1950s formal dresses and prom dresses were much like the popular dress styles of the 1950s.

The natural female figure was merely a starting block for the structure and design that clothing in the ’50s promoted. The look was innocent, romantic and glamorous. All which were the typical feminine ideal of the decade.
The 1950s evening gowns were made of silk, lace, tulle/net and decorated with flowers, beads, and embroidery.  The 1940s desire for a long gown with fuller skirts started the trend, while women in the 1950s finished copying the look completely with the addition of hoops skirts and petticoats.
Take a look at these cool snaps to see what formal dresses of young women looked like in the 1950s.