Buying power of $20 since 1935
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|
| 1948 | $43.25 | 9.24% |
| 1949 | $42.95 | -0.71% |
| 1950 | $43.62 | 1.56% |
| 1951 | $49.33 | 13.10% |
Choices were suits, sport coats, slacks, sweaters, or casual wear all in similar fabrics and styles. Occasionally bolder patterns might emerge for casual wear, but business clothing remained largely unchanged during the fifties.
The years after the mid 1950s, fashion began to go more functional. The A-silhouette would define and enable a lot of the fashion in the 1960s, from the mini skirts to the iconic shift dresses. The fashion of the late 50s went more simplified and functional but still kept the core of fun colors and patterns.Mar 16, 2017
Women of the 1950s and 1960s wore tailored blouses or tunics. Women sometimes wore a matching suit blazer if they were wearing trousers. A huge trend for men, especially in the 1960s, was the turtleneck. This shirt was a diverse option as men wore it under blazers, sweaters, vests or by itself.
1960s fashion was bi-polar in just about every way. Bright, swirling colors. Psychedelic, tie-dye shirts and long hair and beards. Woman wore unbelievably short skirts and men wore tunics and capes.
On this day, May 20, in 1873, Strauss and his partner, Jacob Davis, were given a patent for work pants strengthened with rivets—the first example of what we now know as blue jeans. By 1950, per TIME's count, Levi's had made 95 million pairs. (The going rate in 1950 was $3.50 a pop.) As for Strauss, he died in 1902.May 20, 2015
1950: 83¢ per gallon.Oct 31, 2018
Of the many fashion trends that came out of the 1920s, it is the flapper dress that continues to reign supreme. The style, named after the women who wore it, is characterized by a straight and loose silhouette with a drop waist that falls right below the knee.Feb 3, 2021
Apparel priced at $53,000 in 2000 → $51,395.59 in 2018.
One 1950s fad for girls was to wear a man's shirt outside their jeans. In high school, a soft sweater paired with a collared blouse was a smart look. Many teen girls preferred full skirts, some with 4-inch hems. These skirts were often made of wool felt fabric in bright colors, including the world famous poodle skirt.
By 1955 you could still buy a single crew-neck for 79-cents ($6.87), four crew-necks for $3 ($26.08) or one “new V-neck†for 98-cents ($8.52). Fast forward to 1970, single shirts range from $1.49 to $2 ($8.95 to $12.01), but packs of three are clearly now favored by Sears and cost up to $5.31 ($31.88).Jul 2, 2013
A casual look, the 1950s greaser wore white tank tops or T-shirts with short sleeves rolled up. These tops were paired with Levis 501 or 505 jeans or dark baggy work pants, while a leather or denim jacket with an upturned collar was the outerwear of choice.Sep 28, 2017
Fashion in the '50s was influenced by the post-WWII era of the late 1940s and heavily featured newer materials like nylon, acrylic, polyester, and spandex.Aug 5, 2019
Top 1950s Fashion designersTop French designers of the day included the aforementioned Christian Dior, as well as Jaques Fath, Nina Ricci, Coco Chanel, Pierre Balmain, Hubert de Givenchy and Christobal Balenciaga.
High school and college boys typically wore pants or jeans, cuffed at the bottom, with t-shirts, collared shirts, sweaters, or short jackets. White socks and black shoes rounded out the ensemble. Young boys wore similar fashions, in addition to caps and cowboy hats.
Scroll down to see our list of 9 of the most iconic hairstyles of the 1950s!
- The Poodle Cut.
- The Bouffant.
- The Pompadour.
- The Pixie.
- Thick Fringe.
- The Duck Tail.
- Short & Curly.
- Ponytails.
