The A-line dress – the perfect combination of comfort and sophistication. But this little number took a while to catch on. The style was first introduced in 1955 by Christian Dior, but the cutting-edge designer was a little too extreme for a culture that was raised on the tiny waist and full skirt silhouette of the ‘50’s. Women were accustomed to creating a body shape with the help of girdles and bullet bras that showed off the extremes of the female figure.
They style itself was a slight variation of Balenciaga’s popular straight shift dress introduced in 1954. Dior altered the silhouette into an “A” shape, where the dress got gradually wider from the bust line to the hem. A few years later, Dior took a couple of inches off of the sides and narrowed the overall look, but it was the First Lady of fashion that made these dresses explode into popular culture.

 

When Jackie Kennedy opted for the A-line shift dress instead of the cinched waist style, the country followed suit. Jackie combined the dress with her trademark gloves and pillbox hat, creating the epitome of the new American style. Incidentally, Jackie Kennedy designed most of her clothes herself, with the help of designer Oleg Cassini.

 

Jackie choice of style allowed women to break free from the restrictive clothing of the past, and allowed them to be both fashionable and comfortable. No longer compelled to pack themselves into constraining foundation garments, women were about to head out to the feminist movement of the next decade in much more comfortable clothing.