Kelly-Anne Kidston
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Men’s 1950s shorts were not a new invention, but they certainly gained mass market appeal starting in 1949. Beach and sport playing were the prime reasons men wore shorts prior to the 1950s. Now, it was all about casual fashion. The most popular style of short was the almost-knee length walk (walking) shorts, known as Bermuda shorts today 😁 They fit like men’s slacks without pleats at the waistband, and hung straight down to an inch or two above the knee cap 😉 They have come in plain colors as well as plaid, seersucker, and stripes in cotton, linen, madras, and even flannel. Some had back belts and most were worn with a contrasting fabric belt.
Following the short-lived Bold Look of the late forties, conformity was the order of the day in post-war America at the start of the fifties. Men that returned from military service were keen to look like good clean-cut Americans to fit in with the ‘establishment.’ Dark office suits in blue, brown, and charcoal were the popular choices and of course, you weren’t properly dressed in the 1950s unless you were wearing a fedora hat. Business attire has always been quite subdued in colourr, but even neckties, the item where men could usually have a little fun, were quite dark and plain in style. (revised by Brittiney Green on January 14, 2020)