Ever Present Past: After the War

After the war in the early to mid ’50s women were asked to give up their jobs and return to a normal habit of caring for their family and husbands and so they did. Nevertheless, they were now able to afford quality clothing and evening dresses with massively full skirts were a popular yet common sight at dinner parties across America, yet youth were able to have a name for themselves- “teenagers.” Young women dressed in casual formal wear for most days of the week, such as a uniform pencil skirt with a cap-sleeve sweater and pumps were perfect for a soda fountain date or a trip to the movies with the girlfriends.

However, as music started to get more and more rough, so did the fashion and by the mid ’50s, anklet trousers were found on everyone from the lovely Elizabeth Taylor to the down right goofy Lucille Ball. Worn with ballet flats, a Peter Pan collared shirt and a knit vest was a casual yet appropriate way to dress in the home. Lucky that the world was changing though. The Cold War was now looking USA in the face and while children hid under their desk for fear of a nuclear bomb, the late ’50s was filled with the begging of everlasting freedom. Movies that were played in the early part of this century were finally rubbing off with leading men like James Dean, Montgomery Clift and Marlon Brando who starred in movies like Rebel Without a Cause, The Wild One and A Place in the Sun. Now, the inspiration was full rebel. Heavy jazz rock-and-roll mixed with whisky, weed,and sex was all these kids needed. They called themselves Beatniks and first popularized the term Hipster. Ginsburg, Kerouac and Cassady read poems that gave this group its voice with their dark sunglasses, turtlenecks and berets as the precursors of the cultural revolution of the ’60s.

Peter Pan Collared Blouses – are a super great transitional piece from summer to fall. They’re super adorable yet its grown up appeal makes them great for a wide range of age groups. Also, they’re so simple that accessories can be piled on top, which makes them even more enjoyable.

High-Waist Trousers/Jeans – I know that I briefly talked about this before but I wanted to touch for a moment on a trend that I keep seeing and I think will be popular in fall and winter which is… rolling the bottoms up! Not only does it keep pants casual, but it works quite well if you do not want to splurge on the ever-popular anklet trousers.

Turtlenecks – were worn by Audrey Hepburn constantly during her lifetime. Her favorite way to style them was with a simple skinny jean, ballet flats and a pair of wayfarer sunglasses to perfect her look.

The times were changing and youth finally would be given a voice in the next 10 years to follow. I leave you now with a passage from the poem “Howl” by Allen Ginsberg “Angel-headed hipsters burning for the ancient heavenly connection to the starry dynamo in the machinery of night”