Spring Is Still In The Air in 1956

The Fashion Editor, Wilhela Cushman, of The Ladies Home Journal offers these suggestions for spring, 1956. 

 "There's an abundance of fashion and the news is flexible...yielding gracefully to your choice as an individual, to your life and your needs."

 "The bow-back jacket with the slim paneled skirt in clear red wool by Arthur Jablow, worn with a black leghorn hat by Sally Victor, patent-leather envelope bag by Greta."

 "The Empire coat with a back bow detail by Charles James. Cape-collar coat in a princess silhouette by Christion Dior - New York."

"The suit with the deep pleats, in greige tweed, graceful silhouette by Philippe Tournaye.  Shiny black straw hat with a red rose by Aldolfo."

"Printed wool town suit in blue and white with a pleated skirt and velvet collar, by Ben Reig. Short blouse-back coat over a dark dress by Vincent Monte-Sano."

"Bolero suit in Prince of Wales plaid wool by Ben Reig, has pale yellow shantung blouse, yellow strawcloth beret, chamois doeskin gloves."

"Bolero silhouette with a pleated skirt, by Hannah Troy. Reefer suit - double breasted jacket with a pleated skirt by Herbert Sondheim." 

"Coat in spring-flower yellow - basket-weave wool with an easy flare, feminine neckline, with a white silk rose, by Arthur Jablow. The white toyo hat is draped with yellow silk by Aldolfo."

Hats - By And For Americans - 1947 - She Magazine

So many hats...all from this 1947 She Magazine. Make no mistake these are American women wearing American designers. "The styles on the following pages, all whipped up on this side of the Atlantic, clearly prove that American designers cook up as delectable concoctions as the Paris milliners."

"Spring advocates more hat and less foolish-ness."

"Cover Story - Synonymous with Easter...the soft navy suit illustrated on cover. Tenderly tailored to emphasize the feminine curves of your figure, it is collared with demure scallops. A Swansdown suit about $50. B. Altman"

"THE styles on the following pages, all whipped up on this side of the Atlantic, clearly prove that American designers cook up as delectable concoctions as the Paris milliners. They are pretty as American women are pretty. Their clean cut lines, their high style fit in with the good looking American designed clothes that American women wear. They are expensive, but we have selected them because they represent the artistry of some of our finest designers. They are trends. The Spring breezes will also blow on less extravagant models.
Spring advocates more hat and less foolishness. Off the face models have been accepted, applauded and adapted in all price ranges. Brimmed hats sit firmly back on the head. Not even the swoop down on the eye types lose face. There is a great deal of action behind the back of the head ... making exits as entrancing as entrances. The overstuffed look of winter has given way to straight adorned prettiness. Crisp ribbons are used by the yard in an unbelievable range of color . . . plus plaids, stripes and novelties. Flowers spring up in profusion. Veiling, maline and net come in for rapt attention."

Woman's Home Companion -1956 - Spring in New York - Coats and Hats!

"Coats for rain or shine...hats bloom with flowers"

April showers do bring spring flowers but they can also spoil many an Easter parade or party. We know that we cannot do anything about the weather but fortunately something can be done about spring coats. Nowadays they can do double duty as raincoats, day and evening, in such a way that you can be protected as well as pretty. Even such fragile fabrics as linen, brocade and white satin can go out in the rain. And they relegate the Burberry to its proper place-to men.

The five day coats [shown above] in charcoal corduroy, in blue and white checked linen, in yellow burlap, all by Lawrence of London. Black whipcord coat (in center) from Main Street; pink in a finely woven cotton called Element cloth by Bonnie Cashin for Harris. Men's traditional Burberrys from Brooks Brothers.

The five coats shown above are for 5 p.m. and after. Lawrence of London again made three; the butterfly print on shantung, the gold brocade and the white satin. The violet printed taffeta is by Helen Van Vliet for Town Creations; the cape-collared black coat by Bonnie Cashin for Harris.


When the sun does shine in April, it's sunny enough to call for one of the new big, flowery hats. The English garden printed taffeta hat is by Adolfo for Emme; the out-size straw with poppies atid field flowers and the chrysanthemum-petaled toque from John- Frederics; the coral-pink hat trimmed with matching roses is by Lilly Dache, the lavender-blue flowered Manet-type hat is by Sally Victor. Dresses by Karen Stark for Harvey Berin.

Woman's Home Companion - 1956 Suits for an Easter Parade

"It's news to wear shades of one color" These are clearly not the wasp-waist look we think of with the fifties...but here in 1956, we can see the sixties coming around the corner.

All pale beige, contrast of textures-a color scheme right for most women. This version is a leather skirt, a leather and tweed jacket-- you can clean the leather with warm water, soap and a damp cloth. Bonnie Cashin for Milton Sills. Strap pump from Deb, bag from Coronet.

Mixture of neutrals-a color scheme that's every woman's fashion. The gray-beige silk suit with high-bloused back, by Montesano & Pruzan, is accented by warm brown-beige in a hat by Amy, a strap pump from Marshall, Meadows & Stewart.

Yellow-most popular high-key color, here used in varying degrees of intensity. Suit in white and yellow tweed mixture from Jablow. Lizard bag from Lucille de Paris, Monet jewelry, tie pump from Bally, bulky hat by Adolfo for Emme..

All-red for the adventurous-dramatic color co-ordination for the woman who can carry it. The coat has a skirt to match; Bardley. Matching shoe from Valentines, is cork-textured leather --smartest material of the year for red shoes. Harmonizing tones in Walter Florell's hat, the alligator bag.

Blues are becoming, turquoise is lovely with gray hair. Shantung suit with polka-dot scarf by Adele Simpson; a straw hat by Sally Victor: linen pumps from Bonwit Teller dyed a deeper shade of turquoise than the suit- a new style note.