Men's Fashion
INTRO: Men’s clothing in the 1950s era was commonly thought of as conservative and traditional. Because of major events happening during this time, The Cold War and McCarthyism, people were directed towards traditional American values that steered away from self expression and undermined revolutionary movements. As a result, men were forced to change in political and physical ways.
BUSINESS ATTIRE: Business attire for men in the 50s consisted of simple and clean suits. Shoulders were not as wide as those in the Forties and pants still had fullness in the legs. The colors rarely changed and consisted of bleak and conventional colors like brown, gray, and black. Suits were made of materials such as wool or flannel, and ties were simple and thin. Men in the 50s era were expected to wear a suit for the majority of the day, especially if they worked at an office or plainly wanted to succeed in life. Another staple of the 50s business man was the hat. No outfit was considered complete without one. These were usually fedoras or derby-type hats and they were socially required in business or formal dress.
LEISURE ATTIRE: Americans in the 50s were generally prosperous and as a result, people were allowed to relax and entertain themselves more often. When men were not at work they wore polo shirts and button ups. Even during leisure time collared shirts were normal; as t-shirts were seen as an unorthodox item of clothing that should only be worn as an undergarment. During this time, cowboys and Hawaiian culture inspired the designs for many of the popular mens shirts. Like t-shirts, jeans were seen as outdoor working clothes and slacks were the pants of choice for leisure occasions. As for shoes, the majority of men found loafers to be the shoe of choice when the time to unwind came around.
YOUTH ATTIRE: With teenagers in the 50s, the preppy look was popular with young men. This look had a more casual feel and was characterized by letterman jackets, sport coats, and cardigans. These were worn proudly by the student athletes of any school. In addition, young men of the era sometimes paired these outfits with ties and commonly wore their collars open. In contrast to the preppy look, there were always young men who went against the grain when it came to men’s fashion. These men were known as beatniks or greasers. Beatniks wore a lot of black, which was accompanied by slim trousers and sweaters. Greasers, who are the main stereotypes for 50s fashion, wore white or black tees, jeans, leather jackets, and slicked back hair.
BUSINESS ATTIRE: Business attire for men in the 50s consisted of simple and clean suits. Shoulders were not as wide as those in the Forties and pants still had fullness in the legs. The colors rarely changed and consisted of bleak and conventional colors like brown, gray, and black. Suits were made of materials such as wool or flannel, and ties were simple and thin. Men in the 50s era were expected to wear a suit for the majority of the day, especially if they worked at an office or plainly wanted to succeed in life. Another staple of the 50s business man was the hat. No outfit was considered complete without one. These were usually fedoras or derby-type hats and they were socially required in business or formal dress.
LEISURE ATTIRE: Americans in the 50s were generally prosperous and as a result, people were allowed to relax and entertain themselves more often. When men were not at work they wore polo shirts and button ups. Even during leisure time collared shirts were normal; as t-shirts were seen as an unorthodox item of clothing that should only be worn as an undergarment. During this time, cowboys and Hawaiian culture inspired the designs for many of the popular mens shirts. Like t-shirts, jeans were seen as outdoor working clothes and slacks were the pants of choice for leisure occasions. As for shoes, the majority of men found loafers to be the shoe of choice when the time to unwind came around.
YOUTH ATTIRE: With teenagers in the 50s, the preppy look was popular with young men. This look had a more casual feel and was characterized by letterman jackets, sport coats, and cardigans. These were worn proudly by the student athletes of any school. In addition, young men of the era sometimes paired these outfits with ties and commonly wore their collars open. In contrast to the preppy look, there were always young men who went against the grain when it came to men’s fashion. These men were known as beatniks or greasers. Beatniks wore a lot of black, which was accompanied by slim trousers and sweaters. Greasers, who are the main stereotypes for 50s fashion, wore white or black tees, jeans, leather jackets, and slicked back hair.