The 4th Annual Doo Wop in the Desert is just around the corner… this Saturday, to be exact. One of the biggest concerns of people writing in is what to wear!?!
Many of The Coachella Valley Art Scene readers did not have the opportunity to live through the Golden Years, so it’s a bit more of a challenge to know what to go for the night of.
With a little help from the Internet, fashion blogs, and magazines we have compiled an Outfit Inspiration Guide to the Doo Wop for all of our readers/party-goers. Make sure to look at the photos and read the text to get a better understand of not just what they wore in the 1950’s, but why.
Also, make sure to scroll all the way down to get a hand-selected recommendation list of retail shops around town to purchase these types of clothing/accessory items. Some shops we chose are more high end vintage while the others are literally thrift shops, you pick what your price range is.
Hope this helps!
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Look #1:
“Tea Time”
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How to achieve the look:
Pencil skirt: The pencil skirt dress, opposite to the swing, was equally popular in the 1950. More formal than the swing skirt, the pencil skirt and dress fitted tightly at the waist and all the way down the legs to the woman’s ankles, defining her curves. Pencil skirts were worn to work, fancy outings and other formal occasions.
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Look #2:
“Cocktail Time”
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How to Achieve the LookWomen’s evening wear in the 1950s was graceful and feminine. New styles emphasized the female figure. Dresses in the 1950s were simple and elegant, but used lots of fabric.
Shorter Cockatil Dress: Some women opted for the shorter cocktail dress, which featured more leg but often a higher neckline. Although simpler than the full gowns of the 1950s, they were evening attire and never worn before 6 p.m. These dresses were often of silk, lace, tulle, chiffon or satin. The popular trapeze dress came from this look, with a high bust and an A-line silhouette.
Longer Cocktail Dress: Though full skirts were very popular in the 1950s, not all evening gowns were dominated by the petticoat look. Long, sleek lines were also in style. These dresses were often made of silk or satin and were sometimes reminiscent of night gowns. They were floor length, fitted at the waist and sometimes long-sleeved. They were classy, mature dresses that were still considered sexy for their form-fitting design.
Color: Black was the dominant color for ladies’ formal attire in the 1950s. Women often wore black tops with colored skirts in the evenings. Audrey Hepburn helped to popularize the “little black dress” with pearls and a wide brimmed hat.
Look #3:
“She Rebel”
(photo taken of Cynthia at last year’s Doo Wop)
How to Achieve the Look
The Accessories
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The Look:
“Tee Time”
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How to Achieve the Look
Men’s casual styles in the 1950s frequently featured several pieces, including khakis, vests and casual shorts with slip-on shoes. The casual look in this decade also was inspired by television programs.
Shirts: Men’s casual shirts in the 1950s took a plaid turn. Pink was a popular color for men in this era, and plaid often included pink and blue; multi-colored shirts featured yellow and black. Men often wore shirts untucked with the tail out.
Pants: Khakis were a fashion staple in 1950s casual men’s wear. Men wore them around the house after work hours and on the weekends. The 1950s khaki pant had a plain front, heavy zipper fly and was cut with a slightly tapered leg.
Shoes: The slip-on shoe was the style of choice in casual footwear for men. Slip-ons were dressy enough to wear to work, but comfortable enough to wear around the house.
Sweaters: Sweaters were popular casual wear in the 1950s. The cardigan sweater and wool flannel pants offered a clothing option for leisure attire. Men wore loafer-style shoes for casual dress. – as seen on ehow.com
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The Look:
“Cocktail Time”
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How to Achieve the Look
The appropriate attire for a cocktail party during 1950s, for men became slim pants in silk or rayon with custom-made jackets. Ascot accessories cotton or silk shirts with slender ties were accepted as cocktail attire dress code.
The Suit: Businessmen in the 1950’s wore suits. Single-breasted suit coats, white dress shirts, and conservative ties.
The Shoes: Wing-tipped dress shoes were the norm.
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The Look:
“Rebel w/o A Cause”
(taken at last year’s Doo Wop in the Desert)
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Place$ to Purcha$e
Stores we recommend around town.
644 N Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA
66511 Pierson Blvd. Desert Hot Springs, CA
66169 Pierson Blvd. Desert Hot Springs, CA
73717 Hwy 111 Palm Desert, CA
611 South Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA
68401 Highway 111 Cathedral City, CA
1644 University Ave. San Diego, CA
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Looking forward to seeing you there!…..
Info/RSVP here: https://www.facebook.com/events/439800916092010/
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