If you’re a movie buff and looking for that feelgood comedy spirit with all of the retro style you could possibly want, Cry-Baby is the perfect choice.

Set in 1950s Baltimore, the 1990 movie is something of a spoof on Grease, mixed with a little Romeo and Juliet, with over-the-top dialogue, ridiculous scenes and musical numbers so catchy they’ll leave you singing the absurd lyrics long after the film’s over. However, although the satire plot will have you laughing, the period fashion is serious business.

Of course, to get a better laugh the movie goes above and beyond exploiting the stereotypes from the time. Fortunately, this gives us an even better look at the retro style of each clichéd character.

Goody Two-Shoes – Allison Vernon-Williams (Amy Locane)

Poodle skirts and collared tea-length dresses initially make up this straight-A student’s wardrobe, similar to the ones Planet Sputnik recently wrote about here. A high ponytail, soft make-up and rosy cheeks complete the ensemble.

While it is a gorgeous model look for a ’50s schoolgirl, if you’ve seen the movie, you know Allison eventually gets a bit of a makeover. She’s “so tired of being good”, she finds she needs fresh clothes to match her newfound ‘bad’ side.

Enter the green sweetheart-neckline top and tight leather capri pants that she wears when singing with Cry-Baby on stage. Sweetheart necklines became increasingly popular in the ’50s. A great look even today, the shape of the top enhances the look and size of the bust – and back in the day this gave the style a reputation of being worn by girls who were, well, less than modest. However, by 21st century standards it wouldn’t be thought of as improper in the least – and it’s so timeless that we’d love to have it in our own wardrobe.

Allison’s wardrobe becomes increasingly daring throughout the movie, especially the sexy red number that she wears when she visits Cry-Baby at the correctional facility. The colour red was usually perceived as a bit too seductive for the time, so sporting the bold colour and skimpier outfit (not to mention her indecent dancing on the glass) shows just how much she’s changed from dressing like a ‘good girl’ to dressing like a ‘bad girl’.

Allison’s make-up also gets more pronounced as the film goes on. Her eyeliner is slightly winged, and her blusher and lipstick are heavier than when she dressed ‘good’.

Bad Boy – Cry-Baby (Johnny Depp)

Picturebox Films calls Cry-Baby “a moodier Grease with lots of laughs” in its section on the film – and for good reason, too. For the most part, it’s all due to Depp’s character.

The leader of a gang of tough misfits, Cry-Baby gets his name from his ability to cry a single tear on cue – his go-to move that makes the girls go wild. But it’s his slicked-back hair with a loose strand in the front that makes us swoon for this classic motorcycle-riding bad boy. His leather jacket, jeans and white T-shirt just make the look even more iconic for a 1950s rebel.

Incidentally, many years after Cry-Baby’s release, and after Depp had established himself as one of the world’s biggest film stars, Planet Sputnik worked on Johnny’s retro vampire movie Dark Shadows. Read more about it here.

The Pinup Girl – Wanda Woodward (Traci Lords)

The character who really steals the spotlight is Traci Lords’ Wanda Woodward. This blonde bombshell perfectly exemplifies the pinup-girl style of the 1950s, with her sweetheart necklines, tight pencil skirts and pants that certainly don’t hide her shape. Her button-up, polka-dot dress with a cinched waist that she wears before the band performs for the first time is a classic outfit for a pinup. Paired with a tough leather jacket, she perfectly looks the part of a risqué ’50s gang girl.

Throughout the picture her bright blonde hair is always perfectly curled and her bold red lips and cat-eye make-up – like that seen on Vintage Make-up Guide – just enhances her look as a pinup girl trying to attract the attention of the opposite sex.

As a movie, Cry-Baby is a great source for retro fashion inspiration. The only thing we wouldn’t recommend bringing back is the ‘bulky socks with heels’ look. We don’t think your look will be lacking without those lumpy tube socks – do you?

 (Planet Sputnik guest post)

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