1950s fashion: from bombshell to rockabilly babe.

There are many things we associate with the 1950s: poodle skirts, greased quiffs, the kind of rock'n'roll music you can't help but twist your hips to. But in 2012 we're pulling inspiration from all corners of the decade, drawing them into a quirky modern mix that's both fashion forwards and fun. From rockabilly androgyny to prom-silhoueted elegance, read on for the full report on how the '50s is being revived.

 

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It’s been bubbling away under the surface for a while. Last year it was swelling up in the appliqué leather jackets, full skirted silhouettes, rockabilly hairstyles and cat-eye glasses. But now it’s become something more. It’s become a dominant, overarching theme of 2012 fashion.
The decade of the 1950′s is one that’s strong on iconographic associations. Think of that era-specific Americana and particular things will likely wash up from some backwater of the brain: giggling girls in poodle skirts, neck scarves and button-up knits; flashy, oversized cars, boys with greased quiffs, the kind of rock’n'roll music you can’t help but tap your foot and twist your hips to. But, like all of this year’s revivals we’re not looking to replicate the cliches like we’re off to a costume party. We’re weaving in the little seeds of inspiration from a number of different styles the era is synonymous with.