The 1950s look.

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I love the hair, make up and clothes styles of the 1950s. The full skirts and curled hair and everything.

The clothes seem to suit my shape too - although they would look much better if I were less fat!

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Is it possible to dress in a 50s way without looking like you are going to a fancy dress party?

Just been watching Grease and I like the clothes that Marty wears - I don't want to look like some crazy person though! My wardrobe is pretty limited - clothes that I don't wear because I am too fat for them - so I tend to wear the same black trousers plus tops every day.

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I don't even know what I would need for a basic wardrobe. Mix and match stuff I think that is suitable for office work.

I wear a lot of 50s vintage and hope I don't look like I am going to a fancy dress! Shirt dresses are a great shape for curvaceous women - bringing you in at the waist and emphasising good boobs whilst skimming over hips. Find your local vintage store and make friends with the owner. They will help you make the look work for you and may also reserve pieces they think will suit you if you become a loyal customer :). My local store also sells vintage fabric by the metre. If you are handy with a sewing machine, check out the vintage patterns from Vogue sewing patterns. Some gorgeous styles.

I have learned to wear what I love and not worry about fashion or other people's opinions too much. Better to stand out from the crowd than be lost in a sea of neutral and boring clothing.

BTW, Chanel's Rouge Orage from the Coco Rouge range is an absolute must for us 50s gals

I have been looking at Revlon lipsticks - they still produce some colours from the 1950s!

Maybe it is just that it is so different to my normal slobby style. Standing out scares me but how I dress now is so boring. I want to feel excited about my clothes!

There aren't any local vintage shops that I know of - I have been looking on ebay and now Tara Starlet. Love the clothes on there! Maybe I do need to learn to sew!! Vintage patterns all over on ebay. Maybe knitting too!

I love the 50's too and find most of my clothes (matched with some key peices to bring it up to date) in the charity shops. I suggest looking for old fashioned style cardigans, tapered skirts and collared shirts underneath work a treat. I love a fringe with a high bun and a bright Mac lipstick to bring it up to date. 40's and 50's were a great era for curvy girls and feeling really feminine.

I sell 50s style wedding and evening dresses and there really is a neckline and skirt length for everyone. You can get some fab and very reasonably priced 50s style stuff, I particularly like Whirling Turban for dresses, and Unique Vintage too. Vivien of Holloway has added a lot to their collections recently although I've not been there for a couple of years (and I think their dresses are more flattering on smaller sizes as they cause back fat IMO). The Whirling Turban dresses hold everything in better, plus the little boleros are great as a cover-up.

Are you planning to go for the pencil skirt/wiggle dress look for work? Stop Staring do lovely styles that would be nice for the office. You could look into getting a seamstress to run up some bits for you as it would probably not be any more expensive than buying labels like Stop Staring, but they will fit you properly which is what you need. If you get some vintage patterns and nice fabrics it will not cost a fortune by any means to have them run up for you. I can recommend a seamstress if you're in the north west. I tried to learn to sew but just couldn't do it, if you can master it then it must be a fantastic skill to have.

Another vote here for Stop Staring - I have a red Billion Dollar Baby dress, it's fantastic, flattering and made of some kind of industrial strength stretchy stuff www.formosafashion.com/womenswear-c1/dresses-c30/stop-staring-billion-dollar-baby-dress-p370?utm_source=froogle&utm_medium=ppc&utm_term=1464&utm_campaign=froogle#1464
They regularly come up on eBay for much less. I also have a VoH halterneck pencil dress which is lovely but not quite as forgiving.

A friend of mine has a website where she sells various 50s styles and she sells a lot of plus sizes too. You can find them here www.pinup-parade.com - The style works very well for curvy ladies and can be helped along with very sexy shapewear underneath from www.whatkatiedid.com

Some lovely clothes on all those sites!

Sometimes the 50s look ends up a bit .... tarty I guess. More low cut and short than the original style. Some of the 50s dresses I have tried on in River Island and other places are so short!

I struggle with shoes. What shoes would you wear with circle skirts? Summer probably sandals or wedges but Winter seems harder.

My sister wears vintage pretty much full time. A bit much for most, but she has a fab 'vintage for beginners' series on her blog at the mo which has lots on shapes, styles etc: tuppencehapennyvintage.blogspot.com (can't link on phone)

Is the Stop Staring dress a wool bengaline, Ms, er, Arse, or another fibre? it is gorgeous but I am allergic to wool!

No CaroleService, not sure what it is but it's definitely not wool.

Hopefully - love that blog so helpful and such lovely pictures!!

I go for a scruffy glamour look - one showstopping item worn with more casual things to tone it down. Eg mini cocktail dress over skinny jeans/leggings, calf-length boots/wedgy mules, cardigan or longsleeved shrug. Just wear it like a tunic. There were loads of dresses like this in New Look etc a few years ago so I would say Ebay is your best bet.

Also Google Image Rockabilly - little gingham shirts and good highwaisted skinny jeans etc.

H'mmmm. One more question Msarse if you don't mind: would you say size down or up? Website says size down if between sizes, but it is always good to hear from the horse's mouth ..

I would say that it depends, Carole, it is very stretchy but in a very firm way so I expect that if you want it to hold you in, go down a size. I bought a 14, think that's XL and I'm a size 14 in pretty much all the high street stores. Mine was from 20th Century Foxy www.20thcenturyfoxy.com/en/index/a1.

I love the 50s style too, also the 40s.

I have a total style blog crush on this lady - esmeandthelaneway.blogspot.com/

Love that blog too!

Putting retro fashion books on my Christmas list - looking on eBay there are some style guides actually printed in the 50s so they would be interesting.

I think the trick will be finding a balance between retro, the modern skimpier versions and the sort of old lady bon marche versions.

I really want a fake fur collared cardigan and a pencil or circle skirt! And to curl my hair and wear lipstick and heels and pearls!!

I haven't been this excited about clothes ever!

Oh golly, I got one. Thanks Msarse!

Vivien of Holloway

I do hope you like it, CaroleService, I love mine .

Going shopping today!

Not sure what basics to start with really - got some low heel lace up shoes in black that I like.

Thinking .....

circle skirt (maybe one plain and on checked)
cardigan
pretty blouse
court shoes
retro style coat / cape?
gloves?
fake fur stole?

Look at brandalley today www.brandalley.co.uk/FSRayon/Id-10900-Produit-0-Rayon-710080. Lots of satiny nipped in dresses under this brand and quite cheap. Sizes look v small tho.

Don't know what size you want but The Pretty Dress Company do some beautiful dresses in sizes 8-16. www.theprettydresscompany.com/index.html

I have the So Couture Bombshell dress with 3/4 length sleeves in black for work. It really is beautiful, and fits wonderfully well. They do "Madmen" style dresses too if you prefer more coverage for your decolletage.

Sorry, forgot to say if its a full circle skirt you want, it's something like the Hepburn dress:
www.theprettydresscompany.com/acatalog/the-hepburn-dress.html

Or Ascot:
www.theprettydresscompany.com/acatalog/the-ascot-dress.html