The Novelty of the 1950's

The 1950's, as many of you already know, is my absolute favourite fashion era. It was a decade awash with imaginative, creative prints and surfaces adorned with beading and embroidery, not limited to evening wear but also popular with daywear fashion.

It was in stark contrast to the drab and constrained 1940s, a real celebration of all that was new, stylised and modern. America was the instigator of the explosion of prints being used for dresses, circle skirts and blouses.

Circle skirts were one of the first items that came to the fore of 50s novelty prints - not least influenced by the wonderful Doris Day!

The most popular graphic prints incorporated cowboy and western paraphernalia, animals (most often poodles), furniture, playing cards, tickets, postcards and text. There were also the iconic atom prints - starbursts, atomic patterns, rockets and all things space age and futuristic.

We have had a wonderful array of novelty print 1950's vintage clothing at My Vintage over the years but just recently this Mexican inspired novelty print dress came into stock and has fast become one of my absolute favourites...

It is of course, a classic 1950's shape with a cinched waist and full skirt. I simply adore it's magical whimsical print of various cacti and plant pots in cerise pink, finished with bold blue striping.

So much of the 1950's clothing that I find on my travels is quirky and unusual, the real epitome of kitsch. Maybe tat is why I love it so much, as I truly am a quirky girl at heart :)

I'd love to see your favourite bit of novelty 1950's clothing, tweet me or link me in the comments below.

Over and out!
Em
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