Fads

3-D Movies

Even though 3-D movies had been around as far back as 1922 and had lost favor, it was decided to try again. Arch Oboler’s “Bwana Devil” started the 3-D craze of the fifties. People were issued glasses which facilitated the 3-D effect. Previously, 3-D used the anaglyphic process-the red and green ones. This distorted the whole film by discoloration, so a newer system was invented called Natural Vision. The Polaroid glasses were nearly clear, so it did not pull away from the viewing experience.

Chlorophyll

In the fifties, it became widely believed that chlorophyll eliminated bad smells. So manufacturers added it to every kind of product imaginable. It sold well until "The Journal of the American Medical Association" pointed out grazing goats virtually live on chlorophyll and they still smell bad.

Coonskin Caps

The people in the fifties loved Davy Crockett, so they bought coonskin caps. About 100 million dollars worth of raccoon caps sold in one year. They also bought capguns, wrist watches, books, moccasins, and lunch boxes. America had a major infatuation with Davy Crockett.

Hula Hoops

Richard Knerr and Arthur “Spud” Melin, founders of the Wham-O Company, are the creators of the biggest fad of all time - the hula hoop! They got the idea in 1957 from an Australian visiting California, who told them that in his home country, children twirled bamboo hoops around their waists in gym class. Wham-O sold 25 million hula hoops in two months, and almost 100 million international orders followed. They were manufacturing 20,000 hoops a day at the peak of popularity. 

Pink!

Formerly considered a “girlish” color, pink invaded men’s clothing. All men were wearing pink ties, shirts, and even bathrobes. Serious corporate types could be seen wearing pink under their grey flannel suits. This display of lively splendor was a radical departure from the dull neutral colors that once limited men’s clothing choices. Pink was everywhere. There were pink bathrooms with accessories to match, pink cosmetics and of course, the ever-present pink poodle. And then there was Elvis with his famous pink Cadillacs. 

Telephone Cramming

This fad began in South Africa, spread to England and then in 1959 went straight to California! The idea was to cram as many people as possible into a telephone booth. A competition sport, cramming soon spread across college campuses as each one tried to set a new record. It was sometimes called Telephone Box Squash, and there were very few rules except that it was widely accepted that the booth must still contain a phone. The South African record of 25 people withstood all challengers. Cramming expanded into other venues and VW Beetle cramming enjoyed a brief popularity.