Vintage 1950 Wedding Dresses

Vintage 1950s

Wedding

Wedding Dresses

Coming out of the 1940s women were looking too high fashion designers and their Hollywood models for fashion inspiration. The 1950s vintage wedding dress was no different.

EARLY 1950s WEDDING GOWNS

        The sweetheart neckline, small waist, and full skirt was the classic wedding gown silhouette. Early 50s fabrics favored a structure that easily molded the torso and shaped the hips down to the floor. Ribbed silks and Duchesse satins were smooth and shiny. Lace was used on both the top only or full dress fabric infused with gold or silver thread. Handmade lace was very soft and expensive but new cotton or polyester-cotton machine-made lace was affordable. Lace was often used.

MID 50s WEDDING DRESSES

        Mid 50s wedding gowns were practical. Modesty was required in churches.  But in the area of reception gowns, brides wanted something modern and fashionable. Wedding dress designers solved this dilemma with removable layers. Most bridal gowns were now strapless but also had a matching bolero jacket with three-quarter length sleeves that were worn at the ceremony. Jackets could be solid silk or satin but more often were white lace, tightly fitted with a sleeve, short, three-quarter or long. 

LATE 1950s WEDDING DRESSES

        Mid to late 50s dresses softened up the shape into the round ball gown and used chiffon and tulle to make them lighter as well.  Hemlines rose up, up, and up to the tea length (ankle) or mid-calf, exposing footwear for the first time since the ’20s. The bodice styles simplified and short sleeves were preferred.

 

TYPES OF WEDDING DRESS NECKLINES:

        Wedding dress skirts of the 50s had little variety but the necklines embraced nearly every shape imaginable. Here are12 necklines popular during most of the 50s

·      Bateau – cut straight across the collarbone in front and equally in the back with a one inch gap at the shoulders.

·      Fichu- A frilled fichu gathered into a point at the breasts. Sometimes a brooch or flower was placed at the point

·      Halter- Thick straps gather from the side of the breast up and around the back of the neck.

·      Horseshoe- U shaped halter that loops under the bust line.

·      Jewel – Simple round neckline, perfect for showing off jewelry

·      Off the shoulder- A boat neckline that falls just slightly off the shoulder with short sleeves

·      Portrait – A collar that frames the neck and shoulders

·      Queen Anne – A high back and neck that curves down into a sweetheart front. Very regal.

·      Scoop neck- A wide and low U shaped neckline

·      Square neck- Straight sides and bust line, no cleavage

·      Strapless – A supported (boned) top with a straight bust line often paired with a bolero or crop jacket

·      Sweetheart – A center point between breast bowls out over the breasts and straight up the sides. A sheer lace, chiffon or net illusion panel may be added for modesty.

·      V- neck – Wide or narrow V opening from neck to bust or neck to low back. Sometimes with a peel out collar.

        Overall, brides were encouraged to dress like the Hollywood stars in the most expensive gown they could afford. Thanks to manufacturing improvements, wedding dresses were now being offered “off the rack” with cheaper synthetic materials that looked as expensive as the real thing. Every bride could afford a wedding dress of their dreams including accessories and live happily ever after… or so they say.