1950s Dress Patterns

With each choice of vintage fashion we make available at The Vintage Pattern Shop, the decade we and clothing type we catalogue for you to browse, can help paint a detailed picture of the times each pattern was created in.  The 1950s fashions were heavily influenced by the hard times that preceded them, and its impact has continued to make clear indentations in fashion throughout the decades that followed.  You can browse the pages below for our vintage dress patterns 1950s designers and printers created and produced during this amazing time in the history of fashion.

The 40’s war years had meant there was a decline in the number of fashion houses open to design and circulate new dress styles.  Coco Chanel herself had suggested that the war years ‘was not a time for fashion’.  The influence that movies played when it came to fashion was also no longer the priority, and its persuasive and inspiring abilities concentrated on improving the morale of the troops and people at home.  Of course, all of this meant, that when the world could finally celebrate its release from war, that fashion experienced a liberation all of its own.  The extremely popular Parisian fashion houses resumed, designers flourished, and new 1950s dress patterns emerged.  Famous icons such as Audrey Hepburn, Marylin Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor and Sophia Loren, graced the 1950’s screens, clad with the ever-growing choices now made abundant.

Stylish 1950s Dress Patterns

One of the most significant styles of the 1950s, was by Christian Dior, known as the ‘New Look’.  However, it was clear that rather than creating a brand-new style, he was reviving the feminine, flowing and full-figured styles that had already dominated in the late 19^th century.  The emphasis seemed to be in bringing the world back to pre-war dynamics, with women returning from work to the roles they were seen to traditionally play at home.  To this end, the 1950s dress patterns played a major role, and perhaps none more so than the humble, yet surprisingly glamourous 1950s house dress pattern.  In today’s world, wearing a dress to clean your home, or cook the dinner may seem strange, and be more of a fun indulgence.  However, in the early 1950s it was commonplace.

Throughout the collection of 1950s dress patterns, UK customers can purchase, you will see how the hourglass figure and shape features heavily on a lot of the 1950s Vintage dress patterns available below.  This look consisted of small sloped shoulders, accentuated pointed breasts, a clinched waist, and voluptuous hips emphasised by a thick and full skirt.

Coco Chanel also resumed her design of dresses in the 1950s.  Totally unimpressed with the extravagant styles that she deemed impractical, she created boxier slim clothing that was paired with a short squarer cardigan.  Givenchy is another iconic designer prevalent in this fashion period.

Other styles such as the Wiggle dress, the Poodle Skirt, and the side roused dresses and boleros from the Tiki craze, can be found scattered throughout our 1950s Vintage Dress Patterns. 1950s UK vintage dresses provide you with all of style and glamour associated with this decade.