| In the 1950s, men's suits once again became more conservative. The pants retained the cuffs and, in some cases, the pleats, but were much slimmer overall. Jackets were slim, too, with small lapels and two to four buttons. (Check out some black-and-white TV shows like My Three Sons for some great examples.) Sharkskin was a popular suit material during the 50s, along with the more traditional wools.
Men often wore V-neck or cardigan wool sweaters for casual dress, but these were generally worn over a shirt and tie. Sport jackets were a good choice, too. These had more casual tailoring and were made of a less formal fabric than suit jackets, often in plaid.
Men's casual fashions didn't change a whole lot during the 50s. Sport jackets and sweaters remained fashionable, and the loafer coat was made. This was a soft-tailored sport jacket with a shirt-like spread collar, patch pockets, and a two-tone look.
In the late 50s, Hawaiian shirts, cabana sets, and western wear became popular casual apparel. Real Hawaiian shirts (with wooden buttons) were the utmost in casual, and had an exotic flair. Cabana sets are matching loose-fitting hip-length shirt and mid thigh short sets, often a solid color with contrasting piping. The shorts had an all-elastic waist with no fly. Western wear came along with Roy Rogers and the all-American feel of the times. Mother-of-Pearl snap-front shirts and fringe with dark denim turned-up pants were high western style.
The T-shirt made its first appearance among civilians in the 1950s. Originally developed in 1942 for use by GIs - a shirt for those in the Pacific, an undershirt for European winters - the T-shirt saw a lot of action during the war. It became the epitome of masculinity and by 1953 was standard American men's wear.
Shoes:In the 50s, two-tones lost popularity, though saddle shoes became stylish among the college set. | |
