Fashion in 1952

1952 Dior Dress with prominent waistline

Dior’s markedly high waists melted, as the year went on, into a development of his earlier princess dresses a molded figurine line, which followed the figure as closely as a swim suit from high neck through waist to hips, and then flared gently.

Otherwise, one designer after another forsook the Dior high-waist camp, and went over to Balenciaga, who put all his strength and authority behind his slack-waisted dresses and middy-line suits. His clothes developed a wonderful ease, being cut just not to touch the body, in contrast to Dior’s which never lost contact with it.

Each line called for a different type of corsetting, a different figure, a different posture, a different personality. Whether the two could continue to exist side by side or whether one would eventually triumph over the other remained to be seen.

It seemed that, since the end of World War II, fashion was taking a long time to settle into an accepted form which would stand, historically, as the look of the mid-century; but maybe it was part of the character of the time to allow this latitude for women to suit themselves instead of forcing them into a mold that might be suitable or unsuitable.

An evening gown by Griffe (Paris) would be in shell pink chiffon with a harem skirt that flows straight from high draped bust.

1952 Balenciaga with No Waistline

Interesting adjuncts to the waistline controversy were a legion of boleros, spencers, minute hug-me-tights; deep yokes, with pretty feminine pleating breaking from them to form an entire dress; belts low slung at the back or following the hemline of jackets; belts buckled across the chest or, on the contrary, cummerbund belts, wide or elasticized, the better to grip the midriff.

Day necklines ranged from the turtle or polo and the high straight Chinese neckband, to the draped cowl and the deep wide round scoop, which was first used for cocktail clothes but came to be seen increasingly for informal dresses. Even suits had deep standaway necks, sometimes filled in with a ribbon tie, a scarf or gilet, but sometimes bare.

Coats narrowed from the sheltering tents of earlier seasons. Loose coats hung straight without surplus fullness and there were many fitted princess coats logical over the molded figurine dresses.

Skirt lengths dropped an inch or maybe two, till 11 inches from the ground was the pronounced length; but here again women suited themselves and slightly varying lengths were seen, permissibly. The trumpet skirt shape kept narrow till mid-thigh and then, breaking into flares or deep pleats, invaded even furs.

Speaking of furs the 100% purchase tax on a fur-trimmed garment had kept fur-trimming to the minimum. With the reduction of this tax to the normal level, fur trimming rushed in. Fur collars, cuffs, pockets, bands and linings abounded; together with fur muffs, stoles and capes. Fur fabrics improved enormously and made luxurious linings in couture clothes and whole coats in the ready-to-wear ranges.

The newest and most characteristic hats of the year were the bathing-cap hats, hugging the head and at their most pronounced swallowing every vestige of hair. The young and beautiful wore them rejoicing, bandaging their heads with jersey, satin or velvet in lines which extended the shape of the head at the back. Those less favored in features consoled themselves with little flat top-of-the-head pancakes or modified pill-boxes, or big-brimmed summer straws: another example of fashion’s leaving a wide freedom of choice to the individual.

The short evening dress divided into two main types. There were the day-length dresses, usually narrow sheaths, with strapless, halter or camisole tops covered by matching boleros in dark colors, for wearing at the theater or the restaurant dinner. And then there were the short dancing dresses, with bouffant skirts falling to around ten inches from the ground. These last began to be seen at young weddings sometimes for the bride, but more often for the bridesmaids.

There were two types, also, among the full evening dresses: the slender and the wide-skirted again to suit the wearer and the occasion. The trend for shoulder straps continued, with a special feeling for the one-strap decolletage, and the halter
neck, but the strapless look remained firmly established especially for crinoline dresses

Cocktail clothes began to change character through the introduction of softer fabrics notably lace and crepe. Path’s fine jersey sweater over a crystal-pleated lace dress was a new and refreshing note. But the newest-looking skirt Dior’s square Infanta shape was earned out, of necessity, in the stiffest of moires.

In the matter of fabrics, there were many developments to celebrate. The slub weaves were supreme: the Donegals, the nubbly woolens and linens; the shantungs. Tweeds swept the field for autumn: sophisticated pebbly tweeds which came to town in a big way especially in black and white.

Fabrics and designs somewhat eclipsed in recent years, but now staging a spectacular come-back, were chiffon, crepe, lace and all the prints: notably dark motifs on a dark ground, blurred flower prints, and a striking series of prints with fur markings which brought prints well into the winter picture.

In colors the chief basic shade was grey, especially in its darker reaches; all the sherry colors from pale to dark; the butter colors, the blonds.

There were innumerable greens, ranging from palest almond through olive to bottle and fir green. White carried off special honors: white pleated crepe for day, white lace for afternoon; a cloud of white dancing dresses, long and short; white coats over dark dresses; little round white snowball jackets; and white touches by the million including white hats and not only for high summer, but far into the winter. There were good blues in the turquoise and Chinese range, with peacock and kingfisher for accents.

The lilacs and the lavenders made a pretty show, and so did the wild-rose pinks for evening.

Formal shoes became even lighter and more delicate, till they were only held to the foot by a cobweb of straps. Stoles multiplied and flourished, in every fabric for every occasion: the newest being ring stoles, just shoulder width, in everything from fur to lace.

Blouses became so important that they emerged from under the shelter of suits and functioned on their own, linked with their skirts by beautiful belts.

In 1952, the Italian fashion shows known as Sala Bianca are launched in Florence, Italy.

by:http://www.retrowaste.com/