Rare 1950’s Fashion Film from Ireland

1950s fashion from Ireland

Ireland in the 1950’s does not exactly ring loud on the fashion Richter scale, largely due to its depressed economy and the effect of its isolation. Irish women rarely wore trousers and America seemed light years away in its opulence and style. A wedding was the one chance an Irish girl could sparkle and the make do and mend philosophy was hard at work in the weeks leading up to the big day. This rare film shot by archivist Father Tommy Doherty displays some beautifully stylish and hip early 1950’s Dior influenced dresses modeled  by ‘mannequins’ as they were know then. The House of McGinty hailed from Ballybofey in Donegal. The fact that the dresses are so of the period – 1953 – and that the film is in color makes it all the more special. Sadly the source of the dress designs are unknown but it is possible they were designed in Dublin by the likes of Sybil Connolly, Neilli Mulcahy or Irene Gilbert – three largely forgotten women who scaled the heights of international haute couture.

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5 thoughts on “Rare 1950’s Fashion Film from Ireland”

  1. As someone of (recent) Irish descent I have to say, to be fair, that my Grandma and Great Auntie were excellent dressers. They and their friends were well aware of trousers/slacks! I don’t think they spent any time dreaming of looking American either…they may not have had a lot of cash but style was there.

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