WEDDING DRESSES OF THE 50’s

by Shirley A. Ramaley

The tea length wedding dress was very popular in the 1950’s and into the 1960’s. What is a tea length wedding dress? It’s a dress that falls between the knee and ankle, and was often used in less formal weddings. I chose mine for our wedding that was held in our backyard garden, in 1956.

Most of these wedding dresses had a full skirt and were often made to appear even fuller with a slip made of crinoline or some other stiffer material, and often a hoop underskirt. This gave the appearance of fullness in the skirt and a small waist. A tiny waist was the ultimate goal.

The dresses were often decorated with faux pearls and sequins. Sleeves were long or short, but usually fitted. Scoop necklines were very popular. Silk and satin were usually used for the material in the skirt and often taffeta for the bodice.

Tulle was also used in many of the dresses, and was made from nylon, silk or rayon. The tulle was layered over the dress, sometimes many layers, using both regular and dotted tulle. Pleated layers of tulle trim were sometimes used in the bodice.

White wasn’t the only color. Friends of mine chose cream, antique ivory satin, and off-white. Some brides wore dresses decorated with pink flowers in the bodice, and often trailing down the skirt of their wedding dress. One friend wore a dress with red roses across the top of the bodice and roses interspersed within the many layers of tulle of the skirt.

Embroidered flowers on taffeta, often over the flared tulle skirt, were very popular. As always, the desired effect was to make the waist look as small as possible.

Wedding dresses of the 50’s and 60’s are popular today. Many stores, including online stores, sell them for much higher prices than they originally cost. If a dress is in good condition without any stains, or tears in the fabric, or missing buttons or sequins, it will easily bring $500 to $650.

That dress probably cost about $100 in the mid 1950’s.

If a dress has a stain or any other problem, the price will be less. Many of these problems can be fixed however, but it’s up to the buyer.

Why consider buying a dress from another era? Many of the dresses of the 50’s and 60’s featured exquisite details and workmanship for a fraction of the price you’d pay for one of today’s dresses. The dresses of the 50’s and 60’s were often flattering to a girl’s figure. They had a “more innocent” look about them than many of today’s dresses.

Today’s wedding dress designers are also designing dresses that reflect the 1950’s and this includes the tea style dress. If a bride is interested in the 1950 era years, a wedding dress from that era might be just what she’s looking for.

Go to Rewind the Fifties Home

The dresses were often decorated with faux pearls and sequins. Sleeves were long or short, but usually fitted. Scoop necklines were very popular. Silk and satin were usually used for the material in the skirt and often taffeta for the bodice.