About Nancy and fashion through the decades: war and cinema.

We remind you that in honor of the upcoming birthday of Nancy Drew, we will publish short articles and interesting facts from the past of the book series during the week.

1950s

For the first time ever, teenagers had their own fashion, their own music, and their own slang. Girls wore formfitting blouses and sweaters, poodle skirts, and saddle shoes or flats. When lounging around the house, they might choose rolled-up dungarees with a blouse and a pretty scarf tied in their hair. Nancy favored the slightly more formal look of a crisp dress with a fitted top, full skirt, and three-quarter sleeves. Hair was either pulled back in a ponytail or worn above the shoulders- and always curled.

Rock and roll hit the scene in the fifties, but in many different forms. Nancy and her pals were fans of the softer sounds of Paul Anka, Frankie Avalon, and Babby Darin, while many other teens were drawn to the edgier style of Elvis, Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, and Jerry Lee Lewis, which melded blues and country with rock.

Teen magazines filled with gossip about singers and movie stars were on every newsstand, but Nancy never bought them. She didn't have to: Bess read them cover-to-cover and gave everyone who would listen a full report!