1950s Women's Pants Outfits - 7 Chic Vintage Styles
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Pants styles in the 1950s, and 7 chic 1950s womens pants outfits worn by 1950s fashion icons like Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, and Grace Kelly.
This post is all about inspiring 1950s womens pants outfits
The 1950s was an exciting time for women's pants outfits.
After pants had finally become accepted as appropriate for women to wear in the 1940s, by the 1950s, designers started getting creative and providing different styles of pants in the 50s.
Instead of the limited styles available in the 40’s, 1950s fashion brought in new designs that emphasized the feminine silhouette.
Women's fashion in the 1950s
Women's fashion in the 1950s was influenced by Dior's New Look in the late 1940s.
After the second world war, Christian Dior came out with a new style with a nipped-in waist that emphasized the hourglass silhouette.
This hourglass shape is one of the most recognizable attributes of 1950s fashion, especially 1950s dresses.
1950s dresses would achieve the silhouette with a nipped-in waist and voluminous skirts.
Other popular styles included the pencil skirt, pencil dresses, and the poodle skirt.
Women’s pants outfits were also influenced by this trend, with high-waisted styles and belts emphasizing the waist.
Women's 1950s pants styles
By the 1950s, women had a lot more options of pants styles to choose from than previous decades.
The pants styles were also more feminine, and always emphasized the waist.
Popular 1950s pants styles included capris or “pedal-pushers,” denim jeans, cigarette pants, and trousers.
1950s capri pants or “pedal-pusher” pants
“Pedal-pushers” were the slang name for capri pants in the 1950s.
The were called pedal-pushers, because it was easier to ride a bike in them.
The slightly cropped style made it easier to ride a bike as it removed the lower leg of the pant which could get caught in the chain.
These pants usually hit the calf or right below the knee and were popular with young women and teenage girls.
In the 1950s, these were also high-waisted pants.
1950s capris pants from the Sears catalog
Cigarette pants
Cigarette pants also also known as stovepipe pants or drainpipe pants.
Basically with these pants, the cut is looser around the hips and is narrower at the bottom, hence the descriptive names.
The length is usually ankle length or a little higher.
50s style cigarette pants would sit at the natural waist for the most feminine shape.
1950s cigarette style pants from the Sears catalog
Denim jeans aka “denim dungarees”
Pretty self-explanatory, but yes, women had jeans in the 1950s.
Although they didn't have nearly the variety that we have today, and skinny jeans were unheard of.
Women's jeans in the 1950s had a high waist, and were looser around the hip and thighs.
They often wore the ankles cuffed, giving them a more casual look.
Levis still sells a replica of their high-waisted jeans they sold in the 50s, called the 1950s jean.
1950s sears catalog advertising 1950s “dungarees” or jeans
Trousers
Full-length trousers were still worn in the 1950s.
These were high-waisted, full-length and resembled the women's trousers that were popular during the 1940s.
1950s womens pants outfits
While dresses might be what come to mind when you think about 1950s fashion, women's pants in the 1950s were also popular.
Pants outfits were popular as a more casual look than a dress, similar to today.
Fashion icons of the 1950s like Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, Lucille Ball, Marilyn Monroe, Brigitte Bardot, and Elizabeth Taylor showed that timeless elegance could be achieved with pants just as equally as dresses.
We pulled together 7 50’s pants outfits worn by fashion icons for inspiration.
A theme you'll notice throughout the outfits is pants with a high waist with tucked-in blouses.
Accessorizes included cute shoes, scarves, jewelry, and of course, belts, to help provide that hourglass silhouette.
Popular accessories for 50s pants outfits include:
Shoes to give that vintage look including ballet flats, saddle shoes, or even high heels.
A scarf can be used to provide an accent around the neck, or even to carry like Grace Kelly in High Society
Jewelry, of course, helps dress up any pants outfit and make it look more glam
Belts were popular as they emphasize the waist and help accent the hourglass silhouette that was so popular in the 50s
1950s Women's Pants Outfit #1: Plaid cigarette pants are a classic
For our first 1950s womens pants outfit, a chic vintage look that is still chic today, take inspiration from Marilyn Monroe and Lucille Ball.
Lucille Ball (right) wears a classic style of plaid cigarette style pants, with a tucked in blouse and a pair of ballet flats on the I Love Lucy show.
Marilyn Monroe (left) wears plaid cigarette pants with a white knit tee for a casual, yet chic look.
The key to both looks?
The slighlty cropped pedal pusher style pants, combined with a tucked in-blouse and ballet flats.
The pants should also be high waisted to really get the 50s look.
Remember the 50s was all about emphasizing the hourglass figure, this applied to pants as well as dresses.
1950s Women's Pants Outfit #2: Cigarette pants with tucked-in blouse and scarf
Our next outfit is inspired by the curvy Old Hollywood star Ava Gardner.
Ava Gardner (both images above) wears a classic 1950s womens pants outfit in the movie Mogambo opposite Grace Kelly.
She pairs a pair a gray cigarette style pants with a tucked in knitwear top.
She then emphasizes the waist further with a belt, and add a neck scarf, bracelet and earrings.
Another variation she wears later in the film is to swap out the knitwear top for a button-up top.
The high waist, large belt, and neck scarf remain though.
For more on the 1950s fashion in Mogambo:
Ava Gardner Mogambo | Grace Kelly Mogambo - 14 Epic Safari Outfits
1950s Women's Pants Outfit #3: The white blouse is a classic for a reason
Old Hollywood stars and vintage fashion icons Diana Dors and Audrey Hepburn provided the inspiration for this outfit, although white blouse and pants combos are easy to come by, as they are a classic for a reason.
The classic white blouse makes an appearance her in this 50's outfit worn by Diana Dors. (right)
Again, a pair of high waisted cigarette style pants are key here, with a white blouse tucked in at the waist.
A large belt emphasizes the waist and a pair of large earrings add some glam.
She goes casual with her footwear, choosing sandals, but you could also add ballet flats like Audrey Hepburn or even a classic pair of loafers.
Audrey Hepburn (left) pairs a white blouse with pants for a wardrobe test for Sabrina.
For more on Audrey Hepburn’s fashion in Sabrina:
Audrey Hepburn Sabrina Dress - Your Guide to Insanely Chic Fashion
1950s Women's Pants Outfit #4: Pair trousers with a belt and tucked-in blouse
Timeless fashion icon Grace Kelly provides the inspiration for the following trousers outfits.
Grace Kelly pulls off a classy trousers look in the movies High Society and Green Fire.
She pairs high waisted trousers with a shirt in a similar color, and belts it at the waist with a belt that is also in the same color family. (left image)
We love this monochromatic color pairing which is really effortless and pulls the look together.
In Green Fire, she again wears high waisted brown trousers, but this topped with a black belt and black shirt. (right image)
1950s Women's Pants Outfit #5: Classic blue jeans with rolled cuffs
Fashion icons Marilyn Monroe and Grace Kelly are the inspiration for the following outfit.
Grace Kelly pulls off the perfect casual denim look in the movie Rear Window. (right image)
She tucks in a simple red cotton button-up blouse into a pair of high waisted jeans, cuffed to right below the knee, combined with a pair of loafers.
Simple, casual, and done.
Marilyn Monroe pairs her blue jeans with a fitted knitted top, and some saddle shoes. (left)
She also cuffs her jeans around the calf.
Both styles still look so pulled together, showing that simple can still be chic.
Other posts you might like:
1950s Women's Pants Outfit #6: Try a monochromatic capris outfit
Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly show us how chic a simple all black capris and top outfit can be.
Both fashion icons were known for their simple, chic outfits, and these outfits were no exception!
In To Catch a Thief, Grace Kelly wears capris with a white skirt over the top. (right)
As she was about to go swimming, she pairs it with a pair of espadrilles.
Audrey Hepburn wears a pair of black capri pants with a black top for Sabrina. (left)
She pairs her outfit with ballet flats instead of espadrilles for an ultra chic look.
Ballet flats with a touch of heel and some hoop earrings are the only accessories needed.
To learn more about Grace Kelly and her espadrilles outfits:
Grace Kelly Espadrilles - 5 Classy Ways to Wear the Classic Shoe
1950s Women's Pants Outfit #7: Tied blouses are casual and chic
The gorgeous Elizabeth Taylor shows us how to show a little skin with these chic and colorful 50s pants outfits.
Don't like the feeling of a tucked in blouse?
Try tying your blouse up instead like 1950s fashion icon Elizabeth Taylor.
Tying your blouse up also emphasizes the waist, similar to tucking it in, but with a more casual look.
Elizabeth Taylor pairs a green top tied at the waist with a pair of white cigarette pants.
She does a similar look, this time, with a yellow blouse and white pants.
We love the casual, yet chic vibes of this outfit.
The post was all about 1950s womens pants outfits and vintage style inspiration.
What style of 1950s pants are your favorite?
Do you like capris, cigarette pants, or trousers?
Other posts you might like:
1950s Fashion: Vintage Coats and Jackets for Women
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