Fashion over the
years has changed dramatically, whether one realises it or not fashion has so
much more to do with society then is known. Shaped by war, trends and societies
changing – fashion has always been at the heart of all the action. This article
is individually exploring each era, breaking down the walls of fashion.
1940’s
The concept: all about the hour glass figure with
broad shoulders, tiny waists and full hips. If you were not naturally an hour
glass shape the clothes were designed to help you achieve the look.
How? Wide padded shoulders, nipped in high
waist tops, and a-line skirts that came down to the knee.
Background: with the start of the war and a strict
rationing on fabric, dresses in the 1940s became shorter - the 1930s featured dresses down to mid-calf, however the 1940s brought them
up to knee length. Women’s clothes
took on a masculine militant look with the invention of shoulder pads, every
dress, blouse or jacket was fitted with shoulder pads that extended just past
the edge of the shoulder. This made for a boxy or square neckline and shoulder
angle. Sleeves were often puffed up a bit with gathers at the top and extended
down to just above the elbow.
The neckline of
the 1940’s came in a variety of cut outs. They could be square, slit,
sweetheart, keyhole, shirred, cross front (wrap), or V
with shirtwaist (button down) tops. There was no cleavage! All dress
top designs revealed very little skin, compared to today’s fashion.
Evening dresses were the exception - they were spaghetti strapped or halter
topped that revealed shoulders and chests but only mild cleavage. Skirts were
long and full in the early 40’s and sleek by the end of the decade.
1950’s
The concept: This was a time of change and
experiment, with new shapes to be explored and a changing economy.
How? Women's dresses in particular were subject to excess fabric, through gatherings, a multitude of pleats,
poufy petticoats, and collars, in the brightest and boldest patterns and colours.
Background: During World War II and
the 1940s, clothing was greatly influenced by rationing, which limited quantities
of fabrics, threads and needles, so the most popular look was a simple outfit
using as little resources needed as possible. Fashion would showcase one's place in society more so
than ever before and became a way to express individual
identity.
Fifties fashion
also helped to define a woman's place in society, especially for wives. . Women's clothing could for the first time be
easily sorted into clothing for housework or languishing around the home, going
out to run errands or conduct business, maternity wear, party-appropriate clothing
for social gatherings, or, for women of a lower socio-economic station than the
emerging middle class, work uniforms. These different styles were meant to impress
and please others including husbands, neighbours, friends and employers, with much
less emphasis on whether these fashions expressed the individual identity of
the women who wore them.
1960’s
The concept: After growing up in the 50s the youth embraced their fond early childhood memories and fashions.
By early fashion we mean babies and toddlers. The “baby doll” look was incorporated
into dress, hair and makeup. This was the age of youth.
How? Oversize collars, bows, and trim
miniaturized women and made them appear smaller. Shapeless mini
dresses de-emphasized a women’s natural from.
Background: Kitten heel pumps, Mary Jane’s strap
shoes, and flat sneakers were all childhood favourites returned to the
60’s. The full skirt,
tight bodice, of the ‘50s dress continued in the early ’60s with an at or
slightly above the knee hemline. The style didn’t last long before the 50s
pencil dress loosened up and turned into the shapeless “shift dress” in
1963. Shift dresses were casual wear for home, running errands, going to
the beach. They were not office friendly because they were too short. 1960s dresses
became shorter and shorter. Anything above the knee was a “mini skirt.”
Colours and
prints were at first, inspired by the pop art and modern art movements. Checkerboard,
stripes and polka dots, colourblock, and Cambells soup cans were all
placed on short shift dresses. Being over the top was never too much.
Eventually “pop” settled down into soft pastels, pique fabrics, gingham checks
for a gentler “girly” appeal.There was also a
trend of earth tone colours, especially as the decade moved toward the
hippie movement. Moss green, earthy browns, mustard yellow, burnt orange were
common colours year round.
1970’s
The concept: can be called Decade of Decadence, the
‘Me’ decade and the decade of excess and androgyny.
How? Women emerged in the work place tenfold.
Pantsuits, day wear, and separates with a sense of masculine style as echoed in
the film ‘Annie Hall’ created a sensation with Diane Keaton wearing a fitted
vest with a collared white shirt and men’s neckties. Skirts could be seen in a
variety of lengths, mini midi or maxi! The maxi dress was worn throughout the
decade in a multitude of styles and shapes. Rich earthy tones were popular in many colours; warm browns, burgundy, rust, mustard, and avocado green.
Background: The Woodstock festival of peace and
music was the end of the 1960s hippie movement, with the U.S. still at war. The
hippie flower child look from the late 1960s carried over into the first half
of the decade in a non-restrictive bohemian silhouette with a heavy folksy
influence. Denim was being
mass consumed by all ages and seen as the ultimate American garment. Jeans were
flared, bell bottom, wide legged, hip huggers, high waist, embroidered,
embellished, studded – you name it! Denim was not just limited to pants: jean
skirts, suits, vests, jackets, hats and accessories were omnipresent.
Disco brought
excess and decadence. Quiana polyester was wildly popular and was used in day
dresses, shirts, blouses and evening wear. Cheaply made tight fitting body
conscious clothing could be seen in any discotheque. Wrap-around skirts,
leotards, tube tops, dance wear inspired dresses and separates with ease and
movement were made in Lurex, miliskin and spandex. Film star John Travolta wore
a white 3-piece suit with black shirt in the blockbuster movie “Saturday Night
Fever”.Punk fashion
evolved alongside the musical genre out of open disgust for the status quo, the
modern political agenda and the slick overproduced overtly commercial
mainstream that rock music had become. Punk was gritty, dangerous and offensive, the clothing represented a
darker and harsher view of reality and dissatisfaction with the ideals of
conformity.
1980’s
The concept: Overconsumption, oversized and just
plain over-the-top were cornerstone features in this decade of excess and
materialism. It was a time of abundance, optimism and unabashed greed.
How? Shoulder
pads returned to fashion in a super-sized version, and the “power suit”
reflected women’s emerging status in the workplace. The term “Yuppie” was
coined as an acronym for the Young Urban Professional who was a career driven,
20-30 something male or female, obsessed with upward mobility, money and the pursuit
of personal fulfilment. Designers boldly celebrated their logos on the exterior
of their designs and their clothing became elite status symbols.
Glamour in the
1980s, as depicted in the popular TV shows Dallas and Dynasty, translated to
bedazzled evening wear studded with sequins and beads. Hair was permed, teased
and coiffed to ever larger proportions and extravagance. Makeup was bold and colourful,
as was jewellery of the era which featured large statement necklaces and long,
dangling earrings which grazed the shoulders. Music legends
like Annie Lenox, Boy George, David Bowie and Grace Jones blurred the lines of
androgyny in fashion. Japanese fashion designers continued to push fashion
barriers exploring gender-bending, sculptural, avant-garde silhouettes. The fitness boom
of the 1980s, as part of this self-conscious and self indulgent decade, spawned
a fashion trend that took dance and exercise wear from the studio and gym to
the runway and the street.
1990’s
The concept: Fashion
in the early 1990s was generally loose fitting and colourful. Unless you were
going for the grunge look, then colour was the enemy.
How? Our t-shirts were big and shorts were
extra-long. The tapered pants were a big deal. If they weren’t tapered, then
you had to taper them yourself with a fold and a couple flips. Boys and girls
both wore baseball caps in many different ways. Mullets were stylish for a
couple years and every sweater had a turtleneck under it. But then grunge
happened. Suddenly every thrift store in town couldn’t keep a flannel shirt in
stock to save their backs. Teens were digging through dad’s box of old clothes
to get their hands on some authentic hole-ridden jeans to wear over top of
their long john stockings.
Background: The early 90’s fashions worn by hop artists
who were becoming increasingly mainstream. And because of the growing
popularity of hip hop music among the suburban community, urban styles were
seen everywhere, not just in the big city. By the late 1990s hip hop style was
arguably the most popular among young people.
Starting in the
mid-90s, industrial and military styles crept into mainstream fashion. People
were finding any way to make a fashion accessory out of a piece of machinery.
Camouflage pants were ironically worn by anti-war protesters.
By the late 90s,
rave culture swept through and people were looking for clothes that were more
glamorous again. The grungy styles of the early nineties were old hat. Looking
rich was cool again. Name brand designers were back in a big way. Interestingly
enough, late 90s clothing styles are not too drastically different than they
are today. In the 1990s, musicians had a much greater influence on what young
people wore than designers. All a kid in Kansas had to do was turn on MTV for
the latest east and west coast styles of the moment.
2000’s
The concept: The so-called ‘mash-up’ decade got its
name because it is the first decade that didn’t have a certain style for the
most part.
How? This era has changed from the early 2000, to the mid 2000, nowadays it is the celebration of individual styles.
Background: In the early 2000s fashion designers
rather recycled already existing high-end fashion styles from the
past decades and continued the minimalist look of the 1990s in a more
polished way. Later on, designers began to adopt a more colourful, feminine,
excessive, and ‘anti-modern’
look. Vintage and retro clothing, especially from
the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s became extremely popular and
colours like baby blue, yellow and hot pink were very common.
As women’s
fashion moved away from the unisex styles of the 1990s, the very feminine
and dressy styles were reintroduced in the early years of this decade. Women
wore denim miniskirts and jackets, tank tops, flip-flops and ripped
jeans. The men’s fashion in these years was more cool and sporty. Trainers,
baseball caps, light-coloured polo shirts and boot-cut jeans were pretty popular. In the mid 2000s
women wore mostly low rise skinny jeans. Tunics were worn with wide or thin
belts, longer tank tops with a main blouse or shirt, leggings, knee-high boots
with pointed toes, capri pants, and vintage clothing. In the late 2000s,
ballet flats, knitted sweater dresses, long shirts combined with a belt,
leather jackets and fur coats made a comeback.
Thanks for reading
Holly
(If you have any requests, questions or inquiries please feel free to tweet me, comment or email me)
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