A Brief History Of Fashion And Styles
It’s hard to believe that almost a century ago, citizens everywhere were dressing in tight-knit clothing that was careful not to reveal much in public. Just as fashion has changed so drastically, so too has the perception on how men and women should act in public. But as we’ll see, more than just rebellion has helped shaped the fashion industry.
The 1920’s were an important stage for women, who saw a fashion revolution with the “flapper” style of clothing. This type of clothing made women more bold, daring, and the “flapper” look overall was associated with the energetic “go getter” types that were emerging as equals to men. Women also enjoyed becoming more socially adept by drinking and smoking in public without shame.
After World War II, the United States was just getting out of a horrible depression. Even after the effects of the depression and war, women and men had to dress conservatively to ensure there were enough materials for war efforts. Women often wore basic and durable clothing, as they were the ones running the factories while the men went to war.
The next big mark in the fashion industry came in the 1960’s, with a rebellion in what was considered formal and conformist. The hippy movement brought loose-fitting clothes that valued comfort over how one looked on the outside. While most associate the 1970’s with such fashion styles, it was in the 1960’s where such types of style gained popularity.
A few decades later we come to the 1990’s, where fashion has become a mixture of several styles. While there will always be those who value retro styles, the 1990’s brought a mix of many different types of fashion and combined them. Different sects or cliques easily form as a result of one’s taste in fashion. One thing that was always popular was bright colors and usage of pastels in clothing, along with blue jeans and tennis shoes to match.
As it stands today, fashion has become a melting pot of hundreds of different styles combine into one. There are the sophisticated business dresses that come from the 1980’s, the pastels that we remember the 1990’s by, and even the “flapper” styles that were popular almost a century ago. As it would look to be, it seems fashion is only going to continue to mix and match its way into a rather diverse and exciting field.
Final Thoughts
Fashion is always changing based on the effects of the economy, art, music, and politics of the current generation. It’ll be interesting to see where the next couple of decades take us in terms of new-age styles and designs- something that we will only observe in due time.
