Chapter Ten: 50 Shades of Blue

While going through the winter 2012/2013 collections of the great designers, scouting for new trends, one particular thing stood out: the color blue.

The color blue is generally seen as trustworthy, dependable and committed, but of course this depends a little bit on the type of blue we're perceiving. More vibrant blues become dynamic and dramatic and deeper blues are associated with wisdom and spiritual realization. Of course in a more literal sense most people would probably think of the sky and the sea when they think of the color blue, things that are always all around us.
It is said that several designers where indeed inspired by the sea when they incorporated blue tones (especially cobalt) in their collections. The memory of how the deep (Mediterranean) sea cooled us in the hot days of summer is a happy one and therefore very comforting when found in our wardrobe.

In retro fashion there is a lot less dependability upon the latest fashion trends in terms of cuts and shapes. We still prefer the classic lines of the forties, fifties and sixties and will stick to them. We do like however, to combine the beauty of the past with the beauty of today; so we give you retro blue :).

Navy blue, the darkest shade of pure blue:

Valentino dress from winter 2012/2013 collection, Newport Dress by Stop Staring! and Natalie Dress by pinup Couture. www.fiftiesstore.com

Cobalt blue, dynamic and vibrant:

Stella McCartney dress from winter 2012/2013 collection, Niagara Taffeta Dress by Pinup Couture and Heidi Dress by Pinup Couture. www.fiftiesstore.com

Baby blue, elegant and uplifting:

Versace dress from winter 2012/2013 collection, Harrison Top by Pinup Couture and Dolores Top by Collectif Clothing. www.fiftiesstore.com

Light (Sky) Blue, confident and sweet:

Miu Miu suit from winter 2012/2013 collection and Covergirl Dress by Stop Staring!
www.fiftiesstore.com

These examples (there's much more) already show us that blue is versatile and can fit so many different moods. So a touch of any kind of blue in our (retro) outfit might actually keep us from feeling blue this winter!
Find all the retro clothing you want at: www.fiftiesstore.com

Chapter Nine: The Pencil Skirt

Believe it or not, the story of the 'invention' of the pencil skirt is actually quite a good one. In 1908 the brothers Wright chose the wife of a business associate as the first female passenger on one of their planes, and because the possible flapping of her long skirts near the propellors and engines of the plane posed a dangerous threat they decided to tie her skirts around her legs. The pictures of this legendary flight went all over the world and almost everyone saw them. Parisian fashiondesigners were strangely inspired by this 'tied skirt' and they created a skirt shape that would soon become known as the Hobble skirt. It was a fenomenale hit and for a while the extremely tight and unpractical silhouette dominated the western fashions. Because the women who wore these skirts often had to tie their knees together they had great difficulty walking, and therefore the new fashion was jokingly called the 'speed limit skirt'. We know it now as the official predecessor of our beloved pencil skirt.

The first real pencil skirt was introduced in 1940 by French designer Christian Dior, who also created the complete opposite look of the wide circle skirt with petticoat. Women all over the world were excited about the tight and sensual shape of this new look; they had become tired of the shapless forms of the 1920's and the economic and social dullness of the 1930's, and the pencil skirt embodied their need for change and extravagance. This need became even stronger after the second world war and by the end of the 40's the pencil skirt was an enormous fashion hit.

At first it was mostly worn as an office outfit with a matching jacket, but eventually it was combined with fitted blouses and soft sweaters, accentuating the female forms with nipped-in waist and curvy hips. The trend was taken over by some of the hottest celebrities of the era such as Marilyn Monroe, Ava Gardner, Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly, which is probably the reason why we still associate the sensual pencil skirt with the 1950's.

  It stayed in fashion all through the 60's, altough the lenght of the skirt became considerably shorter and became known as 'The mini'. The pencil shape is, like many other styles that were born in the 50's, a timeless piece of feminine fashion beacuse it is a classic silhouette that flatters women in many different shapes and sizes. 

It did not surprise us that this year (2012), when we watched the spring and summer collections of the big designers glide over the catwalks, we saw the return of an old friend. Take a guess..... Yes indeed

The Pencil Skirt! 

Of course we have a wide range of pencil skirts in our collection, here are some examples: 

Angle Skirt: http://www.fiftiesstore.com/pencil-skirt-angle-p-5712.html

Cherry Pencil Skirt: http://www.fiftiesstore.com/pencil-skirt-cherry-p-8173.html

Pencil Skirt, Black: http://www.fiftiesstore.com/pencil-skirt-black-p-5225.html

 These, and many more, are available at our store Bennies Fifties in Scheveningen (Holland) or online at www.fiftiesstore.com. Come and have a look, we are available at any time with the largest collection of retro clothing for women and men.