In the 1950s, casual dating was still a fairly new concept; before the war, young people typically only dated if they intended to marry in the future. After the war, however, the term “going steady” was used more loosely and couples dated exclusively without thinking of long-term plans.

When was the word dating first used?

The word dating entered the American language during the 1920s. Prior to that, courtship was a matter of family and community interest. Starting around the time of the Civil War, courtship became a private matter for couples.

What was marriage like in 1950?

In the 1950s, women felt tremendous societal pressure to focus their aspirations on a wedding ring. The U.S. marriage rate was at an all-time high and couples were tying the knot, on average, younger than ever before. Getting married right out of high school or while in college was considered the norm.