Summer in the 1950s meant brightly patterned frocks with nipped in waists and detailing around the neckline. These examples include (from left) a striped, silk French-made number, a nylon floral frock and a pretty two-toned dress from the very popular English Horrockses brand (whose garments, like many at the time, were made under licence in New Zealand).
Women’s dresses (from left): Dress, woman’s, 1950-1959, France, maker unknown. Purchased 2004. CC BY-NC-ND licence. Te Papa (GH014367); Dress, circa 1955, England, maker unknown. Gift of Mrs M Sadler, 1986. CC BY-NC-ND licence. Te Papa (PC003660); Dress, circa 1960, England, by Horrockses Fashions, California Productions (New Zealand) Limited. Purchased 2011. CC BY-NC-ND licence. Te Papa (GH017060)