Suburban Fashion comes to Manhattan – 1954 –
Because the term suburban has long been associated with the unfashionable country mouse, US clothes designers up to now have focused instead on the more promising city slicker.
But with 30 million Americans living in the suburbs and with incomes 70% higher than the US average, this notion has changed abruptly. Rugged tweeds are now being seen in coats and the phrase ” town and country” is on every fashionable girls lips, when it comes to creating her winter wardrobe this season.
Party Colors, now taking over from black, appears in suburbs in velveteen dress and vivid wool jersey. Another city party-goer wears bright pink wool jersey and wrapped ropes of dripping pearls !
Country Tweeds, all in black and white, include a suit with lining of bleached squirrel ( Ben Zuckerman $350 ), belted two piece dress with cuffed neckline ( Gernreich-Bass, $95 ), worn with large spotted fur bag ( Wallace Katten, $40) and loose coat (Monte-Sano, $235) which has bright wool jersey collar and lining.
City Tweeds, the tawny colors of autumn in the country, are gracing the silver steel ramparts of Manhattan. They include pumpkin colored overcoat ( Traina-Norell,$395) worn with matching felt beret ( Emme,$40), fitted suit with slim skirt ( Hattie Carnegie,$335) and coat with velvet collar ( Jane Derby, $295) made of fabric in racetrack checks!
Formal Satin styled along informal lines of a long-sleeved shirt makes this elegant city gown ( Jane Derby, $300) The fake emerald bracelets ( Kramer.$20) match the fold-over evening bag ( Coblentz,$13).
Informal Gabardine dress, traditional fabric of hunter’s pink coat, is used for a simple but highly formal dress ( Galanos,$295) worn with dangling earrings, long white gloves for that hunt ball in the country !
Bright Pullover is shown with tapered trousers ( $60 by Brigance) to walk city poodle in early mornings. Wool knit cap ( Madcaps) has tail to wrap around neck.
That’s all !
Transcription©Glamourdaze.com
Photos by Nina Leen –
Images©Time Inc
First published by Life magazine – October 1954