In the 1950s, men's suits once again became more conservative. The pants retained the cuffs and, in some cases, the pleats, but were much slimmer overall. Jackets were slim, too, with small lapels and two to four buttons. Sharkskin was a popular suit material during the 50s, along with the more traditional wools.
In the late 40s-50s, Hawaiian shirts, cabana sets, and western wear became popular casual apparel. Real Hawaiian shirts (with wooden buttons) were the utmost in casual, and had an exotic flair. Cabana sets are matching loose-fitting hip-length shirt and mid-thigh short sets, often a solid color with contrasting piping. The shorts had an all-elastic waist with no fly. Western wear came along with Roy Rogers and the all-American feel of the times. Mother-of-Pearl snap-front shirts and fringe with dark denim turned-up pants were high western style.
The T-shirt made its first appearance among civilians in the 1950s. Originally developed in 1942 for use by GIs - a shirt for those in the Pacific, an undershirt for European winters - the T-shirt saw a lot of action during the war. It became the epitome of masculinity and by 1953 was standard American men's wear.
In the 50s, ties began to narrow again, eventually slimming down to one and a half inches. Many narrow 50s ties are a solid color with one small printed or embroidered design in the center.