Glamour & Grace: Wilhela Cushman’s Photos of 1950s Fashion

Wilhela Cushman was a prominent fashion editor and photographer who was best known for her work at Ladies’ Home Journal.

She served as the magazine’s fashion editor for 25 years, starting around the late 1940s and continuing through the early 1950s. Her name often appears alongside well-known fashion designers and photographers of that era, and she even shot many of the fashion features and covers herself, making her quite influential in mid-century American fashion journalism.

Cushman is credited with the famous quote: “Just around the corner in every woman’s mind - is a lovely dress, a wonderful suit, or entire costume which will make an enchanting new creature of her.” These photos capture the elegance and refinement of 1950s style, reflecting Wilhela Cushman’s lasting influence on the world of fashion photography.

Model in pretty, floral print, polished cotton dress, photo by Wilhela Cushman, Ladies' Home Journal, May 1954

Ivy Nicholson in lovely stole-dress in flower printed silk surah with wide-brimmed straw hat by Christian Dior-New York, photo by Wilhela Cushman, Ladies' Home Journal, March 1953

Ivy Nicholson in multi-color dragon print silk dress with same print-trimmed cashmere sweater by Clare Potter, photo by Wilhela Cushman, Ladies' Home Journal, January 1953

Ivy Nicholson in straight box-jacket suit in beige striped flannel with straw-cloth cuffs by Alvin Handmacher, photo by Wilhela Cushman, Ladies' Home Journal, January 1953

Model in English tweed suit in taupe beige with a hairline plaid, straight jacket with velvet collar over silk blouse by Digby Morton, hat by Lilly Daché, bag by John Frederics, photo by Wilhela Cushman, Ladies' Home Journal, March 1953

Barbara Mullen in pretty dress of white piqué stripes alternating with pink crinkle stripes, the drawstring bodice tied with velvet ribbon, photo by Wilhela Cushman, Ladies' Home Journal, December 1955

Leonie Vernet in beige-and-black printed rayon dress by Jerry Gilden, photo by Wilhela Cushman, Ladies' Home Journal, March 1955

Suzy Parker wearing a white straw cartwheel hat edged with organdy by Hattie Carnegie, photo by Wilhela Cushman, Ladies' Home Journal, Mrach 1955

Ann Farrar in rose red-and-brown mixture tweed suit over cashmere sweater by Adele Simpson, worn with a swansdown hat and a civet-cat bag by Greta, photo by Wilhela Cushman, Ladies' Home Journal, September 1956

Dorian Leigh in black lace blouse with embroidered medallions worn with a bronze-green taffeta skirt and mauve velvet bow-tie belt by Patou, photo by Wilhela Cushman, Ladies' Home Journal, December 1956

Kathleen Wallace wearing a pale yellow straw hat with a shower of yellow flowers by John Frederics, photo by Wilhela Cushman, Ladies' Home Journal, March 1956

Lucinda Hollingsworth wearing a pale beige baku hat with a wreath of full-blown roses by Sally Victor, photo by Wilhela Cushman, Ladies' Home Journal, March 1956

Lucinda Hollingsworth wearing larger-than-life-size field flowers straight on by Mr. John with Monte-sano's blue silk coat, photo by Wilhela Cushman, Ladies' Home Journal, March 1956

Model in striped rayon shirtwaist dress by Melba Hobson, orange cashmere sweater by Dior is matched by her handbag, photo by Wilhela Cushman, Ladies' Home Journal, April 1956

Anne St. Marie in navy wool knitted sheath and red wool knit jacket by Kimberly, straw hat by Elizabeth Marks, bag by Morris Moscowitz, photo by Wilhela Cushman, Ladies' Home Journal, April 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

Joan Friedman in perfect gray flannel suit by Jeanne Campbell, hat by Murray Paul, photo by Wilhela Cushman, Ladies' Home Journal, April 1957

Joan Friedman in pure silk print shirtwaist dress with cummerbund and full skirt by Abe Schrader, photo by Wilhela Cushman, Ladies' Home Journal, April 1957

Lee Bouvier in beautiful white faille evening dress with a crystal embroidered blue satin bodice, photo by Wilhela Cushman, Ladies' Home Journal, December 1957

Mary Jane Russel in charming silk shantung dress worn with its own short jacket by Jonathan Logan, hat by John Frederics, photo by Wilhela Cushman, Ladies' Home Journal, April 1957

Mary Jane Russell in beautiful coat of palest blue flowered satin with a collar of mink by Christian Dior, photo by Wilhela Cushman, Paris, Ladies' Home Journal, November 1957

Mary Jane Russell in slim suit of Damask-rose tweed with velvet collar by Christian Dior, a back-tilted mink toque, and short mink coat, photo by Wilhela Cushman, Paris, Ladies' Home Journal, November 1957

Mary McLaughlin in black silk shantung afternoon dress with a thin leather belt by Ben Barrack, photo by Wilhela Cushman, Ladies' Home Journal, April 1957

Model in black rayon-acetate dress with an easy skirt and short sleeves by Jack Horowitz, tangerine hat by Lilly Daché, handbag by Gucci, photo by Wilhela Cushman, Ladies' Home Journal, August 1957

Model in brilliant red wool coat with a draped collar and big easy sleeves by Dan Millstein, soft leopard cloth hat by Lilly Daché, matching bag by Morris Moskowitz, photo by Wilhela Cushman, Ladies' Home Journal, October 1957

Model wearing a gold Milan straw hat rimmed with blossoms by Mr. John, photo by Wilhela Cushman, Ladies' Home Journal, April 1957

Model wearing a spring green organza turban by Irene of New York, silk print suit by Ben Reig, photo by Wilhela Cushman, Ladies' Home Journal, February 1957

Model wearing a deep-crown rough straw cloche with garden flowers in such a variety that it can be worn with many colors by Mr. John, photo by Wilhela Cushman, Ladies' Home Journal, April 1957

Evelyn Tripp in beautiful ball gown of white satin with rose pink by Victor Stiebel, photo by Wilhela Cushman, Ladies' Home journal, September 1958

Jessica Ford in evening dress of sky-blue faille with butterfly bows, hem is short in front trailing in the rear by Manuel Pertegaz, photo by Wilhela Cushman, Ladies' Home Journal, September 1958

Jessica Ford in simple off-white woolen skirt with a brilliant pink moire ribbon edged in braid worn with black jersey top, Vogue, photo by Wilhela Cushman, Ladies' Home Journal, December 1958

Marie-Hélène Arnaud in navy blue jersey suit trimmed with white braid, worn with chalk-white crêpe blouse by Chanel, photo by Wilhela Cushman, Ladies' Home Journal, November 1958

Marie-Hélène Arnaud in pale tweed suit with gold lamé blouse and jacket lining by Chanel, photo by Wilhela Cushman, Ladies' Home Journal, March 1958

Marie-Hélène Arnaud in silver lamé dinner dress and jacket by Chanel, photo by Wilhela Cushman, Ladies' Home Journal, March 1958

Mary Jane Russell in striking coin-dotted dress with a shoulder-tip white collar and short full skirt in spun rayon by Anne Klein, photo by Wilhela Cushman, Ladies' Home Journal, June 1958

Model in double-breasted tweed coat over a black tweed bow dress with modified Empire lines, worn with red velvet hat, all by Simonetta of Rome, photo by Wilhela Cushman, Ladies' Home Journal, September 1958

Model in frosted pink, spongy wool coat in the yoke silhouette by William Fox, photo by Wilhela Cushman, Ladies' Home Journal, February 1958

Model wearing a double-faced sapphire-blue milan breton by John Frederics, photo by Wilhela Cushman, Ladies' Home Journal, March 1958

Model wearing a simple, elegant hat of stitched silk in pale lilac taffeta by Mr. John, photo by Wilhela Cushman, Ladies' Home Journal, March 1958

Suzy Parker in flecked tweed suit with violet taffeta lining the jacket and in the blouse by Chanel, photo by Wilhela Cushman, Ladies' Home Journal, March 1958

Suzy Parker in white basket-weave tweed suit with printed silk blouse which ties at the waist by Chanel, photo by Wilhela Cushman, Ladies' Home Journal, March 1958

Evelyn Tripp in green printed silk surah dress with a sash waistline and organdy rose with a rough straw hat both by Christian Dior, photo by Wilhela Cushman, Ladies' Home Journal, March 1959

Mary Jane Russell in hand-loomed black knit sleeveless sweater with a brilliant golden-yellow shantung shirt by Traina-Norell, photo by Wilhela Cushman, Ladies' Home Journal, October 1959

Model in romantic ball gown with a sweeping peacock-blue satin skirt, velvet bodice, satin bow at the décolletage by Castillo for Lanvin, photo by Wilhela Cushman at Versailles, Ladies' Home Journal, November 1959

Monique Chevalier in timeless, black chiffon evening dress worn with an oversize jewel and multi-strand dog collar, all by Christian Dior, photo by Wilhela Cushman, Ladies' Home Journal, November 1959

Simone d'Aillencourt in double-breasted, easy-shoulderd white chinchilla wool coat over navy two-piece wool dress by Christian Dior, photo by Wilhela Cushman, Paris, Ladies' Home Journal, November 1959

Simone d'Aillencourt in fuschia tweed suit by Adele Simpson, fur hat by Irene of New York, pump by Dior, calfskin bag by Barra, photo by Wilhela Cushman, Ladies' Home Journal, September 1959

Simone d'Aillencourt in red-cherry tweed suit by Ben Reig with Norwegian sealskin beret by Chanda and graphie-gray chain bag by Greta, photo by Wilhela Cushman, Ladies' Home Journal, September 1959

Simone d'Aillencourt in sand-beige, shadow-checked tweed suit, small-scale lynx necklet is tied with the tweed, by David Kidd for Arthur Jablow, photo by Wilhela Cushman, Ladies' Home Journal, September 1959

Sunny Harnett in navy-blue taffeta party dress fashioned with deep loops lovely in movement by Mainbocher, photo by Wilhela Cushman, Ladies' Home Journal, April 1959