Lord & Taylor Women's Department in the 1950s

The Lord and Taylor Department Store had many elegant departments catering to the female shopper of the 1950s. Lord and Taylor had a collection of elegant designer dresses by renowned couture designers such as Cristóbal Balenciaga, Pierre Balmain, Christian Dior, Coco Chanel, and Hubert de Givenchy  in the Designer Dress department.   Formal events and grand occasions required luxurious designer dresses. Elaborate designer dresses were repeatedly worn and not set aside. Elegant furs from the Lord and Taylor Department Store were draped over luxurious designer dresses when worn for grand occasions and formal events.

Women wore day dresses or "country dresses" as casual wear for daily activities such as shopping at Lord and Taylor, luncheon or tea. Designer suits or stylish day dresses with coats were often worn as casual wear. After five o'clock a fancier dress was worn for cocktail and dinner attire. These Lord and Taylor special occasion dresses  were created with richer fabrics than used in day dresses. Small purses would be carried and gloves would be worn. Luxurious designer handbags were on display on glass counters in the Lord and Taylor Department Store.  At an after five o'clock cocktail party or dinner, small purses would be carried and gloves would be worn. Designer Coco Chanel quilted designer handbags were popular at Lord and Taylor, as well as the famous Kelly handbag made for Grace Kelly by the designer Hermès after she used one to demurely obscure her pregnant belly in a photograph on the cover of Life Magazine.

Lace, silk, chiffon, and ribbons adorned lingerie creations by Chanel, Dior and Givenchy. Lounging robes, tight girdles and pointed bras were on display in the Lord and Taylor department store lingerie department. A lace covered trousseau was in style for a young bride who shopped at the Lord and Taylor Department Store.

Rows and rows of designer perfume were on display on glass counters at the Lord and Taylor Department Store. Artistic and creative perfume bottles were a work of art. At this time fragrances were created by designers such as Lancôme who introduced Magie in a Baccarat bottle. Christian Dior launched Diorrisimo. 

Images are from the Library of Congress:  "20th Century American Architecture & Interior Design- Photographs by Samuel Gottscho and William Schleisner, 1935-1955."

History of Lord & Taylor 

Lord and Taylor Holiday Windows