1950s+Teenagers+RIJR

=__1950s Teenagers__= ===1. Teenagers in the 1950s began to take different interests in fashion. Instead of wearing regular clothing, they started to model their looks and clothing after celebrities, like movie stars. Boys started to wear leather jackets and jeans to impress females, while girls wore poodle skirts to impress the men. These were styles that they had seen from famous people, and it became cool for them to copy. "Greasers" was the term given to the boys because of the way their hair was greased back, but boys would get in trouble for having hair long enough to touch their ears in school. Many boys sought to be rebellious by doing so, and felt it was a way to express themselves, even though they faced consequences. Clothing and style was one major way teens felt they could express themselves.===

===2. During the 1950s, a disc jockey named the new popular type of music "rock 'n' roll." This type of music instantly became popular with teenagers during this time. Favorites like Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry kept the new rock 'n' roll coming, and teenagers kept listening. Teens enjoyed the rebellious style of rock, and felt a connection to the lyrics. Most adults condemned this music, believing that it would lead the teens into a bad life. They found it to be the Devil's music, and did not want their children listening to it. This was another way teens rebelled against rules and their parents.===

===3. For the first time, "teenagers" had their own identity. They now had a name to classify themselves under, and were ready to make a splash. They no longer wanted to be ignored, and made it so they weren't ignored. Teens started becoming more rebellious, breaking rules in the process. Adults feared they would grow up to be deliquents. Although their "crimes" were not as bad as crime today, they were still punished. Chewing gum in class and talking back to adults were viewed as very bad. Along with a new identity came new problems with teenagers.===

===4. Thanks to the booming economy, teenagers could afford to stay in school rather than find work. Teenagers found themselves spending massive amounts of money on products like soda and comic books. $20 million was spent on lipstick by teens in the 1950s. They had money to spend, and planned on spending it. Another thing teenagers spent sums of money on were movies. They would take friends or a date and watch their favorite actors. Movies also influenced their style and how they acted. Everyone wanted to be like the rich and famous.===

===5. Teenagers in the 1950s were involved in more serious relationships. Parents normally didn't approve of being in a relationship at a young age, but teens rebelled by being romantically involved. You could even tell a girl's relationship status by their style. Some girls wore dog collars on their ankles, and the leg they wore it on indicated if they were single or not. Along with relationships came more necking between teenagers, to the dismay of parents.===

This is a 1959 Cadillac Sedan DeVille. Cars like these became popular during the 1950s with teenagers. Teens would take their cars, pick up a date, and then "back seat bingo."
===This image from 1953 shows five female teenagers. They are modeling the fashion trends from that year, including skirts and collars on their ankles. The collar on a different side indicated whether a female was single, or in a relationship.===

__Research__
===As evident by my research, teenagers lost their innocence, but a new identity emerged in the 1950s. Before the '50s, teenagers did not act out, did not listen to music disliked by their parents, and did not rebel. Along with the name teenager came a whole new identity for teenagers. They began to make bold statements, whether it be through fashion, music, or actions. Some teenagers rebelled by growing long hair and by looking like greasers, while others enjoyed the new style of music rock 'n' roll. Both were seen as bad by elders, with music really bothering adults. They found this style of music to be unholy. By acting out in these ways, teens were no longer viewed as innocent, but rather as rebellious and wild.===