Go all-out Glam in 1950s Fashion from Vintage Online UK Sites
January 24, 2019Find the top trends from the 1950s at vintage online UK fashion sites. Shop till you drop from the comfort of your couch, then rock the 50s look in your everyday life!
Find all the best 1950s clothes and accessories at vintage online UK sites, where you can source authentic vintage clothing from back in the day, or perhaps try on modern takes of vintage inspired styles.
Woman modelling a summer dress, 1954, photo by Gervais Purcell
Vintage UK fashion flashback
Fashion in the 1950s was like a walk in the park on a bright day in the summer sunshine! Vintage clothingfrom the 50s was all about glamour, bright colours, playful prints, huge skirts and tiny waists. You can find the best of 50s fashion at so many vintage online UK sites that provide authentic, one-of-a-kind vintage clothing, or offer a modern take on 50s vintage clothing and accessories. Read on and be inspired by the key trends of the pin-up girls of the 50s!
Lisa Fonssagrives at Paddington Station, London, 1951
Sculpted Silhouettes
1950s vintage clothing, especially dresses, took two main forms. There was the tiny, nipped-in waist with a very full, high-waisted skirt worn over plentiful petticoats, emphasizing an hourglass shape in vintage clothing. At the other end of the spectrum, there was the sexy, straight slim-fitted pencil skirt, worn long and with an equally fitted short-sleeved top.
Check out vintage online UK sites like www.rokit.co.uk to find both these iconic looks in main street or high-end designer versions. Source original vintage clothing outfits from the 50s or try out vintage inspired looks in modern fabrics and materials.
Another very popular vintage online UK site to visit is www.collectif.co.uk, where you will find a huge selection of vintage clothing inspired retro styles, reworked in modern fabrications to give you high quality options that work with your current wardrobe.
All of these vintage online UK sites give you the choice of finding the silhouette that flatters you the most, whether you have an hourglass figure which is complimented by the fit-and-flare style, or a straighter form, which can rock the slim pencil skirt worn with an over-sized belt.
Go full-on 50s with a top-to-toe outfit from vintage online UK sites or pick that special skirt or top and wear it with your modern pieces to create a mash-up of vintage clothing and current trends.
Women in the WW2 Land Army on the British Home Front, 1942
50s Vintage Clothing Influences
Vintage clothing from the 50s was influenced by the euphoria of coming out of the second World War. Europe and the Americas were enjoying an economic, social and cultural boom as they left the dreary 20s and 40s behind them. The industrial age was also in full swing, and vintage clothing was a celebration of these good times after the depravations of war and rationing.
Yellow Dior organza gown
Vintage Online UK ready-to-Wear
The 1950s saw the rise of ready-to-wear vintage clothing, now manufactured on factory floors instead of hand-stitched. International designers and their creations, particularly from Paris, were now accessible to a much larger population, as the French fashions and styles were replicated globally.
Check out vintage online UK sites like www.bestdaysvintage.co.uk and www.rokit.co.uk for a vast collection of authentic designer wear from the 50s or for unique, customized pieces that are inspired by the vintage clothing of that decade.
Fashion Model photo Shoot, 1954
The house of Dior was a huge trendsetter in the 50s, creating A-line dresses, dolman sleeves and boned bodices worn over layered petticoats. Vintage clothing based on these iconic looks and styles are as timeless today as they were modern in the 50s.
Vintage Online UK – Full skirts and petticoats
Circle skirts or full pleated skirts worn down to mid-calf were all the rage in 1950s vintage clothing. When ladies wanted to amplify their style, particularly for evening wear, they would add layers of net petticoats under these full skirts to make them even fuller! Check out vintage online UK sites like https://marketplace.asos.com to find vintage clothing from the 50s to bring these looks alive today. Look for petticoats in different colours of net fabric, and wear them layered together under full printed skirts and large belts to really rock the look.
The Iconic Pencil Skirt
This look originated in the 50s and is still a classic, timeless and very popular style today. Check out the vintage clothing UK site www.collectif.co.uk for this iconic look of a narrow, close-fitting straight skirt with a high waist and a small slit in the back, falling to below the knees. Vintage clothing never looked so good or flattered so many figure shapes as much as the pencil skirt.
Finish off your vintage clothing look with a close-fitting button-down shirt tucked into your pencil skirt, or a sweater with short sleeves and a Peter Pan collar. You can find all these styles on vintage online UK sites. Don’t forget to turn up your shirt collar to frame your face, or tie a small neckerchief around your neck to top off your sweater.
Sweater Girl Panache
Take a virtual walk through vintage online UK sites like www.etsy.com/uk/ or www.beyondretro.com to find yourself the tight, cropped sweaters, usually with short sleeves and small rounded collars, that were very popular in the 50s. These sexy styles went perfectly with either the full skirts or the pencil skirts of the 50s and eventually evolved into another iconic vintage clothing look: the twinset. Remember to wear well-fitting under-garments with these sweaters to flatter your figure and give you that “sweater girl” silhouette.
Vintage clothing accessorized
Finish off your 1950s vintage clothing look and style with the perfect accessories. You can find curated collections of authentic, one-of-a-kind or modern spins on vintage accessories at vintage online UK sites like www.etsy.com/uk/ or https://marketplace.asos.com where you should look for wide belts, long gloves and big hats. Don’t forget to check out the ladylike bags too, while you are shopping for your vintage clothing.
Vintage clothing was complimented in the 50s with hats in the lampshade mode or wide-brimmed style. Gloves were elbow-length, topped with chunky bracelets or pearls for evening wear. And don’t forget to add a colourful printed scarf to your hair, neck or bag.
Vintage Online UK – Finish Your Vintage Clothing Look
Top off your vintage clothing look with a bright red lipstick, layered over a lip pencil in an equally dark tone. Find the perfect retro shade at vintage online UK sites that offer makeup inspired by the 50s and you are all ready to step out in ladylike glam!
