In the 1950s, fashion was focused on teenagers and their interests mainly, rock n roll. In the US greasers had a similar social position to the UK Teddy Boy look. Before the 1950s, teenagers dressed like their parents, but now a rebellious and different style was being brought forward. Rock and Roll gave people the feeling of freedom to dress however they wanted. Young men wore tight trousers, leather jackets, and tee shirts; they often grew their hair out and "greased" it down with pomade and hair products to make their hair look wet. Women wore Dresses with flowing skirts in bright colorful fabrics quickly re
placed the utilitarian look of wartime clothes of the 40s. Some women deiced the New Look as fussy, impractical and uncomfortable forcing women back into a decorative role. Women and older teenage girls usually wore their hair cut short and upswept from their forehead in to copy their favorite film stars, while the younger teens tied their hair back in a ponytail and had short bangs. The beehive was also very popular from 1958 until the mid-1960s.
Music of the 1950s
Rock and roll was the music of choice in the 1950s. This new musical style originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, and rapidly spread to the rest of the world. Rock and roll started when people began mixing various genres of music of the time, including rhythm, blues, gospel music, and also country and western. In 1951 an Ohio disc jockey named Alan Freed began playing rhythm and blues music for a multi-racial audience, and is credited using the phrase "rock and roll" to describe the music. The electric guitar also began to become very popular during this time.
Slang back in the 1950's was much different than it is in our time now. People used different terms rather than saying the proper form of the word. Here are some examples of "slang" terms:
Going Ape - to explode or be really mad
Are you writing a book? - You're asking too many questions
Bad news - Depressing person
Blast _ A good time
Boss - Great
Square - A regular, normal person
Nerd - Bill Gates without the money
No sweat - No problem
Passion Pit - Drive-in movie theater
What's buzzin, cuzzin - What's new?
Wail - Go fast
Tank - A large sedan - usually driven by parents or older people
Threads - Clothes
Unreal - unbelievable
Wazoo - Your rear end
Cookin' - Doing it well
Spaz Someone who is uncoordinated, or a clutz
Submarine races - While waiting for the submarines to race, couples found creative ways of killing the time, hubba, hubba!
Royal shaft - Badly or unfairly treated
Righto - Okay
Tear ass - Drive very fast
Radioactive - Very popular
Pound - Beat up
Cloud 9 - Really happy
Cat - A hip person
Bread - Money
Cool it - Relax, settle down
Bash - Great party
Bobbed - Shortened (as in haircut)
Greaser A guy with tons of grease in his hair, Later this came to describe an entire group of people (think Fonzie)
Cranked - Excited
Crazy "Like crazy,man" Implies an especially good thing
Dig - To understand and approve
Fat City - Happy
Flick - A movie
Hang - As in "hang out" which means not doing much
Heat - The Police
Hip - Someone who is cool
later, gator - Goodbye
Like crazy - Really good
Make out - A kissing session
Movies in the 1950's:
As a result of television, the point of movies in the 1950's were to bring an audience back to the movie theaters. Here are the top 10 movies of the '50's according to movies.toptenreviews.com.
Singin' in the Rain. (1952)
12 Angry Men (1957)
Rear Window (1954)
Sweet Smell of Success (1957)
The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
All About Eve (1950)
Ben-Hur (1959)
Vertigo (1958)
Some Like it Hot (1959)
The Searchers (1956)
Tragedies in the 1950's Many tragedies struck the world in the 1950's. Here is a list of the tragedies in the 1950's and their death toll
On 15 August 1950 an earthquake and floods in Assam, India kill 574 and leave 5,000,000 homeless.
Mount Lamington erupted in Papua New Guinea on 18 January 1951, killing 3,000 people.
On 31 January 1953 the North Sea flood of 1953 kills 1,835 people in the southwestern Netherlands (especially Zeeland) and 307 in the United Kingdom
On 9 September 1954 an earthquake centered on the city of Orleansville, Algeria killed 1,500 and left thousands homeless.
On 11 October 1954 Hurricane Hazel crosses over Haiti, killing 1,000.
On 19 August 1955 Hurricane Diane hits the northeastern United States, killing over 200 people, and causing over $1.0 billion in damage.
On 27 June 1957 Hurricane Audrey demolishes Cameron, Louisiana, US, killing 400 people.
Typhoon Vera hit central Honshu on 26 September 1959, killing an estimated 5,098, injuring another 38,921, and leaving 1,533,000 homeless. Most of the victims and damage are centered in the Nagoya area.
On 2 December 1959, Malpassett Dam in southern France collapses and water flows over the town of Frejus, killing 412.
Fashion of the 1950's
In the 1950s, fashion was focused on teenagers and their interests mainly, rock n roll. In the US greasers had a similar social position to the UK Teddy Boy look. Before the 1950s, teenagers dressed like their parents, but now a rebellious and different style was being brought forward. Rock and Roll gave people the feeling of freedom to dress however they wanted. Young men wore tight trousers, leather jackets, and tee shirts; they often grew their hair out and "greased" it down with pomade and hair products to make their hair look wet. Women wore Dresses with flowing skirts in bright colorful fabrics quickly re
placed the utilitarian look of wartime clothes of the 40s. Some women deiced the New Look as fussy, impractical and uncomfortable forcing women back into a decorative role. Women and older teenage girls usually wore their hair cut short and upswept from their forehead in to copy their favorite film stars, while the younger teens tied their hair back in a ponytail and had short bangs. The beehive was also very popular from 1958 until the mid-1960s.
Music of the 1950s
Rock and roll was the music of choice in the 1950s. This new musical style originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, and rapidly spread to the rest of the world. Rock and roll started when people began mixing various genres of music of the time, including rhythm, blues, gospel music, and also country and western. In 1951 an Ohio disc jockey named Alan Freed began playing rhythm and blues music for a multi-racial audience, and is credited using the phrase "rock and roll" to describe the music. The electric guitar also began to become very popular during this time.
The top 100 songs of the 1950s
http://www.vinylsurrender.com/Music/Decade/1950s.php
The Number one song of the 1950s
Slang in the 1950's:
Slang back in the 1950's was much different than it is in our time now. People used different terms rather than saying the proper form of the word. Here are some examples of "slang" terms:
Movies in the 1950's:
As a result of television, the point of movies in the 1950's were to bring an audience back to the movie theaters. Here are the top 10 movies of the '50's according to movies.toptenreviews.com.
Tragedies in the 1950's
Many tragedies struck the world in the 1950's. Here is a list of the tragedies in the 1950's and their death toll