Men's Fashions of the 1950's: Conformity Leads to a Time of Slender Suits & Narrow Neckties

Cold War Plays Role in Fashion

It is clear that The Cold War played a significant role in men’s fashions during 1950’s. People simply wanted to give the appearance of being a 'good American' so the bold patterns and colors of the previous decade were replaced by extreme levels of conformity and it was often difficult to spot one man from the next.

Clothing took on a certain business like role and became very conservative. Garments worn on an everyday basis were simple and had little variation as far as color and design goes. If a man did not have a suit, he was considered by many as not being serious enough and for those who did have suits, they were expected to wear them day and night, comfort not being an issue until, of course, returning to the privacy of his own four walls and taking off his tie and jacket. There were very few exceptions to the gender rule at this time, namely, men wore suits and women wore dresses.

TV & Movies Provide Examples of Menswear

The movies and television shows we see on our screens today provide us with great examples of the 1950’s fashion trends. Henry Fonda and Cary Grant are just two of the actors we can observe sporting the look of the businessman. Grey, brown and dark blue tapered flannel suits with single breasted jackets and not a shoulder pad in sight were all the rage, as were the bleached pearly white shirts worn beneath the jackets. Neckties which were part of all workplace attire became much slimmer, similar to the narrow skinny ties we know and love today. The length was increased to approximately fifty two inches and they were unlikely to be more than three inches wide at any point. More often than not it was the necktie that gave the whole outfit a slightly less mundane appearance by featuring subtle geometric shapes or diagonal stripes. Hats made from wool, cotton and silk became a popular accessory but Fedora rims and styles in general were much smaller as a rule.

Beatnik Movement Ushers in New Styles

As desperate measures were taken to beat the con-formative style, the 'beatnik' movement took over towards the end of the era and men made a new fashion statement wearing slim trousers without their shirts tucked in. This allowed them to sport a fresh and individual look and as pinstripes and tweeds were slowly introduced by way of pattern, the previous style was given the chance to loosen up a little, making everyone feel more comfortable and to actually enjoy what they were wearing.

In Summary

There wasn’t much wiggle room in the way of menswear during the 50’s. Darker conservative colors were the norm, although the skinny neckties of the time at least provided some interest and those slim vintage neckties are all the rage again. Men would have to wait until the mid 60’s for an explosion of color and exciting new styles.