1950s Sweaters for Fall

My apologies if I am being redundant in repeating my excitement and love of the trends and styles that are "in" this year... and obviously directly inspired by the 1950s. Lovely retro styles seem to come back with a vengeance every autumn. Two years ago it was all about 1930s fashions, which were greatly influenced by the economy. We returned to more conservative, classic styles due to the focus on frugality and the desire to make things last.

I'm not sure we're out of that period of economic recession yet, but apparently fashion is taking a step forward and drawing inspiration from one of the most prosperous and iconic American decades in the past century.

The 1950s were relatively peaceful after the sorrow and destruction that had been World War II. The troops were back, weddings and babies abounded and the "perfect American family" was living in harmony in the suburbs. The fashions of the day reflected this. Many women were able to leave the workplace at the end of the war and returned to more domesticated lifestyles. Thus, styles reflected a breezy, feminine look, and the stereotyped image of a "housewife" was born (come on, let's admit that those ruffle-y aprons are the first thing that come to mind at that word ;). The rest, as they say, is history.

One clothing item that become extremely popular in the 50s, especially among teenage girls and young women, were sweaters. They went with almost everything, from sunny playsuits to sweet sixteen prom gowns. Sweaters were a staple in a women's wardrobe, and remain so today.

I don't know about you, but I love sweaters, in all sorts of colors and styles. They are so versatile - and comfy. And I think that these photos from a recent VOGUE editorial are just lovely. Obviously, the setting is the 1950s, and the casual glamour of these vintage sweater designs (whether worn as the top itself or as an additional layer) is just breathtaking.

One note, though: sweaters are soft and drape-y and it's important to get the correct fit so that you look classy and not provocative. Think about what goes underneath, whether it's another blouse or just foundation garments, and make sure everything is smooth, and not too tight. For example, some of the looks in this photo spread were just a wee bit more, um, "shapely" than necessary (although it may be due in part to the way the model is styled). It's always important to remember to look like a lady. :)

Anyway, I hope that you'll have a nice sweater-y fall, and consider working the 1950s style into your look. (Be sure to be tasteful - don't overdo it!) And I promise that I'm done talking about the 50s (for now ;).

There's one more day to enter the Flexi-8 giveaway so be sure to do so! We've also got another (sweet smelling) giveaway coming up later this week! (I'm having so much fun with all of these giveaways - I hope you're enjoying them as much as I am! :)

God bless you all. Thanks for reading!


Images: Lara Stone photographed by Mert and Marcus for VOGUE - via My Modern Met