By Pauline Weston Thomas for Fashion-Era.com
The scientific and mass production advances made during the Second World War meant that the fifties changed forever the way people lived, for example, technological changes in fibres, communication and medicine.
The fifties changed all our lives so that we do live differently now. Take a look at some 1950s events that have had a long-term effect on society.
1950
War in Korea.
Confirmation of Hydrogen Bomb Programme by President Truman.
Credit card system introduced in America.
Pucci opened the Fashion House of Emilio Pucci.
Mass production of computers began.
The first organ transplant takes place.
The world population numbers 2.52 billion. (World population now estimated at 6,442,515,501 (CIA))
1 in 7 UK families owned a car.
Average UK annual salary £101.
USA average annual salary $2992 - when dollars were $4 to £1
1951
Festival of Britain and nationwide celebrations in UK.
Rock and roll and colour TV starts in USA.
Identity cards made it essential for South Africans to identify their race.
Dresses without waistlines were shown by Balenciaga.
Ready-to-wear boutiques from designer Balmain opened in New York.
A new beauty competition: Miss World.
The still camera is given a built-in flash.
UK population was 50,290,000, by May 2005 it was estimated at 60,422,986.
The USA population was 154,877,889, by May 2005 it was estimated at 295,376,287.
In 1959 the population of India was approx 364.127,000. India in 2005 is now estimated at 1,078,432,720 persons.
1952
New USA President Dwight Eisenhower was elected.
The Neo Edwardians, Teddy Boys or Teds are seen around London.
Churchill became Prime Minister of the UK under the Conservatives.
Identity cards and then food rationing ended.
Givenchy showed his first collection in Paris.
The Salk polio vaccine is used to save humans from poliomyelitis infection.
In the UK the family norm was 2.2 children, compared to 3.5 children in 1905 and 1.7 children in 1997.
Clean Air Act 1952 - UK's compulsory use of smokeless fuels eventually end smogs and winter deaths.
In London John Cavanagh and Victor Stiebel open fashion salons.
1953
Queen Elizabeth II was crowned in June 1953.
Mount Everest was conquered by Hillary and Tensing.
DNA the secret of life discovered by James Watson and Frances Crick.
McCarthy witch hunt hearings took place in the USA.
A new regime took over in Russia when Stalin died.
Dupont began commercial production of Dacron at a plant in North Carolina, to produce Dacron (polyester)
1954
French power and dominance in Vietnam ended when French forces were defeated at Dien Bien Phu.
US segregation was made illegal in the USA.
The four-minute mile is broken by Britain's Roger Bannister.
54% of American homes had television sets.
Coco Chanel reopened her Paris fashion salon after a long closure.
1955
In the USA the civil rights campaign got underway.
Warsaw Pact agreement signed.
In England, the felt-tip pen was introduced.
Tests begin on fibre optics for future mass digital communication.
Bill Haley's "Rock Around the Clock" rocks the world.
In UK Mary Quant opened a boutique, Bazaar, in Kings Road London.
Film idol of teenagers James Dean dies in a car accident.
60% of Americans were in the "middle class," having incomes between $3,000 and $10,000 per year.
1956
The Suez Crisis. The Suez Canal was nationalized and control was taken from Britain and France.
Elvis Presley became an international, world-acclaimed star with Love Me Tender film.
IBM created the first hard disk drive.
Prince Rainier III of Monaco married film star Grace Kelly.
Velcro fastening was introduced to the public.
1957
Sputnik 1 the first satellite to orbit the earth launched into space by the Russians. The space age becomes a reality.
European Economic Community established and Channel tunnel (the Chunnel) between England and France seriously proposed.
Christian Dior dies.
Givenchy launched famous sack line a forerunner of 60's shifts.
Lasers developed.
Average price of a UK house was £2170.
Premium Bonds and Ernie monthly money draw started in UK.
1958
De Gaulle became President of France.
NASA Founded.
Stereo LP records were first sold.
Experiments first began with a desire to create the modem.
Paris fashion dictated shorter skirts above the knee.
Yves St.Laurent introduced the Trapeze line.
Last debutantes presented at Court in the UK.
USA annual family income reaches $5000.
1959
Castro took power in Cuba and became the new Dictator.
Barbie dolls were invented for children.
The microchip was invented, making way for future home computers.
Mary Quant designed suit shapes that later hallmark the 60s fashion look.
Alaska and Hawaii join the USA and become states of North America.
1 in 3 UK families owned a car.
The average UK male annual salary is £190.
USA population reaches 177,829,628.
Motown Records start setting new styles of music in the sixties.
1960
Almost 60% of American families owned their own homes.
By the end of the fifties, most American households owned their own car and washing machine.
Approximately 90% of Americans owned at least one television set.
World Population in 1960 grew to 3 billion.
CIA estimated the World population in 2005 at over 6 billion at 6,442,515,501
