I just completed a 50s dress, and I just love it so much! After watching 3 seasons of Mad Men, I had officially caught the 50s fashion bug. So when I saw a vogue 50s pattern reproduction, I knew that I just had to have it.
Though my dress is complete, I am not ready todo an official photo shoot with it yet. I want to get some white gloves, a vintage hat, then get my husband an old looking vest with an old hat, and do a 50-style photo shoot! So I’ll just let you see what I am wearing underneath the dress — a petticoat!
I made it from some linen fabric in my stash that i was never going to use due to its stiffness, which turned out perfect for this project. I followed the tutorial from the lovely sugardale. She makes and wears so many beautiful vintage inspired pieces, I am quite jealous. She also does a lot of custom pieces on etsy for a really reasonable price.
Now, I just have one wonder — how does Asian women (in the US) style themselves in the 50s? My dress is quite the Betty Draper dress (or rather, the school teacher that Don Draper was cheating on with would wear), not very suitable with my usual straight haired look. Yet I cant imagine myself looking good with blonds hair and bright red lipsticks. Perhaps you will have some insights!
JuebeJue 
You are brave to model the petticoat – but it looks great. Can’t wait to see the finished dress. And how about an updo for your hair, maybe a french twist?
thank you! 🙂 i was thinking about whether I should post this up with just my bra and what is considered an undie, but oh wells! I show much more skin at the beach! 🙂
hmm! my dress in a litte “frenchy”, now I just need to go learn how to do a french twist!
Nice petticoat! I’ve wondered the same thing about retro styling on an Asian girl. Hehe… can’t wait to see the responses and your dress!
Very cute! As for how to do your hair — try a ponytail with spiral curls. Good inspiration might be Do Hai Yen in “The Quiet American”, which is set in Vietnam in the 1950s. I love her costumes and hair in that movie… unfortunately, I can’t find any good stills to point you towards.
wow! thanks! I think i might just have to go watch the movie– the few pictures i could find seem so vibrant and full of promises!
Aha! I found one photo from the movie… Here she is with liberty rolls in her hair.
The dress reminds me of Stepford wives! Love your petticoat!
I’m also Asian but then again I have naturally wavy hair. I usually set my hair overnight if I’m wearing something made from a vintage pattern. It definitely helps give the outfit a vintage vibe.
-Janice
http://www.meladori.com/shesinfashion/
woo! you look great! thanks for the inspiration!
I love your dress, you look fantastic.
I’m quite a bit older than you and worked decades ago in Hong Kong, and you Asian girls have a fantastic 50’s fashion reference in the tightfitting cheongsam. As Hong Kong women moved into the office, they wore this incredibly sexy fitted garment made up in cottons and wools with pumps and their hair in a French twist or ponytail. For evening, an inevitable mink stole went around the shoulders.
…as the song goes, your mother should know…
hmmm, frenh twist sounds really good. maybe i should dig up some hong kong movies. my parents are too young to have lived in the 50s, but they were in mainland china anyway, i dont think there was much fashion going on there in that era…