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Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Decade Love: The ’50s.


I don’t know about you, friends, but I wrote 2010 for the first time a few weeks ago, and my jaw almost dropped to the floor.

2010

It’s almost too much to comprehend, isn’t it? In honor of the New Year (and a new decade), I thought it only appropriate – and fun, of course – that we take a little retrospective walk down memory lane. I’ve always been the sort of girl who had a thing for history; in school, I went through obsessions: ancient Egypt, Colonial America, the psychedelic ’60s.

And so I introduce to you a series that will help us ring in the New Year…

Decade Love.

First up, the fabulous ’50s.

The ’50s By The Numbers:

*Population: 151,684,000 (U.S. Dept. of Commerce, Bureau of the Census)*
*Unemployed: 3,288,000
*Life expectancy: Women 71.1, men 65.6
*Car Sales: 6,665,800
*Average Salary: $2,992
*Labor Force male/female: 5/2
*Cost of a loaf of bread: $0.14
*Bomb shelter plans, like the government pamphlet You Can Survive, become widely available

Historical milestones:

*Dwight D. Eisenhower is inaugurated as President.
*Republican Senator Joseph R. McCarthy of Wisconsin is investigated by the Senate Privileges and Elections subcommittee.
*In the case of Brown versus Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas the Supreme Court rules racial segration in public schools unconstitutional.
*The first transcontinental television broadcast is presented.
*The Salk vaccine against polio is introduced.
*The Korean War comes to an end.
*Rosa Parks takes a stand (or seat, rather) against segregation.




Pop Culture, Fashion & Fads

*Marilyn Monroe releases some of her most notable films.
*The Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The King and I premiers on Broadway
*Bedtime for Bonzo, starring Ronald Reagan, is released by Universal Pictures.
*Ralph Ellison’s The Invisible Man is published.
*The children’s morning television series “Captain Kangaroo” premieres on CBS.
*Elvis Presley joins Sun Records and what would come to be called Sun’s “Million Dollar Quartet” – the foursome that also included Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Johnny Cash.
*Blue jeans, rock & roll and comic books become increasingly popular.
*Thanks in part to Eisenhauer’s expansion of the US highway system, the first suburbs flourish and Suburbia is born.
*Barbie makes her debut.
*Teens mingle in diners and sock-hops.
*The poodle skirt and leather jacket rule the teen fashion scene.

[Info and photos via American Cultural History, Duke University, and photos via VINTAGE RETRO]

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13 Comments Filed Under: Decade Love, Inspiration, Life, Uncategorized


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Comments

  1. Kristin says

    Wednesday, December 23, 2009 at 7:43 pm

    The fabulous fashion from that decade slays me. SO gorgeous. And classic Barbie never gets old!

    Reply
  2. Melanie's Randomness says

    Wednesday, December 23, 2009 at 8:34 pm

    This is such a cute post! I love the 50's & all it's glamour!! My mom has a Gigi doll like in the photo. So cute.

    Reply
  3. Whatever Dee-Dee wants says

    Wednesday, December 23, 2009 at 8:48 pm

    This is a fun series! I cant wait to read more.

    Reply
  4. amanda rose says

    Thursday, December 24, 2009 at 12:44 am

    very cool.

    Reply
  5. xoxo says

    Thursday, December 24, 2009 at 1:18 am

    Love the 50's. the dresses, the calm cool detective's, black and white movies. Why wasn't I born in the 50's?

    Reply
  6. Cafe Fashionista says

    Thursday, December 24, 2009 at 2:28 am

    What a well-researched and fun post, Melissa! I will forever be obsessed with the fifties!! 🙂

    Reply
  7. Mademoiselle Frou-Frou says

    Thursday, December 24, 2009 at 4:41 am

    i agree with you about the 50's. my mom grew up in that era and she says we missed out not experiencing those days. oh well…actually i would have loved to have lived in the 40s!

    xoxo alison
    http://www.froufroufashionista.blogspot.com

    Reply
  8. Couture Cookie says

    Thursday, December 24, 2009 at 12:12 pm

    Oh my goodness, the average 50s salary would barely cover my rent! I loved reading all these fun facts, though, not to mention admiring the retro pictures! There is no one more glamourous than Barbie!

    Reply
  9. Genie of the Shell says

    Thursday, December 24, 2009 at 3:06 pm

    Nice glamour shots! I am inspired to wear a 1950s cocktail dress to family Christmas… Hooray for mothers-in-law who keep EVERYTHING, throughout the decades, and give old stuff to their daughters-in-law. 😀 I wonder if my future adult children will be so excited about my 1990s grunge attire…

    Reply
  10. prashant says

    Friday, December 25, 2009 at 2:16 pm

    SO gorgeous. And classic Barbie never gets old!
    Make website india

    Reply
  11. Viewtiful_Justin says

    Saturday, December 26, 2009 at 3:33 pm

    That Barbie actually looks like it has a personality. She's not vacant and stupid looking like Barbies now. Very cool.

    Reply
  12. Microsoft Office 2010 says

    Saturday, October 23, 2010 at 3:25 am

    Thanks for shareing.
    Microsoft Office 2010
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    Microsoft outlook
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    Reply
  13. Cindy Margott says

    Monday, April 11, 2011 at 7:52 pm

    I agree with you about the 50's. my mom grew up in that era and she says we missed out not experiencing those days.

    Reply

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So About What I Said is a daily blog that covers relationships, disabilities, lifestyle and pop culture. I love to laugh and have been known to overshare. I also have an unabashed obsession with pop music, polo shirts, and PEZ dispensers. Read more...

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