How Style Took Shape Over The Last Century

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It’s interesting to see how fashion has come over the years. In many respects, each decade has brought an entirely new generation of clothing styles and what is accepted for both male and females to wear. Starting with the early 1900’s to the present, there has been quite a few changes in how fashion was and is now perceived.

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.

The 1940’s brought an interesting change as the economy of the United States was recovering from a very deep depression. Conservative styles were in fashion so as to save on material and costs. Men’s styles were equally as conservative, with suits becoming a simple pair of pants and a jacket instead of a full suit. While it was hardly professional or stylish, such times couldn’t be helped due to World War II.

The popular rebellion of what is expected and fight for freedom in fashion came in the 1960’s, where hippies would dress for comfort rather than fashion or because of social norms. Hippies would wear loose-fitting clothes that were usually decorated with flowers or patches of some sort. This movement is commonly associated with the 1970’s, although it got started in the 1960’s.

More recently were the 1990’s, where we all like to poke fun at the obscene colors and pastels that most wore throughout the decade. As grunge became increasingly popular in music, darker clothing and lifestyles also become more apparent. Different groups of cliques formed around different styles of clothing, in which gave this decade a simple stereotype of a melting pot of styles rather than one defining style.

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

Art, music, and politics have vastly affected fashion over the past decades. It’ll be an interesting topic to view as we sit back and relax through another century of styles, fashion statements, and hopefully the next new fashion that will redefine our era.