Throughout the different time periods, fashion has gone through much change and development. In the Edwardian Era, from 1901-1910, the wealthy women wore elaborate laced dresses with high necklines daily and tailored and tailor made suits.In the early 1920’s, fashion changed with World War I. Dresses took on a whole new dimension. In order to preserve materials during the war period, the corseted waist was replaced with a hobble, narrow skirt. In 1925, "shift" type dresses with no waistline emerged.
Which lead up to the 1930’s, where prohibition, the proliferation of jazz, and the development of mass media controlled the era. Women were gaining more independence and placing more attention on glamour. The emergence of three major women’s fashion magazines also hit the scene, Vogue, The Queen, and Harper's Bazaar. A softer, more feminine style replaced the boyish, flapper look of the twenties.
The true hallmarks of fashion in the early 1940's included an austere silhouette with narrow hips, padded shoulders, and all manner of hats. The working-class look of icons such as Rosie the Riveter became chic, as women of all social standings joined the war effort. American designers introduced the concept of separates and co-ordinating components in order to create the illusion of more outfits than one actually had. Classic sportswear styles took hold on college campuses and were soon adopted by all levels of society and all age groups.The focus was on the baby-bo
oming family in the 1950’s and being a good housewife which was the ultimate measure of success. To look the part of the perfect housewife, women donned full skirts which were hemmed mid-calf placed with simple blouses.The 1960’s was the decade of the mini-skirt. Widely acknowledged as the brainchild of designer Mary Quant, within a year anybody who had the body to pull it off was wearing a mini, many of whose hemlines were 4-5 inches above the knee in New York and 7-8 inches above the knee in London.
The 1970's were literally the "anything goes" decade. For some, the uglier and clunkier the fashion, the better. For others, soft and feminine was the answer. No matter what you "dug" though, making a fashion statement reached its apex in the 1970s.
The '80s was the decade of excess. Everything was bigger, and everyone wanted more more more! More was better....wasn't it? Shoulder pads were de riguer for both men and women, the more accessories the better. Bright colors, denim and outrageous hairstyles ruled the fashion scene at this time period, which lead into the 1990’s.
Works Cited
20th Century Fashion. 2003. The Costume Gallery. 15 April 2007 <www.costumegallery.com>.
About: Women's Fashion. 2007. New York Times Company. 12 April 2007 <http://fashion.about.com/od/historycostumes/Fashion_History.htm>.
Fashion-Era. Ed. Pauline Weston and Guy Thomas. 2007. 12 April 2007 <http://www.fashion-era.com/>.
Fashion Past and Present. Ed. Tracey O. 2007. Teacher Oz's Kingdom of History. 15 April 2007 < http://www.teacheroz.com/fashionhistory.htm>.