Tuesday, May 18, 2010

50s Look

Even with the cold war changing everyday life in the 1950s, music and art mainly influenced the make up of the 50s. For many various reasons, American citizens became more consumeristic, buying more goods like televisions, cars and houses in the suburbs, but I believe that the consumption is mostly due to their contact with advertisements.

Jackson Pollock, an influential American painter of the nineteenth century, painted picasso-similar masterpieces. He expressed mainly abstract art. I think he was one of the artists that encouraged modern art and colors, just like fine lines.


Pop art, a popular art movement, started in the 1950s. They were used by artists, in comic books and in advertisements. This art becomes most influential in the 60s.

The most remarkable change in the make up from the 50s to the preceding years was that stars on the big screens had perfect faces. They started using pan cake foundation, similar to our fondations just much thicker to give the impression of flawless skin. Eyeliner, lipstick, nail polish and blush became important elements to looking as perfect as the women on the comercials. Hair was perfectly held together with tight curls. Eyebrows became very pronounced (see Audrey Hepburn), red lipstick and cat-similar eyeliner were the ultimate fashion trends of the 50s.