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Until the 50s, young people dressed the same as their parents. Following the constraints of the war, the shops were full of consumer goods and the teenagers, influenced by the music scene and film stars were buying.
Fashionable girls were either 'preppie' types or the more rebellious 'Teddy girl'.
A 'Preppie' was very neat and tidy. They wore full circle skirts. Netted skirts were worn underneath to show the full effect of the skirt and to emphasis the waist. Shirts with a 3/4 length sleeve, tight fitting polo necks, cardigans and a scarf tied a the neck finished the look.
Teddy Girls wore a lot of make up. They preferred close fitted black sweaters, calf length skirt, or toreador pants or circle skirts with low cut tops. Teddy girls tended to wear their hair in a ponytail.
1950s fancy dress suggestions:
Rizzo from Grease
Sandy from Grease
Marilyn Monroe
Doris Day
Teddy Girl
1960s Costume
Although we all tend to think of the 60s as the decade of the mini, the short style dress was not nationwide until 1967. Until then the 50s influenced many styles.
Mary Quant was very influential, her dresses were often designed to be 6 - 7 inches above the knee. Her use of PVC and other adventurous fabrics became very popular. Mary Quant also influenced the chic bob, although a flick up look was also very fashionable.
Mini dresses made tights popular. It was hard to wear such a short dress and feel comfortable whilst wearing stockings. These tights were also seamless. No lady would wear a short dress with bare legs showing. Fishnet tights were popular for a short time
Flat boots became the norm to wear with the mini dress.
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The popular hairstyle was a beehive, where they tease the hair and pile it high on the head. Another look during this time was the beatnik. The beatnik look included black berets, black slacks (tight for women) and dark glasses
Clothes were quite narrow at the shoulder, many had armholes cut away so that the shoulder and the entire arm were visible.
Baby Doll dress were popular in 1966 and were made in many floaty fabric such as chiffon.
Trousers were worn, when a mini dress was not appropriate. These were hipster style and flares begun to appear towards the end of the decade.
Fashion was also influenced by 'flower power' and flowers and fringe were everywhere, along with long flowing locks. The women wore long floor length dresses and skirts called maxies.
1960s fancy dress suggestions:
Mary Quant
Hippy Lady
Mini Dresses
Elizabeth Taylor (Cleopatra 1962)
Cher
Twiggy
Julie Andrews (Sound Of Music 1965)
Mary Poppins (1966)
Jeannie (from 'I Dream of Genie'
Star Trek
Lady Penelope
Catwoman
Bunny Girl
Cruella de Vil (1962)
Eliza Dolittle (1964 My Fair Lady)
1970s Costume
The fashions of the 1970s are varied from hot pants to full length skirts.
Glamorous halter neck jumpsuits and full length skirts as well as A line style dresses were popular for evening wear. They would often use sequinned or glitzy material. Hot pants would be found at trendy discos.
The flower power influence continued from the 60s .
A peasant fashion for eyelets with lacing, oversized ric rac braid with false bib parts of blouses became universal. Blouse sometimes had bell sleeves, which could be left open at the sides (angel sleeves).
Afgan coats and cheesecloth blouses began to be seen, although they did smell if they got wet!
Trouser flares got larger as the decade progressed towards 1975, they gradually became smaller, until being almost straight by 1980.
By the mid 70s, most ordinary people were wearing 2" platform shoes and ladies had taken to wearing pop socks.
We can't leave the 70s without mentioning the punk movement that begun in the mid 1970s. It all begun as a revolt against fashion, although bizarrely became a fashion in its own right.
1970s fancy dress suggestions:
Grease
Star Wars
ABBA
Kate Bush
3 Degrees
1980s Costume
The 80s was the era for 'power dressing'. Ladies wore tailored suits with large shoulder pads. The hair was as big as the shoulder pads with bows to match. Cocktail dresses were worn with sequins, bows and lace 'dressing up' to make a statement was in .
However not all the styles were going to be remembered for being radical. The shell suit must go down in history as one of the worst fashion trends we have ever seen! The puff ball skirt and ra-ra's all put in a first appearance
New Romanticism was manufactured in the London nightclub scene in the early 1980s. The more creative people looked for new ideas to draw attention to themselves. The flamboyant, colourful dramatic look used frills and luscious fabrics associated with historical periods. In contrast to punks the wearers made an effort to look flamboyant in an attractive and beautiful way
'Fame' inspired many to wear leggings, leg warmers and tops that fell off the shoulder. People started to realise that clothes designed for the gym were actually comfortable for normal use too.
1980s fancy dress suggestions:
Madonna
Fame
Banarama
Wonder Woman
Cyndi Lauper
Tina Turner
Toyah Wilcox
'Allo 'Allo
Ra Ra Skirts
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1950s Costume
Rebellious young men were also split into two main camps, the greasers and the Teddy Boys.
Greasers (as seen in Grease 1978) wore leather jackets, white tee-shirts and jeans. A greaser's hair was slicked back and their main influence was Marlon Brando as in the film The Wild One (1953).
Teddy Boys wore the "Drape" a long knee length, single breasted wool jacket with narrow contrasting lapels and cuffs either of velvet or satin and plenty of pockets. They wore contrast or matching narrow drainpipe trousers, brocade waistcoats, stiff shirts and shoestring ties or bootlace slim Jim ties topped off with suede shoes. Teds also wore crepe soled shoes which helped with the dance movements of rock n roll jiving.
Conventional teenagers would favour the smart suit with a narrow tie.
1950s fancy dress suggestion:
Danny (from Grease)
Bill Hayley
Elvis
James Dean
Marlon Brando
Buddy Holly
Teddy Boy
1960s Costume
Mens fashion was influenced by the pop stars of the day. The Beatles wore smart suits with a small collar. The suit had a single breasted collarless jacket and slim pants.
Men wore Paisley shirts, velvet trousers and high collared Regency jackets. Men also began to wear their hair long
The beatnik look was popular with men as with women. Black berets, black slacks and dark glasses wore worn. Men wore sandals.
The 'hippy' look begun to develop towards the end of the decade. Mens hair got longer moustaches and sideburns were popular.
1960s fancy dress suggestions:
Beatles
Elvis
Hippy
Jimi Hendrix
Sonny
Booby Vee
The Krays
Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid (1969)
Peter O'Toole (Lawrence of Arabia 1962)
Dick Van Dyck (Mary Poppins 1962)
Austin Powers
Teddy Boy
Thunderbirds
Star Trek
England Footballer
Batman & Robin
James Bond
Lawrence of Arabia
Pink Panther
1970s Costume
Men's ties broadened and became more colourful, as did dress shirt collars and suit jacket lapels.
In the era of 'glam rock' the brave would wear close fitting jumpsuits with massive platforms.
Mens hair was varied from tight afros, to long feathered looks, moustaches and sideburns were the thing to have.
Trousers were tight fitting with huge flares. Waistcoats were in, worn with a shirt underneath.
Punks appeared from the mid 1970s, right through to the 80s. A fashion directed as an anti-establishment statement. Clothes were ripped and held together with safety pins. Doctor Martens footwear became for rage for both men and women.
1970s fancy dress suggestions:
Elton John
David Bowie
Grease
Star Wars
ABBA
Bay City Rollers
Bee Gees
Kiss
Marc Bolan
Rod Stewart
Stevie Wonder
Slade
Sid Vicous
Punk
Glam Rock
1980s Costume
White Socks and two tone suits, the trouser hem stopping just above the ankle, so you could see the socks. The trendy way to wear your jacket was to roll the sleeves up.
Mens hairstyles ranged wildly from the asymmetric New Romantics to the shaggy mullet.
Parachute pants became the range endorsed and exaggerated by MC Hammer
Acid washed jeans were worn by both men and ladies alike, you had to have the matching jacket too.
Polo shirts were very popular for a smart casual look.
With the rise of the New Romantics, men started to wear make up with and ear rings (left ear only). Braids and bows were often used to tie hair back. The new romantic style was based on 'dandified' regency, which later adapted to a swashbuckling pirate look.
1980s fancy dress suggestions:
Adam And The Ants
Spandau Ballet
Duran Duran
David Bowie
Bryan Ferry
Boy George
Freddie Mercury
Miami Vice
Nightmare on Elm Street
Friday 13th
Stars Wars (Empire Strikes Back)
Blues Brothers
Dexy's Midnight Runners
Ozzie Osbourne
Madness
Village People
Top Gun
US Naval Uniform (Officer & A Gentleman - 1982)
Indiana Jones
Rambo
'Allo 'Allo
Beetlejuice
Blackadder
He-man
New Romantic
Punk
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