glasses, with their distinctive thick frames, added an mental aptitude to males’s look. Metallic-rimmed glasses and aviators had been additionally standard, providing a modern look.

Sun shades gained in reputation, pushed by Hollywood and the rise of out of doors leisure actions. Types like the wayfarer and the aviator turned iconic symbols of the period’s cool, informal aesthetic.

Extra Fashionable Equipment for Males within the Fifties

Past the necessities, males’s style within the Fifties embraced a wide range of equipment to personalize and improve their outfits. Scarfs had been highly regarded within the colder season, usually neatly tied and tucked underneath the collar of a coat.

Males’s jewellery, together with signet rings and chain bracelets, started to achieve acceptance, marking the beginning of a broader development in the direction of accessorizing in males’s style. These equipment not solely full the look but additionally allowed males to specific their individuality and standing in a quickly booming and individualistic society.

Males’s Grooming Developments within the Fifties

Fifties Males’s Hairstyles

The Fifties noticed a wide range of males’s hairstyles that mirrored the last decade’s mixture of conservatism and rising rebellious tendencies. The crew lower, and the Ivy League haircut was immensely standard for his or her clear, neat look, symbolizing the post-war return to conventional values. These types had been quick, straightforward to handle, and suited the skilled man.

On the opposite finish of the spectrum, the pompadour and the quiff turned symbols of the youthful revolt, impressed by music and film icons like Elvis Presley and James Dean. These types featured longer hair on high, styled upwards and again for a dramatic impact, usually utilizing pomade to realize the specified maintain and shine.

The ducktail, one other iconic fashion of the period, concerned hair slicked again across the sides and introduced collectively behind the pinnacle, resembling the rear finish of a duck. This fashion, whereas much less widespread in skilled settings, underscored the rising affect of rock ‘n’ roll on style and tradition.

Sideburns additionally made a comeback, rising in reputation in the direction of the top of the last decade, additional illustrating the shift in the direction of extra expressive private grooming.

Fifties Facial Hair

Facial hair within the Fifties was usually stored to a minimal, with clean-shaven faces dominating the period’s grooming tendencies. This was consistent with the last decade’s emphasis on neatness and conformity, particularly in skilled environments.

Nonetheless, the mustache noticed a resurgence in reputation amongst sure teams, usually worn skinny and neatly trimmed, including a contact of sophistication or ruggedness to a person’s look.

The goatee and the Van Dyke beard had been additionally trendy in creative and bohemian circles, although much less widespread in mainstream society. These types allowed for particular person expression throughout the constraints of the period’s grooming requirements.

Grooming norms started to loosen up barely within the late Fifties, setting the stage for the extra different and expressive types of the Sixties.

Large Names in Fifties Males’s Trend

Fifties males’s style was formed by a lot of influential designers, celebrities, and cultural figures who left an enduring affect on the fashion world.

On the earth of high fashion, designers like Christian Dior and Hubert de Givenchy started exploring males’s style, introducing tailor-made fits and refined casualwear that blended conventional craftsmanship with trendy aesthetics.

The affect of Hollywood was simple, with actors reminiscent of Cary Grant, Gregory Peck, and Marlon Brando changing into fashion icons for his or her on-screen and off-screen personas. Grant and Peck epitomized the basic, timeless fashion with their impeccable tailoring and understated magnificence, whereas Brando and James Dean launched a extra rebellious, informal look that resonated with the youthful era.

In music, Elvis Presley emerged not solely as a cultural phenomenon but additionally as a style icon, popularizing daring and flamboyant types that contrasted sharply with the conservative tendencies of the early Fifties. His love for flashy fits, leather-based jackets, and the pompadour coiffure influenced numerous followers and signaled a shift in the direction of extra private and expressive style selections.

50s fashion additionally noticed the emergence of influential photographers and journal editors who helped form public perceptions of style. Figures like Richard Avedon and Irving Penn captured the period’s appears to be like in hanging pictures that graced the pages of Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar, whereas editors like Diana Vreeland championed the combination of style and tradition, setting the stage for the evolution of males’s fashion within the many years to comply with.

The way to Put on Fifties Males’s Trend In the present day

Incorporating Fifties style into at this time’s wardrobe is about embracing basic fashion with a contemporary twist. Begin with the necessities: a well-tailored gray flannel swimsuit, a crisp white shirt, and a pair of polished Oxford footwear for a timeless formal look.

For informal put on, a pair of straight-leg selvedge denim denims, a plain white T-shirt, and a leather-based jacket can seize the Fifties insurgent spirit. Add a pair of loafers or canvas sneakers for a flexible look that bridges many years.

Decorate with period-appropriate items like a fedora hat or a pair of horn-rimmed glasses so as to add authenticity to your outfit. Nonetheless, the hot button is to steadiness classic parts with up to date matches and types to keep away from trying such as you’re carrying a fancy dress. Combine and match gadgets from totally different eras and experiment with textures and patterns to create a glance that’s each nostalgic and related.

Ultimate Verdict

Fifties males’s style was a decade of transformation, characterised by a mix of conventional magnificence and rising informal types. In the present day, the period’s affect stays robust, providing timeless items that may improve any wardrobe. By adopting the important thing parts of males’s Fifties style and adapting them to trendy tastes, any man can obtain a glance that’s each basic and up to date, proving the enduring enchantment of this pivotal decade in fashion. Proceed on as we velocity in the direction of the tumultuous 60s and what excitements in males’s style lie forward.