Step into the time machine, gals! Get ready to rock that retro vibe with the most fab 1950s style dresses you can find online – all in one place! Whether you want the classic swing dress silhouette, or you crave the sassy pencil dress, we gotchu covered!
When it comes to patterns and colors, you’re spoilt for choice! Popular 1950s dresses had prints with polka dots, plaid, floral, and gingham patterns or fun novelty themes like cherries and flamingos. Black, red, green, and blue lead the way in favorite colors for 50s dresses. Summer introduced pinks, yellows, whites, and teals to cheer up your day.
Most 50s pin up dresses are sleeveless 1950s style dresses with a halter neck or boat neck, but you can also get a vintage or repro 1950s dress with long or short sleeves or even below-the-knee tea length. The young women of rock n’ roll were hip to the latest trends, and so are these 50s style dresses.
Ready to dive deeper into the history of these timeless beauties? Check out our guide to vintage 1950s dress styles.
1950s Dresses
Holidays | Plus Sizes | Day Dress | Wiggle | Cocktail | Evening | Polka Dot |Petticoats
What are 1950s dresses called?
1950s dresses had a variety of names for each distinct style. The two silhouettes were slender or full skirted but other details gave them unique names. There was the peasant dress, the shirtwaist dress, the sheath dress, the tulip dress, the trapeze dress, the wrap dress, and the coat dress to name just a few. This article on 1950s dress styles will tell you all about each dress styles.
Full Swing Dresses
What was the most popular dress in the 1950s?
There were two popular styles of 1950s dresses women cold wear. The first is now called a swing dress. It had a fitted top, narrow waist and a big full skirt that hung down to the mid calf. The other style was the opposite of the swing dress. Today is goes by the name, pencil dress or wiggle dress, although the true 1950s version was snug it was never body hugging. The pencil dress has a fitted top with narrow waist and a slender rectangular skirt. Both the swing dress and pencil dress are popular 1950s style styles of wear today.
Shirtwaist Dresses
What patterns were popular in the 1950s?
The best feature of the 1950s dress were the unlimited number of patterns used to make 1950s dress special. Classic pattern such as polka dots (big or small), plaid, gingham checks, windowpane, vertical stripes, and florals were plentiful. More unique 1950s patterns were paisley, atomic prints, border prints, travel themes (Mexico, Caribbean, California, western, nautical), cartoons, animals, and fruit. 1950s dress patterns were large enough to stand out- they were hardly subtle.
1950s Polka Dot Dresses
What did they wear under skirts and dresses in the 1950s?
To achieve the full swing dress silhouette women would layer on one or more petticoats or crinolines. These ruffles skirts were made of light weight net nylon or silk taffeta to achieve bulk without weight. For the slim pencil look a dress slip was needed to help the dress hang smoothly on the body. Read about petticoats and slips in detail.
Shop 50s petticoats
What do you wear with a 1950s dress? 1950s dress accessories?
Besides lingerie (bra, slip, petticoat, stockings), the 1950s dress was accessorized with wrist length gloves, a small hat (and fab 50s hairstyle), jewelry (pearl necklace and earrings), purse and pumps (more about 1950s shoes styles here.)
1950s Velvet crescent hat with pearls
Where to buy 1950s dresses?
Popular 1950s dresses can be found for cheap on Amazon and knock- off Asian sites. These swing dresses and wiggles dresses are the most affordable 1950s dresses you can buy online (from trusted sellers- not rip off sites.) Read this article to find even more 1950s dresses for less than $50.
For iconic 1950s outfits such as I Love Lucy look for a polka dot dress. Disney Minnie mouse (#dapperday #disneybounding) inspired polka dot dresses are also fun!
The other classic 50s housewife dress is the button down shirtwaist dress. Even housewives wore petticoats also called crinolines were worn under swing dresses to give them fullness and fluff.
Into the later afternoon and early evening women dressed up in nicer 1950s dresses. They often were solid colors with sleeves and a modest neckline. Many were worn with a cardigan sweater or bolero jacket. Cocktail dresses were less modest and more luxurious- with insets of lace or sheer mesh. Th little black cocktail dress was very popular at 1950s parties.
In the summer, a tiki dress or Hawaiian print 1950s dress with halter neckline was what every girl wanted to wear. Classic blue, red and white sailor themed dresses were also trendy all summer long. Many pinups choose to wear sarong tiki dresses and sailor dresses in competitions.
What 1950s style dress do you want to wear?
1950s dresses. 50s dresses in polka dot, floral, cherry prints and more!