Late 1950's Tie Help!

[Deleted member 11085]

Hi everyone. I am currently working on a theatre production of Agatha Christie's 'The Unexpected Guest'. It is set in late 1950s in South Wales, England. I know quite a bit about women's fashion of that time, but not men's.

Can someone give me an idea of the style of tie men wore then? And in England at that time? The debate was that ties were narrow and longer then, rather than short and/or wide. Any thoughts on color or patterns?

Thank you for any help you can offer!

 

[John in Covina]

You probably have some leeway.
Younger men and the fashionable would probably tend to go with the latest styles.
However an older man may have kept and continued to use older clothing.
Same as to in the country may have older styles versus the urban culture being more up to date.

 

[repeatclicks]

... yeah, you know, the latest styles.

I think what John meant is narrow ties, sta-prest trousers, cardigans, tassel loafers and button down shirts. Think smart mods. A quick google search for 1960s England should sort you out, although bear in mind, Wales fashions in the 1960s may not directly equate to London fashions from the same era. My guess is that it would be slightly less high fashion, and a bit more conservative.

 

[Hal]

It is set in late 1950s in South Wales, England.

South Wales is NOT in England. Wales, England, Scotland and northern Ireland make up the United Kingdom.

...sta-prest trousers, cardigans, tassel loafers and button down shirts...bear in mind, Wales fashions in the 1960s may not directly equate to London fashions from the same era. My guess is that it would be slightly less high fashion, and a bit more conservative.

"Mods" are early-to-mid 1960s, as are button-down shirts. Tassel loafers were virtually unknown in the UK at the time; the cardigan had become old-fashioned by then.
Your last sentence is undoubtedly correct - but that means that the "mod" style would be even more anachronistic.
I write as one who was living in south Wales at the time; it was a transitional period of style - difficult to pin down. A Google search is an excellent idea.

 

[Cobden]

I think standard men's dress of that period in that part of the world would consist of grey flannel trousers (narrower then 1940's and 30's style, but by no means as skinny as the Mods), tweed jacket (two button, single vent, average to narrow lapels. Again, not extremes), white shirt, and a narrow black knitted wool tie. Sta-press and the 50's American fashion did not really get over here, and certainly not to the more rural parts of the country. In fact, I'd define the major characteristic of that era is the skinny black knitted wool tie (they remained popular well into the 60's too).

Best bet is to look at 1950's films set contemporaneously (Ealing's especially). Should give you a good idea.

(It might also be worth investigating the Great British Venn Diagram )

 

[Hal]

I think standard men's dress of that period in that part of the world would consist of grey flannel trousers...tweed jacket (two button, single vent, average to narrow lapels. Again, not extremes), white shirt, and a narrow black knitted wool tie. Sta-press and the 50's American fashion did not really get over here, and certainly not to the more rural parts of the country. In fact, I'd define the major characteristic of that era is the skinny black knitted wool tie (they remained popular well into the 60's too).
Best bet is to look at 1950's films set contemporaneously (Ealing's especially).

I think these ideas are basically right, except that (a) the jacket would have been three-button - I never saw a two-button jacket before about 1966 - and I also associate the narrow knitted (and straight-edged) black silk (or polyester) tie with the early 1960s, though the woollen version in other colours might have appeared earlier.
Were the Ealing comedies produced after 1954?

 

[Cobden]

Fair point on the three button, though they were of a lower stance then previously looking at the pics. I disagree about the tie, though - definately very popular in the 50's, and probably remained popular in the 60's, probably on account of Sean Connery's bond wearing them (the costume being based on the books, which definately mention the black knitted silk tie - I think as early as Casino Royal).

Ladykillers was 55, and there were some lesser known ones later. I mainly suggest them as being set contemporaneously, and of course being enjoyable to watch (if your researching, one might as well watch something entertaining!) We have to bear in mind, though, that this is Agatha Christie - I'm not sure many of her male characters would be the type to be at the cutting edge of fashion (and I'm not sure Teddy Boys, early Rockers, and Cliff Richard fans are recurring features of the Marple books!); in any case for South Wales, middle class, 1950's male the differences in clothing between 1955 and 59 would be negligable. Of course, one also has to factor in a characters age, class, background, employment, region of origin...

 

[avedwards]

the jacket would have been three-button - I never saw a two-button jacket before about 1966

I have two mid-50s suits which have two button jackets (both reasonably conservative British bespoke suits). Sean Connery also wears two button jackets in the Bond films, four of which are set before 1966.

 

[avedwards]

I also think it depends on the characters. I wouldn't be surprised if any older professional people (lawyers, accountants) would wear 40s style DB suits in the 50s despite the DB suit being out of fashion at that point.

 

[Richard Warren]

Ties were moderate in width and shorter than now (waists were higher).

 

[Hal]

I also think it depends on the characters. I wouldn't be surprised if any older professional people (lawyers, accountants) would wear 40s style DB suits in the 50s despite the DB suit being out of fashion at that point.

I'm sure some did, because suits were worn out and not thrown away - but I doubt that this lasted into the late 50s (the period referred to by the OP).

 

[Hal]

I have two mid-50s suits which have two button jackets (both reasonably conservative British bespoke suits). Sean Connery also wears two button jackets in the Bond films, four of which are set before 1966.

I did not say that the two-button style did not exist, but was describing my own experience. I suspect that two-button jackets were more frequent in the early 60s than in the late 50s.

 

[Hal]

Ties were moderate in width and shorter than now (waists were higher).

This, rather than the knitted tie, is what I remember from that time.