Characteristic features of dresses in the style of the 50s
The 50s style provides a wide selection of styles and finishing options for a wedding dress. These can be simple, strict models with minimal decor, or magnificent dresses decorated with hand embroidery or lace. However, with all the diversity, dresses in the style of the 50s have several common features.
- A fluffy skirt in several layers combined with a wide belt.
- Open arms and upper back.
- A tight-fitting bodice, and it must fit perfectly, no constrictions are allowed.
- The length of the dress just below the knee allows you to focus maximum attention on your even, slender legs.
The combination of these features makes the figure fragile and feminine, even if it is far from perfect. The fitted top visually slims the waist, and the layered bottom makes the hips appear fuller. The emergence of such models is not at all accidental. In the post-war period, there was a special need for beautiful feminine dresses, and the famous fashion designer Christian Dior created a dress with an “hourglass” appearance, allowing women to look especially graceful. Here are photos of various models of wedding dresses.
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What to combine with 50s dresses
A bridesmaid outfit from the 50s requires you to complement the look with accessories, makeup and hairstyle. All these elements must be in harmony with each other.
Hats
Wedding dress in the style of the 50s - what should it be combined with? You can create a bright and interesting look by adding an accessory. At the same time, you should not overdo it, so as not to distract attention from the main detail - the dress .
Hats are the element that the bride's image is missing. Stylish hairstyles, smoothly combed hair - this is required in order to put on an original headdress. So-called bowler hats were at the peak of their popularity in the 1950s. Of course, they are suitable as an accessory only for the cold season.
Veils and flirty hats with feathers are suitable for summer and warm spring. A silk scarf is offered to completely original and stylish ladies. At the same time, the hair should be heavily backcombed and tucked under a scarf. The accessory is tied under the chin.
Voluminous hats will suit fluffy and wide skirts. They are decorated with flowers or ribbons. As a rule, the decorations on the hat are bright and juicy.
To create a more discreet look, so-called pillbox hats are suitable. They come with a veil or a flower as the main decoration.
Shoes
Wedding dresses in the style of the 50s - what shoes to choose? The 50s were the time of pointed or slightly cropped shoes. At the same time, the shoes are delicate and laconic. It is not decorated with anything. The maximum that can be added is the brightness of the colors. For example, wear red shoes and highlight bright lips.
Pumps with thin heels or stilettos are what can complement the image of a stylish and bright bride of the 50s.
Decorations
Women have always paid close attention to accessories. And on the wedding day, decorations are necessary. Don’t forget that a flower dress looks catchy and original. Therefore, when choosing jewelry, preference is given to laconic and modest models.
Catchy and provocative accessories are completely unacceptable in creating a complete image.
For a wedding occasion, you can add large beads and bracelets to your look. When choosing a material, designers advise giving preference to natural stones and jewelry. Pearl is an ideal mineral that is ideal for both young girls and 50-year-old brides.
Gloves can be called an invariable attribute of a stylish bride. Fashion houses offer a wide range of styles and colors. These are both openwork and very simple options. Gloves should be selected based on the overall look. Moreover, it should be noted that gloves act as an accessory and are not removed even indoors.
The bride should not forget about makeup and hairstyle. In makeup, special attention is paid to clear lines on the eyes and red lips. In fact, these are the main components of 50s makeup. Expressiveness and clarity of lines will complement the wedding image.
Choosing fabric for a dress
Wedding dresses in satin, chiffon or silk in soft colors look great. Acceptable colors will be pink, yellow, cream, and blue.
Nowadays, in order to create the necessary volume of the lower part of the dress, tulle is used, although the original dresses used to use frames, so the weight of such an outfit could be several kilograms.
A great option for a 50s style wedding would be cotton or linen bridesmaid dresses in the same style as the bridesmaid's dress. You can choose brighter colors for them, and make the bottom not so lush.
The history of the creation of the magical style
The 50s of the 20th century were a difficult time - it was a period of recovery after the horrors of war. People who had experienced so many troubles strived for beauty and goodness. And none other than Christian Dior, the great French fashion designer, was able to help them with this. Thanks to his talent, a new fashion concept emerged - the New Look style.
In this romantic collection, the fashion designer managed to embody the image of a gentle and infinitely feminine girl. A tight-fitting bodice of the dress, a waist cinched with a wide belt and a fluffy skirt, all this turned out to be exactly what women needed in the era of military uniforms and hard work. For so many years, this style has not lost its relevance and, as before, is very popular among brides.
In order to have an idea of what dresses in the New Look style look like, in the article you can see a photo of this dress model.
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Wedding decoration in retro style
A celebration in the style of the 50s must be fun and bright. A café or restaurant is suitable for holding it. The walls of the room can be decorated with old record players, balloons, colorful garlands, and flower arrangements. It is appropriate to use light-colored porcelain dishes. To recreate the atmosphere of the 50s, guests can be offered milkshakes, which were very popular at that time, and all kinds of pastries. A mandatory element must be a dance floor, and the musical accompaniment must correspond to the chosen style. You can arrange a photo zone where guests will be photographed with accessories that were fashionable at that time - umbrellas, sunglasses, milkshakes.
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Decor options for a wedding dress in the New Look style
When choosing decorative elements, you must remember that you should not overload the bodice of the dress with decorations. It will look tacky. But there are many options for decorating a skirt. You can use feather trim - this element is now widely used in wedding fashion and will give the bride's image airiness and weightlessness. You can decorate the hem of the dress with voluminous flower buds.
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Lace will add elegance and solemnity to the wedding dress.
Table decoration and menu
There are no special requirements for the menu; Any dishes are acceptable: salads, mushrooms, canapés, olives, and for hot dishes - meat, fish or chicken. Be sure to surprise your guests with colorful cocktails! And, of course, such a wedding cannot be complete without Olivier salad and herring under a fur coat.
Porcelain dishes are suitable for a retro-style wedding; tables should be covered with starched tablecloths. Table numbers can be made in the form of small posters with films popular in the 50s. And to tell guests their exact places, you can use multi-colored matchboxes with names, where the color of the box matches the color of the table.
A retro wedding cake should be large and luxurious. One option is to arrange a multi-tiered confectioner’s creation in the form of gift boxes stacked on top of each other and decorate each tier with an edible bow. Other options are a wedding cake in the shape of a vinyl record or a retro car. You can also serve cupcakes for dessert.
Fashion of the 40s in the USSR
The Soviet Union stands apart from the European powers. Pre-war Western fashion came to us only after the war. Therefore, due to the long delay with which fashion from Europe came to us, the style of the 40s, as we see and understand it now, came to the Soviet Union much later.
Let's look at what fashion was in the USSR in the 40s. And what ideas can be adopted.
Due to martial law, military and sports styles gained popularity. Girls and women wore and sewed clothes that did not interfere with work in the field and at the machine.
Dresses were made mainly in dark colors with belts and tabs.
Craftswomen girls who knew how to crochet decorated dresses made of dark fabric with a white collar.
Berets, headscarves, caps, and turbans were worn as accessories.
Script and entertainment program
The host (or hostess) of such a wedding must necessarily correspond to its spirit. For example, a toastmaster can appear in the image of Elvis Presley.
The main feature of a retro style wedding is, of course, dancing! After all, in the 50s people loved and knew how to dance more than ever! The newlyweds can surprise their guests by showing a wedding dance in the style of boogie-woogie or rock and roll. It is advisable to prepare musical competitions for guests, for example, a competition for the title of the best twist dancer, or for the title of the best performer of hits of the 50s.
Depending on the wishes of the newlyweds, you can organize a masquerade show or a fire show, invite an illusionist and launch a luxurious fireworks display.
The popular wedding entertainment of bride kidnapping can also be played out in the spirit of the 50s. Example: at the height of the celebration, a team of warriors in pale gray suits, with Komsomol ties and red armbands enters the hall, and the bride is taken away as a participant in a forbidden gathering of dudes. To buy back his betrothed, the groom is invited to sing or dance something fiery in the spirit of that time.
It is advisable to prepare stylish glasses, bright ties and umbrellas as prizes for the winners of competitions, and for girls - faux pearl beads, headbands and other accessories.
