Chapter 17 (1947-1964)

1. A-Line: Jillian Hohnholz

Summary: The “A-Line” refers to a silhouette that can be applied to dresses and skirts in
fashion. The term “A-line” was first used by fashion designer Christian Dior in the 1950s
to describe pieces in his most recent line collection released. An “A-line” silhouette is
typically seen with a tight cut around the waist down to the hip line where the garment
will then flare out as much as the designer wants. The “A-line” shape gets its name from
the fit to flare shape of the garment, which closely resembles a capital letter “A”.
Sources: https://wwd.com/fashion-dictionary/ , https://www.yesstyle.com/en/lewwe-
maxi-a-line-skirt/info.html/pid.1073150071 ,
https://www.aliexpress.us/item/2251832711568893.html?
gatewayAdapt=glo2usa4itemAdapt&_randl_shipto=US 
2. Atom Swimsuit: Sam Carter & Mads Wilkins
Summary: The Atom or Atome swimsuit was created in May of 1946 by the Parisian
designer, Jacques Heim. It was often advertised as being the “smallest swimsuit in the
world” or “smaller than the atom”. The swimsuit was often characterized by the bra-like
top, seen with or without straps. Along with that, the bottom would usually cover the
navel and create a dramatic triangle shape also known as a thong. However, the style
of the bottom would vary.
Sources: https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/bikini-introduced 
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/how-wake-testing-atomic-
bomb-bikini-became-thing-180955346/ 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bikini 
3. Beatniks: Allie Stoddard
The Beatniks were a group of young people that responded to the negative aspects of
their society (nuclear war, oppressively conformative society, and lack of true feeling) by
detaching from it. They began an anti-materialistic lifestyle, influenced by more spiritual
writers. This movement was quickly picked up on by the media and was embraced only
on the surface level. Rather than adopting the ideology behind it, most simply embraced
the look of it, with black clothes, sneakers, loose sweaters, and berets.
Sources: 
Textbook
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beatnik
https://daily.jstor.org/how-the-beat-generation-became-beatniks/

4. Bikini: Michaela Facuri

The bikini is a scanty two piece bathing suit that consists of a bra-like top and two
revered pieces of cloth triangles that are attached by string, showing the midriff. The
bikini came about as an aftereffect of World War II when the amount of cloth used for
women’s beachwear was reduced by 10 percent to conserve fabric. Two different
Frenchmen created the bikini at the same time, but separately in 1946. Clothing
designer Jacques Heim was credited as the originator of this new style of swimsuit,
which he called atome. It was advertised as “smaller than the atom”. His version of the
swimsuit had the bottoms go up to the navel. A couple months after Heim came out with
his version of the swimsuit, Louis Reard came out with his version of the swimsuit
calling it the bikini. He named the swimsuit after Bikini Atoll, which was where the first
public test of the nuclear bomb took place a few days before. He advertised that it was
smaller than the world’s smallest bathing suit. His design was considered scandalous
and risque with the entire stomach on display and so much skin showing. Because of
this the bikini was banned in beauty pageants and many European beaches. It wasn’t
until young attractive movie actresses wore them that their popularity rose. 

Sources:
Survey of Historic Costume by Phyllis G. Tortora & Keith Eubank (p.513)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bikini 
http://www.fashionencyclopedia.com/fashion_costume_culture/Modern-World-1946-
1960/Bikini.html 
https://sites.courtauld.ac.uk/documentingfashion/2020/06/09/a-short-history-of-the-
bikini/ 

5. Chemise Style: Celesta Graham 

The Chemise dress, was the dress of comfort made popular by designers
Christian Dior and Cristobal Balenciaga. It had a straight fit with no waistline,
concealing the feminine figure, and giving it the nickname of the “sack dress”.
When it was first released in the late 1950s it was an item of debate as the fit
was considered both “unnatural” by some, and “modern” by others. However, the
chemise style would be adapted into many women’s wardrobes, making it a
staple piece.

Sources:
*Survey of Historic Costume, Fifth Edition, page 518
*https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/81464
*https://mediakron.bc.edu/fashiondecor/dresses-1950s/dior-chemise-dress-1957
 6. Crew Cut: Karlie Brown

The crew cut was a men’s hairstyle that was popularized in the 1950’s, but its origin
goes back 30 years. The men’s style was created by a rower at an Ivy League school.
Him and his whole team wore the style to keep the hair out of their face to have both
hands ready to row the boat. The name crew comes from this situation and it was said
to help the crew members decipher themselves from the long-haired football players.
The style was used in the 1950’s and 40’s because of the war. The crew cut became a
symbol of a soldier and toughness. The style is cut short to the sides and longer on top,
but still fairly short. Elvis infamously got his luscious “Elvis” hair cut like this in 1958
when he was recruited to join the army. 
https://myhairdressers.com/blog/crew-cut-history/ 
https://letterpile.com/personal-essays/The-Scary-Mysterious-Evolution-of-the-Crew-Cut
https://rarehistoricalphotos.com/elvis-presley-army-pictures-1958/ 
 7. DA Hair: Kyla Pratt & Karlie Brown

DA hair was a men’s hairstyle that was popular in the 50’s that was also called the duck
tail because it looked like the rear of a duck. It involved slicking back the hair and
parting it down the middle all the way down to the neck. Then the top was messed up
on purpose to have strands hanging in the front. The hairstyle has regained popularity in
this modern age. It has taken on a more mullet-esque look, but the same idea. 
Sources:https://www.beautylaunchpad.com/styles/article/21144202/hair-through-history-
9-memorable-hairstyles-of-the-1950s 
Hair-through-history-9-memorable-hairstyles-of-the-1950s
Ducktail-haircut 
8. Foundation Garment: sabrina Walmer, Ruby Alder

a.
b. Diffrent types of lingerie and shapewear that your clothing would sit on top
of. The purpose was to shape the womens silhouettes. They were made
of cotton, rayon, and nylon. They ranged in price depending on the design,
fabric and decoration. They were sometimes advertised as being a health
benefit to women. They were also going for the marlyn monroe shaped
silhouettes, small figures with curvy features. Lots of times the foundation
garment had saps and hooks that could hold up their tights. Some were
even connected to their bullet shaped brasieres. 
 c. https://glamourdaze.com/2017/08/1940s-fashion-1948-guide-to-
foundation-wear.html
d. https://www.ohsodelightful.com/what-they-wore-1950s-lingerie-and-
shapewear/ 

9.

10. Fish Tails: annie and brianne

In the 1930’s Marcel Rochas helped popularize the fish tale or mermaid dress. For the
September issue of Vogue in 1950 there was a mermaid dress featured. It then became
very popular with Hollywood actresses. It is a dress style that flares at the bottom. 
https://aquamermaid.com/blogs/news/mermaid-dress
https://www.yolancris.com/mermaid-dress-history-and-inspiration/
https://hlfashionsandgifts.com/blogs/whats-going-on/history-of-mermaid-and-fishtail-
dresses

11. Flat Top: Allie Stoddard & Michaela Facuri

In this haircut, the hair is cut completely flat across the top, before being faded into the
back and sides. The top of the head is about an inch long, and the sides are about a
quarter of an inch, so there was quite a contrast. It is still somewhat popular today,
making lists of good hairstyles with a nod to classic conservatism. It is especially
popular for people with a lot of natural texture, so that the hair on top can get even
longer than the usual inch.

Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flattop
https://www.byrdie.com/1950s-mens-hairstyles-5209484
https://www.pinterest.ca/paulsmithe/vintage-flattops/ 
Textbook

12. Go-go Boots: Sarah Smith

In the early 1960s, a fad developed for adolescent girls to wear “Go-go” boots,
which were calf length and white. In 1964, French fashion designer Andre
 Courreges introduced a thoroughly modern and futuristic collection he called his
“Moon Girl” look. It featured A-Line skirts and dresses, drop-waisted mini skirts,
and tall, white, flat-heeled boots, the first go-go boots. Television dance shows
wore the boots and discovered that the low, block heel of the go-go boots was
more comfortable than the platform shoes and spike-heeled shoes. Nancy
Sinatra with her song “These Boots are Made for Walkin’!” made such a big
impact on spreading the footwear trend to mainstream consumers.
Source: Survey of Historic Costume Pg. 574
https://groovyhistory.com/go-go-boots-history-1960s/4
https://babesrage.com/2020/05/25/the-significance-of-the-go-go-boot/

13. House-Boy Pants: Celesta Graham & Lillian Hagey

House-Boy pants are another term for petal pushers. They are cropped just below the
knee, sitting at about the mid calf. This style was a more casual way of dress for women
in the 1950s, typically worn as an athletic fashion and could be seen in varying colors
and patterns. Pants had not been worn in the earlier 1940’s but became a popular
fashion within the next 20 years, being a common clothing item among women. 

Sources:
*https://www.blankstyle.com/blog/2013/07/1950s-fashion-vintage-apparel-style-guide/
* https://www.familysearch.org/en/blog/1940s-fashion-women-men
*https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1945%E2%80%931960_in_Western_fashion

14. Ivy-League Look: Sam Carter

Summary: The Ivy League style of the 1950s was a style primarily worn by men. The
style was less formal than previous generations of menswear, but it was still very clean
cut. The origins of this style begin with the students of elite American universities, often
going by the same name. The clothing that it was made up of was derived from mens
sporting wear of previous generations. It was often characterized by a sports coat,
blazer, oxford shirt, and chino pants, among other pieces.
Sources:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivy_League_(clothes)#:~:text=Ivy%20League
%20is%20a%20style,the%20preppy%20style%20of%20dress. 
http://www.ivy-style.com/the-rise-and-fall-of-the-ivy-league-look.html 
https://www.gentlemansgazette.com/ivy-style-primer/ 
15. Line for Line Copy: Jillian Hohnholz & Sarah Smith

Summary: Line for line copies began around 1954, which meant they would take a
design from a designer and make an agreement with them to make copies of the
garment at a lower price that they could mass produce. These mass produced copies
were sold to the general population since they were made in an efficient way so they
could be sold at a lower price. The copies were made by using paper patterns or muslin
patterns which were then used to make the garments. The line for line copies were
considered American versions of garments designed elsewhere. Some designers were
against this practice. 
Sources: Survey of Historic Costume p.505,
https://fidmmuseum.org/2010/10/american-editions-of-paris-originals-1950s-couture-
copying.html , https://bellatory.com/fashion-industry/Ready-to-Wear-A-Short-History-of-
the-Garment-Industry 
 
16. Pantyhose:Brianne Heer

The pantyhoe, tights, or sheer tights are skin tight and extend from the waist to
the toe. They are most often made of nylon or nylon mixes. The word is a mix of
panties and hosiery. The pantyhose went on sale in 1959. This meant that there
was no need to wear a girdle or garter belt. In 1974 the standard military uniform
included a pair of nutrule colored pantyhoes.  
Let’s Hear It for Hosiery! (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)
Pantyhose - Wikipedia
Textbook
18. Pedal Pushers: Kyla Pratt
Pedal pushers came from men’s knickers that were baggy trousers gathered at the
knee and were commonly worn for sportswear, specifically cyclists, which is where the
term “pedal pushers” came from. Pedal pushers are similar to capris, just a little bit
shorter, they end right below the knee. This was to allow women to do work like
gardening and cycling without having to worry about a skirt or extra length getting
snagged on something.
Sources: https://fashionhistory.fitnyc.edu/tag/pedal-pushers/ 
https://www.leaf.tv/articles/difference-between-capri-pants-pedal-pushers/ 
https://www.wise-geek.com/what-are-pedal-pushers.htm 
19. Skimmer:Sabrina Walmer

a.
 b.
c. From what I found in my research skimmer was a somewhat slang term
for boater hats. It is a stiff hat made from braided staw. It was a very short
hat with a flat not rounded top. It typically would be decorated with ribbons
around the rim but sometimes not.It was originally made for boatsmen and
then later developed into a mens summer hat because of this fact.People
would wear them for their Sunday Best, barbershop cortets, politicians.
They were still worn a lot but not as popular as had been before the war.
d. https://vintagefashionguild.org/hat-resource/skimmer-boater/
e. https://www.gettyimages.ca/photos/straw-boater-hat

22. Sneakers:Ruby Alder

Sneakers were invented in the late 1800s, however they were seen as athletic
footwear, rather than everyday wear. It wasn't until the 1950s that sneakers became an
everyday shoe, rather than just an athletic shoe. The counterculture embraced sneakers
because they were cheap, low maintenance, and went against the norm. In the late 50s
school dress codes began to relax and allow sneakers for the practicality. Baby
boomers grew up thinking sneakers were an acceptable shoe.

Sources: 
https://www.heddels.com/2014/12/humble-history-sneaker/ 
https://startupfashion.com/fashion-archives-a-look-at-the-history-of-sneakers/ 
https://www.thecollector.com/evolution-of-sneakers-modern-fashion-collecting/ 
23. Stiletto: Mads Wilkins

Stilettos were high-heeled shoes that had narrow heels and pointed toes. They
typically had a steel spike up the center of the heel, which prevented it from
breaking. In recent makings, however, plastic has replaced metal in these shoes.
The stiletto was named after an Italian dagger, because of the shape of the heel.
This design was first imagined in the 1930s, and because of technological
advances, was able to be made in the 1950s. It was a defining moment of
change in the sciences that go into making shoes.
https://www.popsci.com/science-stiletto-heel-shoes/
https://www.moma.org/interactives/exhibitions/2013/designandviolence/the-
stiletto-heel/
Survey of Historic Costume, 515
24. Trapeze Dress: Emily Prueitt
The Trapeze dress was introduced in the late 1950’s and become popular in the 1960’s.
It’s called a trapeze dress because it creates a trapezoid shape from the shoulders
down. Yves Saint laurent designed the first trapeze dress. Since the trapeze dress is a
very loose fit it very comfortable to wear. Trapeze dresses were also generally shorter.
Source one: https://mediakron.bc.edu/fashiondecor/1950s-silhouette-slideshow/1950s-
silhouette-slideshow/trapeze-dress/cocktail-dresses-mccalls-pattern#:~:text=Yves
%20St.,1960s%20in%20the%20coming%20years. 
Source two: https://br.pinterest.com/teteglitter/1960s-a-linetrapeze-dresses/ 
Source three: https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/trapeze_dress#:~:text=Noun,towards%20the
%20waist%20and%20legs. 

26. Winkle-Pickers: Annie Diviney

Winkle pickers were a type of shoe popular in the 50s and 60s specifically in the UK.
They were especially popular among the edgy, rock rock and roll crowd. It was an
“underground style.” They were inspired by the 15th century shoe called a Cracow. A
winkle picker is a pointy sharp tool used to pick the shellfish “winkles” off of rocks or
other ocean objects.  The shoe was inspired by that pointy tool, and the name was
coined. The shoes had very narrow pointed toes. Sometimes this indicated squished,
cramped, hurting feet. But anything for fashion, right?
https://www.dictionary.com/browse/winkle-pickers 
https://nostalgiacentral.com/pop-culture/fashion/winklepickers/ 
 https://gucinari.co.uk/shoes/boots/the-history-of-winklepickers/