About 50s Costumes
1950's-inspired costumes are popular for Halloween and other occasions for costume parties. Most of the styles we now think of as "'50's" are based on youth or outsider styles and are heavily influenced by memories of television shows and movies. Learn about popular '50's-inspired costumes and the popular culture inspirations behind them. You can recreate them for your own parties.
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Fashions
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The decade if the 1950's was generally a conservative time for fashion. Men wore the "gray flannel suit" or went with a preppy look. Women enjoyed the fitted jackets of the designer Christian Dior's "New Look." The 50's were notable for the rise of the teenager---kids wanted to dress as differently from their parents as possible. Blue jeans came into fashion for the first time during the 1950's, as clothing for rebellious teens.
Bobby Soxer
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Bobby soxers were ultra-feminine 50's teen girls---think Sandy from "Grease." The archetype of the bobby soxer look includes a wide felt skirt that hits right below the knee, held up by net crinolines and rounded off by a cinch belt. The popular poodle skirts had cloth poodles on the front (see Resources). A short-sleeved polo shirt is worn on top, as well as a cardigan (with your boyfriend's pin, if you're lucky). Before going out to the sock hop, a bobby soxer would put on her turn-down socks and black-and-white saddle shoes. She would also pull her hair up into a ponytail.
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Housewife
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Real 50s housewives probably didn't do the vacuuming in pearls and pumps, but they make for a great costume. The "Ozzie and Harriet"-style housewife wore a full-skirted dress with a belt cinched at the waist (see Resources). Pearl necklaces and earrings are an appropriately feminine touch. White short gloves make for a more formal look. If you want the real 1950's look, you'll have to sleep in curlers. Wet hair was put up in curlers and pinned back in the morning.
Greaser
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The essentials of the greaser costume are simple: a tight white t-shirt tucked into jeans and a black leather jacket. Accessorize with high-top canvas sneakers and sunglasses. The important part of a greaser costume is the hair. Slick down your hair with hair gel. Comb it back at the sides. Then part the back with a rat-tail comb. Comb the hair on the back of the head to the sides (see Resources). Don't skimp on the gel---the slicker, the better.
Beatnik
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Beatniks were the original hipsters---chain-smoking, bongo-playing beat poets who conveniently wore a lot of black. To throw together a beatnik costume, both men and women can wear a black turtleneck. Men can wear tight t-shirts as well, tucked into black pants. Black skinny jeans are also a good unisex choice. Dark glasses, flats (for women) or sandals or black lace-up shoes (for men) and a beret top off the look. Goatee beards were popular for hep beatnik men and straight hair for cool beatnik women.
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