Women’s 50s Fashion: Vintage 1950s Housewife Dresses
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1950s Housewife dresses, including 1950s housewife fashion and 1950s housewives in Old Hollywood.
This post is all about the 1950s housewife, including the most popular 50s dresses styles, and the iconic house dress.
The iconic 1950s housewife.
Imitated by movies like the The Stepford Wives and Don’t Worry, Darling, the 50s housewife aesthetic today has become an image of artificial perfection.
Of course they weren’t perfect, and also, not every women returned home to work after WWII, a percentage of married women still remained in the workforce, higher than anytime in history.
Enough history, let’s dig deeper and explore some of the fashion of the 50s housewife.
What did she really wear at home?
Did she always wear heels, even when vacuuming?
And what about lingerie--did she wear one of those crazy pointy bullet bras... and seamed nylons too?
Today we answer all of these fascinating questions as we step back in time to discuss the iconic and timeless fashion of the 50s housewife.
1950s Dresses, 50s Dresses | 1950s Style Dresses | Vintage fashion
For starters, what did women in general wear in the 1950s?
In the 1950s, there were two distinctive feminine dress style silhouettes that reigned supreme.
The most popular day dress style was a flowy swing-style dress.
This dress had a fitted bodice, defined waist, and full skirts.
What length skirt was popular? Mid-calf.
The second popular 1950s dress style was the opposite of full and flouncy and was instead slender and willowy.
It was called a pencil dress or a wiggle dress.
In keeping with true 1950s class, the correct 1950s version would be snug, but not too body hugging--think Marilyn Monroe vs. Kim Kardashian.
Depending on the detailing (like halter neck, boat neck, or bodice buttons) or the fabric type (was it a fun polkadot pattern or whimsical cherries), these 50s dress styles were respectively called the swing dress, the button-down shirtwaist dress, the peasant dress, the sheath dress, the coat dress, the wrap dress etc etc.... and of course, since they were adopted by women to do their housework, the 50s housewife dress.
Above, Dior’s New Look in the late 1940s defined women’s fashion trends in the 1950s.
For more on women’s fashion in the 1950s:
Goodbye Rosie the Riveter and hello 50s housewife
After World War II ended, the women who had flooded to the workforce (over 62% of married women), were now called back home.
By the time 1950 rolled around, the number of women working outside the home dropped to around 1 in 5 from almost over 1 in 2 during the war.
(Not all women returned home though, some decided they enjoyed having a job outside the home.)
Glamorizing and Promoting the Homemaker Role
After the war was over, the government now decided it was the patriotic duty for women to return home.
It was goodbye Rosie the Riveter and hello 50s housewife.
This message echoed loud and clear from the television, political campaigns, and even the local preacher.
The timing for Dior’s New Look launching at almost the end of the 1940s (1947) which celebrated ultra-femininity and glam in women’s fashion couldn’t have come at a more opportune time.
Dior’s New Look emphasized small waists and the hourglass figure was front and center.
Getting glammed up and taking special care for her appearance, including hair, makeup, and wardrobe for a 1950s housewife was part of the excitement and thrill of being a homemaker in the 1950s.
1950s Housewife Fashion
How would you describe popular house outfits for women today?
One word: comfy.
Think of the hugely popular yoga pants and leggings trends.
How would you describe the 1950s housewife? Chic and feminine.
Also, comfy for them back in the day, their house dresses were simpler then their going out dresses.
The 1950s dress that has become the iconic 1950s housewife dress is the button-down shirtwaist style dress.
These simple dresses would have a modest high neckline, fitted bodice, defined waist, and circle skirt.
It came in fun and colorful prints like polka dots, stripes, plaids, ginghams, and gorgeous florals.
Notice the influence of Dior’s New Look which popularized feminine rounded shoulders, a defined waist, and very full skirt.
Easy to wash fabrics like cotton made these fun and gorgeous patterns also practical.
Popular details for these dresses included white collars and cuffs, as well as buttons from the neck to the waist (hence the shirt dress name).
Need to glam up the look a bit for a date night at the cinema?
Simply throw on your petticoat for some extra swoonworthy swish and opulence.
Of course top off the house dress with some pin curls and red lipstick to create the full '50s aesthetic.
1950s Housewife dresses in Old Hollywood
A great place to find the 50s housewife aesthetic is in Old Hollywood.
Housewives portrayed in Old Hollywood movies are usually always decked out in their housewife dresses.
Or, more often, if the character is wealthy enough, it’s usually the maid wearing the housewife dress while the star is wearing a more glam 1950s style dress.
1950s Housewife dresses in I Love Lucy
“Once in his life, every man is entitled to fall madly in love with a gorgeous redhead.” -- Lucille Ball
You only need to look to one of the most popular shows in America in the 1950s, I Love Lucy, for some of the best 50s housewife dress inspiration.
Notice the modest necklines, fitted bodices (with nipped waist detailing), and full skirt styles.
Does the day ahead require some scrubbing?
Well, just pop on a 50s apron to protect the dress.
1950s Housewife Dresses in The Big Heat (1953)
Above, in the classic film noir 1953 film, the Big Heat, Glenn Ford is a tough detective determined to nail the mob, no matter the risk.
The cozy glimpses of his wife prepping dinner in chic 50s housewife dresses are timeless.
Notice her shirtwaist style dress with the practical modest neckline and the apron she uses to protect her dress while cooking.
1950s Housewife Must-Have Accessories: 1950s Vintage Apron
Being a 1950s housewife was hard and often dirty!
This was before a lot of modern inventions (like the roomba) were available.
The answer?
The vintage apron!
This pretty and practical fashion was not only stylish, but it protected that fashionable housedress from getting nasties on it.
Plus the apron ensured a 1950s housewife always looked pulled together and chic, no matter what, whether dashing to the door to greet visitors, or loaning the neighbor the cup of sugar across the white picket fence.
1950s ladies adored their aprons and would have an entire drawer full.
These were essentials.
You know, one for each of their different chores, holidays (Christmas vs Easter!), and seasons.
How about a pink one with white lace to match the vintage floral dress and a polkdot apron to match the blue dress?
Newspapers and Ladies Journals were full of easy instructions for making aprons, and there were tons of patterns for sale on how to design fancy ones!
To match your dress or not, that was the question...
“My idea of a superwoman is someone who scrubs her own floors.”
1950s Housewife Must-Have Essentials (Under the dress)
Remember that the feminine hourglass figure reigned supreme in the 1950s.
Ladies enlisted the help of a few essentials each day to achieve the desired look.
1950s Lingerie: 1950s ad for the bullet bra (left) 1950s girdle (center) 1950s seamed stockings (right)
1950s Housewife Bullet Bra or Full Coverage Pointed Bra
This bullet bra was a 1950s lingerie essential that provided support for the “the ladies” and accentuated the bust.
The full coverage bra was practical and comfy (supposedly!).
It allowed a 50s housewife to still move freely about while she tackled her day’s housework. ...and her curves checked the box for hourglass fabulous!
To learn more about the 1950s bullet bra:
Vintage 1950s Bullet Bras - Behind the Bizarre Trend
1950s Housewife Girdle
Long before Spanx ruled supreme (and was the modern ‘secret’ weapon on the red carpet), the nifty 50s housewifes embraced shape wear.
It was both sexy and fashionable and functional--allowing ease of movement and bolstering the desired hourglass silhouette.
1950s Housewife Nylons (Stockings) and Garters
Sleek nylons, often with a sexy seam, were also all the rage in the 1950s.
During World War II stockings virtually disappeared from stores since silk and nylon were needed to make parachutes and rope, but after the war ended, nylons came back with a vengeance.
1950s nylons were available in sheers, from very sheer to more durable varieties.
The vintage nylon styles were held up by garter belts or girdles.
The 50s housewife could select a practical durable nylon option for the day and then for going out in the evening, it was popular to choose stockings to match her dress!
Think pastel shades to match floral gowns or sheer black for her little black dress.
1950s Housewife Shoes (Cleaning in high heels?)
Even though the 50s fashion ads, Hollywood and television loved to show busy houswives at home almost always wearing heels (as this was the most proper footwear), yet in reality fashion was more practical.
We say almost always, because you can see Lucille Ball rocking some fabulous ballet slippers with her 50s housewife dress.
Popular shoes for the 50s housewife included cute and feminine slippers, ballet flats, and sandals.
These were the perfect solution for tackling any and all domestic duties.
Heels on and the full on Old Hollywood glam à la 50s housewife is back.
When a 50s Housewife Wore the 1950s Petticoat
When the 1950s housewife wanted a bit of extra glam to go to the movies or on a date night, she turned to her favorite lingerie item--the 1950s petticoat.
Say hello to the full swing silhouette, since the petticoat who hold out the skirt at full mast, so to say.
This petticoat was typically used for extra glamming up when going out or social events, but it wasn’t something a housewife would wear at home all day.
This post was all about the 1950s housewife, including the most popular 50s dresses styles, and the iconic house dress.
Now that you’re an expert on 1950s housewife fashion, which house dress style is your favorite?
Would you pair it with cute practical flats or opt for glam retro pumps?
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