ABSTRACT
Strongly influenced by the 'beat' movement as well as the rise of youthful anti-establishment celebrities, teenagers had evolved their own fashion subculture by the mid-1950s. For boys, the desired look generally included leather jackets, sweat shirts or T-shirts, blue jeans, and motorcycle boots; for girls, T-shirts and jeans, or V-neck blouseless sweaters and tight skirts, or party dresses weighed down with ornate jewelry. School authorities appeared almost unanimous in their belief that the wearing of such clothes contributed to juvenile delinquency. At the 1957 convention of the National Association of Secondary School Principals, Manch described the first year of 'The Buffalo Plan', a voluntary drive for a school dress code aimed at improving behavior and courtesy. In retrospect, future youth fashions would render 1950s styles seemingly tame by way of comparison.
