History of Fashion
Woman's Dress from 1949
This is a shirtwaist design that was popular in the 1950s and for much of the 1960s.
Claire McCardell.Woman's Dress from 1949
Claire McCardell.
Claire McCardell.
Woman's Dress from 1949
This is a shirtwaist design that was popular in the 1950s and for much of the 1960s.
Claire McCardell.Fashion today is quite different from that of the early and mid-twentieth century.
Take a look at the dress pictured to the right. It is a shirtwaist design that was popular in the 1950s and for much of the 1960s.
Designed by Claire McCardell, the dress has black buttons from neck to hem, long sleeves, a small collar, and is gathered at the waist with a broad black belt with a gold buckle.
Suits and coats today are less formal than in the 1940s and 1950s. At that time, pleated woollen skirts and dresses were popular for women, and double-breasted suits and coats with wide collars were worn by men.
In comparison to the clothes of this era, many of the clothes in our wardrobes today are easier to wear and clean. This is because they are made from lighter synthetic fabrics.
Sunday Best
Gaelic Football Match, O’Donnell Park, Letterkenny c.1950
Photo of a Gaelic football game at O’Donnell Park GAA grounds in Letterkenny, Co. Donegal, in around 1950. The match is in full play. In the foreground, a group of women are attired in their 'Sunday best' clothes of skirt suits, or 'costumes' as they were then called. Some women are also wearing hats. The men standing inside the wall of the football pitch are wearing suits and shirts. The three children, all boys, are dressed in short pants and knee-length socks.
Central Library, LetterkennyGaelic Football Match, O’Donnell Park, Letterkenny c.1950
Central Library, Letterkenny
Central Library, Letterkenny
Gaelic Football Match, O’Donnell Park, Letterkenny c.1950
Photo of a Gaelic football game at O’Donnell Park GAA grounds in Letterkenny, Co. Donegal, in around 1950. The match is in full play. In the foreground, a group of women are attired in their 'Sunday best' clothes of skirt suits, or 'costumes' as they were then called. Some women are also wearing hats. The men standing inside the wall of the football pitch are wearing suits and shirts. The three children, all boys, are dressed in short pants and knee-length socks.
Central Library, LetterkennyThis is a photo of a Gaelic football game at O'Donnell Park in Letterkenny, Co. Donegal around 1950. Take a good look at the people watching the game.
In the foreground, a group of women are attired in their 'Sunday best'. These clothes consist of skirt suits, or 'costumes' as they were often called then. As you may have noticed, some are wearing smart hats.
The men standing inside the wall of the football pitch are wearing suits and shirts. The three children, all boys, are dressed in short pants and knee-length socks.
Compare what you see in this picture with the clothes typically worn at a similar game today. Most people now wear the football strip of their favourite team, or dress in tracksuits or other casual sportswear.