Decade after decade styles reappear, disappear, and evolve. You can see it today on the streets of New York City or in a high fashion show in Paris. Around the globe we all share a sense of fashion whether your go to is sweats or a slip-on dress. That is the beauty of it all, we get to decide. You never know what the next trend may be, you could be wearing it. The best fashion advice ever said: “Wear your heart”. It could be considered the center of your style. If you are feeling happy and energized you will most likely pair jeans and a nice top together. But, if you are feeling like you are ready to go move from your bed to the couch you might throw on bike shorts and an oversized sweatshirt. Fashion has a way of travelling through time with the ever-developing fabrics, designers, trends, colors, and all the other components of clothing.
Back then women slowly but surely started showcasing authenticity.
But these modern day styles had to come from somewhere, right? Many may date the earliest fashion ideas back to the Medieval Era. Let’s start circa the twentieth century when times were so different, yet semi-constant. 1910 revolved around the bust and a natural silhouette. Dresses were vibrant in color and adorned with sequins and feathers. There were not many additional options with strict societal views. 1920 brought slightly shorter skirts and incorporated more ideal comfort. A woman who wore the shorter skirt and a dropped waist dress was known as a “Flapper”. 1930 emphasized a woman’s natural curves with “The Bias Cut”. The strategic design had the fabric cut forty-five degrees against the weave of the dress, creating fluidity throughout the garment. Inspiration derived from Hollywood and films and celebrities. Gilbert Adrian created a custom piece for Joan Crawford with a nipped in waist, full skirt (conservatism returned during this decade), and huge puffed sleeves created with layers of translucent white organdie fabric. Her look demonstrated the 1930s standard. 1940 and 1950 introduced uniforms since World War II stalled the business of fashion for a few years. The drive for femininity decreased for some time due to women being able to participate in professional work. They gravitated towards the straight cut suits or blazer and a skirt or wrap over dresses. Christian Dior, a French designer, helped make the vision for women come true with his “Corolle” line, otherwise known as the New Look in Paris. The “Bar Suit” came with a white, tailored jacket and full, pleated black skirt. Claire McCardell created the “Pop Over” dress which became a staple for simplicity and elegance. McCardell navigated the struggles of being a woman and being taken seriously with her ability to ration and use denim, seersucker, and jersey when wool and silk were limited. 1960 eased into a more casual look across all genders and ages. The “Hippie” aesthetic became the look of the decade while ladylike elegance, youthful styles of Mary Quant, and the Space Age had influences on fashion as well. Suede and beads epitomized the “uncluttered and futuristic” foundation of the 60s. With icons such as Janis Joplin, designers focused more on the idea of lucidity of clothing instead of over the top styling. This transition is remembered as the “Swinging London” or “Youthquake”. 1970 showcased a mixture of Victorian and Hippie. With the “Prairie Dress” being a perfect example of the mixture with the mid-length, flounced bottom and delicate floral patterns. Suits became more gender neutral and creative in patterns and colors. Many consumers became fond of animal print whether it was their headbands, suit, or shoes. Zandra Rhodes popularized the silk evening gown which exemplified patterns and eased hippie style. Rhodes loosened the reins for high fashion with her highly demanded relaxed look. 1980 brought the body suits, high socks, leggings, puffed sleeves, neon colors, and exaggerated hair-dos. Stylish sportswear and the soft “New Romantics” design became more prevalent. Norma Kamali utilized jersey to craft comfortable athleisure wear. Along with Donna Karan and Azzedine Alaia who made stretchy pieces for mobility with Lycra. Women’s bodies were now shaping the clothes instead of being shaped by their clothes. 1990 normalized the use of high tech polyester and linen which created a more structural shape instead of a tight cling to the body. Guess gained a following with the uprising in denim and their diverse styles with the denim fabric. Overalls and jean shorts were principal pieces in the everyday female’s closest. Tom Ford made headlines when he took the title of Creative Director at Gucci. 2000 brought about a variety of looks and headlining pieces from hip-hop to formal to Y2K inspired. The majority gravitated towards the camisole and flared jeans or cargo pants. You could see others wearing the “shipwrecked” look with distressed shirts and seamless bottoms. After winning season four of Project Runway, Christian Siriano worked to establish his name in the fashion world. From high fashion designs to affordable collaborations with stores such as Payless, he certainly did so. Seventeen female celebrities were interested in his work for the Oscars in 2018.
Women grew up having to listen to society telling them what they must wear to be a proper lady, thankfully the times have changed. Authenticity is now a part of fashion more than it ever was before. Probably more than anyone could have expected. From Greta Garbo to Audrey Hepburn to Bella Hadid. All of which have different styles, different visions, different looks, yet, they are deemed fashion ‘icons’. Remember, the evolution of fashion starts with someone making the bold move.