Born 1919 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, American fashion designer Anne Fogarty was noted for her understated, ladylike designs that were accessible to American women on a limited income. She started out as a model in New York in 1939, working for Harvey Berin on Seventh Avenue, before studying fashion design. She eventually secured a full-time design job in 1948, and became well-known for full-skirted designs with fitted bodices, inspired by Dior’s New Look.

Fashion designs by Anne Fogarty in the 1950s

Fogarty’s clothes were easy to wear, practical, and made with casual fabrics, following the American sportswear tradition. She ran her own label from 1962 to 1974, and worked as a freelance designer until her death.

In 1959, Fogarty published a style manual, Wife Dressing: The Fine Art of Being a Well-Dressed Wife, which emphasized femininity, neatness, and always being suitably dressed as desirable qualities. Wife Dressing was rediscovered in the early 21st century, and has become a key resource for designers and fashion historians looking to explore the 1950s ideology of ultra-feminine dressing.

Fogarty died of a heart attack in 1980, in her apartment in the high-rise building at 200 East 64th Street in Manhattan. These vintage photos captured portraits of classic beauties wearing fashion designs by Anne Fogarty in the 1950s.

Model in full-skirted dress with black piping by Anne Fogarty, Harper’s Bazaar, November 1950

Janet Randy in short full-skirted red rayon taffeta dress made for dancing, the fichu ends in jet beads, by Anne Fogarty, photo by Richard Rutledge, Vogue, September 15, 1951

Nan Rees in brown and beige tweed coat-dress with detachable marmot collar, worn over two crinoline petticoats, by Anne Fogarty, photo by Richard Rutledge, Vogue, August 15, 1951

Model in striped dress with full skirt by Anne Fogarty, Vogue, August 15, 1952

Sandy Brown in fitted crimson velveteen dress, bodice continues down past the waist to a full skirt, by Anne Fogarty, photo by Gleb Derujinsky, Junior Bazaar, July 1952

Sandy Brown in quilted striped dress, full skirt, v-neckline and short sleeves by Anne Fogarty, Vogue, February 1, 1952

Suzy Parker in short white piqué dress with bronze ribbon detail by Anne Fogarty, Vogue, April 15 1952

Dovima in dress by Anne Fogarty, Vogue, August 1, 1953

Model in white jersey dress by Anne Fogarty, photo by Irving Penn, Vogue, January 1953

Nina de Voogt in a tweed dress worn under a heavier herringbone tweed Chesterfiled coat with leather collar, by Anne Fogarty, photo by Milton Greene, Vogue, February 15, 1953

Leonie Vernet in black jersey sheath dress with white satin drawn through at the neck by Anne Fogarty, Lutetia EMBA mink jacket by Ben Mandel, photo by Roger prigent, Vogue, November 15, 1954

Model in flared textured tweed dress by Anne Fogarty, jewelry by Castlecliff for Anne Fogarty, Vogue, August 1, 1954

Sandy Brown in lovely full-skirted dress by Anne Fogarty, Harper’s Bazaar, May 1954

Sandy Brown in pretty full-skirted checked dress of rayon taffeta by Anne Fogarty, photo by Tom Palumbo, Harper’s Bazaar, March 1954

Kathleen Wallace in red wool flannel dress by Anne Fogarty, jewelry by Coro, photo by Roger Prigent, Vogue, August 1, 1955

Model in afternoon or evening cotton dress in gold and coral print by Anne Fogarty, photo by Paul Radkai, Ladies’ Home Journal, January 1955

Sandy Brown in printed silk shantung dress with full skirt and wide waistband by Anne Fogarty, Vogue, February 1, 1955

Sandy Brown in white piqué halter dress with navy blue polka dot silk scarf drawn through the neckline by Anne Fogarty, photo by Frances Pellegrini, Harper’s Bazaar, January 1955

Betsy Pickering in an elegant sheath, squared high in front, low and bowed in back in Merrimack velveteen by Anne Fogarty, Vogue, August 1, 1956

Lois Gunas Wideman in dress by Anne Fogarty, Vogue, May 15, 1956

Mary Jane Russell in white pleated dress in white Arnel sharkskin by Anne Fogarty, Vogue, May 15, 1956

Betsy Pickering in a black twill-backed velveteen dress by Anne Fogarty, fur by Fredrica, photo by Rockfield, Vogue, August 15, 1957

Evelyn Tripp in softly pleated, plaid wool dress by Anne Fogarty, cherry calfskin belt by Ben King, photo by Wilhela Cushman, Ladies’ Home Journal, October 1957

Fox shoulder straps are dyed to match this gray flannel evening dress by Anne Fogarty, photo by Nina Leen, 1957

Romaine Simenson in red shirtwaist dress by Anne Fogarty and kid pumps by Pappagalo, photo by Frances McLaughlin-Gill at Kingston, Jamaica, airport, Vogue, March 1, 1957

Sandy Brown in Bates cotton dress by Anne Fogarty for Margot, Vogue, April 15, 1957

Anna Carin Bjorck in Récarmier dress of black silk crêpe, perfect for evening by Anne Fogarty, worn with glittering earrings by Schreiner, photo by Irving Penn, Vogue, June 1958

Model in lovely pale pink silk hostess gown, rose-scattered, scoop-necked, puff-sleeved, the back falls free with green satin ribbon in front, by Anne Fogarty, photo by Tom Palumbo, Harper’s Bazaar, May 1958

Sunny Harnett in a Récamier dress of navy blue and white dots with green ribbon ties by Anne Fogarty, photo by Irving Penn, Vogue, June 1958

Ann Klem in dress by Anne Fogarty, DuPont Dacron ad, Harper’s Bazaar, May 1959

Betsy Pickering in late-day shirt dress of yellow on black silk surah by Anne Fogarty, photo by Richard Rutledge, Vogue, February 1, 1959

Gitta Schilling in white cotton broadcloth shirt-dress with full skirt and belted in black patent leather by Anne Fogarty, black straw cartwheel hat by John Frederics Charmer, photo by Karen Radkai, Vogue, May 1, 1959

Iris Bianchi in a pink beach club dress printed with white clover blossoms by Anne Fogarty, photo by Francesco Scavullo, Harper’s Bazaar, April 1959

Iris Bianchi in pink Everglaze cotton dress printed with white clover blossoms by Anne Fogarty, hat by Richard Englander, photo by Francesco Scavullo, Harper’s Bazaar, April 1959

Model is wearing knitted dress by Anne Fogarty, velvet hat by Emme and alligator bag by Lucille, photo by Sante Forlano, New York City, 1959