Fashion in 1955

In 1955, women’s clothes had a simple, young and sexy appeal. There were flavors of the 1920s thrown in, but it was done in a subtle, contemporary style.

Women loved sheaths and rarely wore belts. The bosom line was high and round, the hipline often carried accents, such as sashes.

Fashion in 1955 was heavily influenced by Asian design; Japan and India in particular. Tunics were very popular, making their presence felt in collections ranging from Charles James to Givenchy. By the fall season, the “oriental look” was the definitive silhouette.

In keeping with the Asian theme, Indian saris and Persian brocades were sold by the thousands.

Designers also made an effort to widen the shoulder without padding. Many were able to do so by giving tailored sleeves a small rounded bump at the top.

Casual clothes were more popular than ever before. While fashion houses were still very much focused on couture, the everyday wardrobe held an important place in the fashion world.

But women still loved to get dressed up! And when they did they wore the long evening dress, instead of the short dress that had been popular in recent years. Ball dresses were not too long, but not too short. Evening dresses were often made in sheer wool chiffon or thin wool jersey, mingled with gold.

In fact, the desire for fancy fabrics had not waned one bit. Thistledown was stressed in woollens and tweeds. Some woollens were even woven with mink, sable, angora or cashmere.

Blazer stripes, with bold and contrasting hues, were seen in all types of sports clothes. Young people loved plaid.

Fur finally cemented its comeback. Women loved mink and sable edged evening coats in 1955. Evening coats (with wraps) were very important in a woman’s wardrobe that year.

Because of the heavy Asian influence, fashion in 1955 is easily distinguished by its wide variety of unexpected colors. All shades of red were popular, as well as emerald green, deep yellows and sapphire blues. Once again, brown was the choice for basic colors.

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