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Subject: History of Indian and Western Costume
Unit 5: Modern history
Quadrant 1 – E-Text
Learning Objectives
The learning objectives of this unit are:
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Examine the trends in fashion during the 19th and 20th centuries.
Describe the impact of culture, the media and personalities on fashion.
5.1 1900 – 1919: Edwardian Era
Highlights
Exposition Universelle held in Paris, couturiers display their designs in 1900. Queen Victoria
dies and Edward VII assumes the throne. Famous personalities include Pablo Picasso, Paul
Poiret, Mariano Fortuny, Albert Einstein, Henry Ford, Erte etc. First successful flight by the
Wright brothers. Model T automobile launched by Ford. First newsreel film showed in Paris.
Einstein formulates the theory of relativity.
Effect of WWI on Fashions
Women wore more comfortable, practical clothes that were required for their more active
participation in the variety of jobs that they had taken over from men. A relatively short skirt,
several inches above the ankle and fairly wide around the hem. Military influences were evident
in the cut of some jackets and coats. Some of the clothes worn by soldiers passed into use by the
general public. A sleeveless vest like garment was so popular among the soldiers that they
continued to wear it after the war. These vests were sold at army surplus stores and
manufacturers added sleeves and a zip at the front and made the first sports/ outdoors jacket.
French Couture
Some important designers of the time: Doucet, Paquin, Rouf, Cheruit, Callot, Soeurs, Redfern,
and Worth and Paul Poiret. Paul Poiret made the corset obsolete. While making gowns that were
loose and free, he put women into hobble skirts with hems so narrow they could hardly move. He
is famous for using vivid colors inspired from Oriental styles and the popularity of the Russian
Ballet whose costumes were designed by Leon Bakst. While Poiret was uniquely for the times
Spanish born Mariano Fortuny’s designs were considered timeless. He drew inspiration from
non-European cultures, most notable are his Delphos gown from ancient Greece, along with
Renaissance and Oriental motifs that appear frequently in his textile designs.
Jeanne Paquin
French fashion designer known for her innovative and modern designs.
The first woman to open a fashion house. The Maison Paquin quickly became known for its
Eighteenth century-inspired pastel evening dresses and tailored day dresses, as well as for its
numerous publicity stunts.
This included organizing fashion parades to promote her new models and sending her models to
operas and races in order to show off her designs. Paquin also frequently collaborated with the
illustrators and architects for the creation of stage costumes, the publication of dress albums and
the decoration of her private residences, reinforcing her reputation as a thoroughly modern
designer.
Oriental Influences on Art and Fashion
Trade roots with Japan were opened in 1850. Influences from Japan art was seen in
Impressionism. Kimonos became popular for leisure at-home wear for both men and women.
The cuts of women’s clothing grew less structured. Fabric designs and colors showed oriental
influences.
Costume for Women (1900-1920)
Edwardian styles with emphasis on an S-shaped silhouette 1900-1909. Empire revival and the
hobble skirt 1909-1914. 1914-1918 World War I. 1918-1919 Post-war styles.
Edwardian Styles – S shape
Frilly decorative petticoats and drawers continued to be popular.
Ribbons inserted through eyelets, ruffles and lace edgings were popular in underclothing. The
brassiere appeared first in 1890 and gradually became a basic item of underwear for adult
women. Typical dresses had high boned collars, full pouched bodices and skirts that were flat in
front and emphasized a rounded hipline in the back. The popular white frilly cotton or linen
dresses with this decoration were referred to as lingerie dresses. Bishop sleeves and its variations
were predominant. Frilly ruffles jabots were often placed at the front of the neck for that fullness.
The shape of skirts was achieved by Goring (paneling).
A “tailor-made” was a woman’s suit which was popularly worn by women. Separate blouses
called shirtwaists came in a great variety and had features like the bodices of daytime dresses.
Tea gowns were worn by affluent women (Fortuny, loose fitting gowns). Evening dresses
followed the same silhouette as the day time dresses with necklines that were generally low,
square, round or V-shaped. Cloaks and capes with high standing Medici collars with wide revers
were won.
Hair and Headdress
Arranged full and loose around the face, hair was pulled into a chignon or bun at the back of the
neck. The “Pompadour” was a style with hair built high in front and at the sides around the face.
Hats styles were large wide brimmed picture hats, sometimes included brimless toques.
Decorations were lavish with artificial flowers, lace, buckles, feathers and bird wings. Hair
ornaments worn for evening included feathers, jeweled combs, and small skullcaps of pearl
called Juliet caps.
Footwear
Stocking of dark or neutral cotton lisle were worn for daytime and silk for formal wear.
Some were decorated with colored clocks (designs knitted into the stocking) or lace insertions.
Shoes had pointed toes. Long slender lines and heels about two to two and a half inches high that
were curved in – called the “Louis” style. Boots were less fashionable but were worn high and
buttoned or laced close.
Accessories
Large flat muffs. Suede or leather daytime handbags or beaded evening bags.
Decorative lace or silk parasols were trimmed with fringe or lace. For evening women carried
long folding fans or ostrich fans. Swiss belts were revived from 1860’s
Ruffles, boas, ribbons, or cravats were worn around the neck.
Jewelry
Clasps, brooches, pendants, necklaces, dog collars and long necklaces and pendant or single
stone earrings. Jewelry were often inspired by Art Nouveau style.
Empire Revival 1909 – 1914
Underwear included brassiere, straight corset, knickers and a chemise comparatively lesser in
quantity than other periods. The silhouette was becoming narrower and straighter. The location
of the waistline moved upward. Skirts narrowed and grew shorter. The high boned collars
gradually went out of fashion. Details like military collars, ruffled jabots, and wide revers or
lapels were seen in the costume. Oriental influences were also evident in cut and draping styles.
Front buttoned closing were used, sleeves tended to be tight-fitting, ending elbow or at the wrist
with cuffs of contrasting colour.
Hobble Skirt
Skirts became so narrow at the hemline that if impeded walking. These skirts were called hobble
skirts. Slits had to be made to enable comfortable walking. Peg-top skirts were also popular.
Tunics were worn over underskirts. Paul Poiret designed exotic tunic styles like the minaret
tunic.
Women’s Costume
Jackets of tailored suits were cut to below the hips with an overall line that was long and slender.
Man-tailored shirtwaist blouses complete with neckties and high tight collars were worn with
separate skirts or tailored suits. For evening both Empire revival and Oriental influences were
evident. Evening dresses had tunics of layers of sheer fabric placed over heavier fabric. Trains
were popular, sleeves were short often Kimono style and of sheer fabric.
Hair and headdress
Hair was less bouffant now. Hair was waved softly around the face and pulled into a soft roll at
the back or top of the head. Large hats were tall to emphasize height, brimless toque style,
turned-up brims. Face veils were popular. Hats were decorated with artificial flowers, feathers
and ribbons.
World War I 1914 – 1918
Brassieres were now widely available. A combination garment that put together a camisole with
a skirt that buttoned under the crotch to form drawers was called cami-knickers. During the
wartime years the silhouette of women’s clothes grew wider, and skirts shorter, although they did
maintain fullness through use of pleats, gatherings or gores. Waistlines were at the natural waist
and sometime slightly above. The fit of bodices was easy and waistlines defined by loose-fitting
belts. Necklines were V or square shaped. Some were edged with sailor collars. Sleeves were
generally straight and fitted.
Women’s Costume
Tailored suits became even more popular and had a distinct military look. Special features of
blouses were sleeves and yoke cut in one, leg-o-mutton sleeves and Medici or standing collars
with necks open. Knitted sweater that pulled on over the head (pullovers) became popular.
Gabrielle Chanel credited with this introduction. For evening skirts were full with many having
tiers or ruffles, floating panels of fabric or layers of varying lengths. Décolletage necklines were
filled with flesh colored or transparent fabric. Sleeves were worn short to the elbow. Sleeveless
dresses had only narrow straps over the shoulder.
Hair and Headdress
Hair was worn closer to the face and shorter. More women tried permanent waves.
Hats were high rather than wide and smaller than before the war. They were often without brims
and worn with veils.
Footwear
Stocking were dark for daytime and pale for evening. Rayon (also called artificial silk) stockings
were also introduced. Shoes were more visible with higher hemlines.
Postwar 1918 – 1920
This is a transitional period from war-time styles to 1920’s. A silhouette called the barrel shape
was seen with wide waists and narrow hemlines. After the war the hemlines dipped to the ankles
again. Jeanne Lanvin is credited with the chemise dress, a straight tube of the type that would
become fashionable in the 1920’s.
Costume for Men 1900 – 1920
Wool and cotton were primary fabrics for men’s underwear. Union suits with drawers and
underwear in one were popular. Suits, consisting of jacket, vest and trousers and worn with a
shirt and necktie were appropriate dress for professional and business employees during the
workweek. Laboring men wore sturdy work clothes. For special occasions all men wore suits.
For informal social occasions like leisure or sports men would wear sport jackets, trousers and
shirts of various kinds. In the early years of the century jackets and coats were cut long, buttoned
high and had small lapels. Their full cut through the torso gave men an almost barrel-chested
appearance.
During WWI, jackets and coats gradually shortened, silhouettes narrowed, shoulder lines became
less padded and more natural. Frock coats were worn by dignitaries on formal special occasions.
Morning coats were worn for day time formal occasions with matching trousers or contrasting
waistcoat and striped trousers before the war. After the war this costume was limited to upper
class or political leaders for formal occasions.
Sack jackets (American description) a. k. a. lounge coat (British) became the standard suit jacket,
also worn as sport jackets.
Shirts were worn in all colors in solids as well as patterns. Their collars were high and stiff. After
the war collars with less rigidly starched collars were preferred. Some collars were also
detachable. Neckties varieties included bow ties, four-in-hand ties, standard necktie, and ascots.
Trousers were generally cut loose around the hips and narrower towards the bottom, some had
turned up cuffs. Some had crisp creases in the front.
For evening men wore tailcoats (double breasted but worn unbuttoned) or tuxedo jackets with
matching trousers (with a row or two of braid placed along the outer seam) and a dark or white
waistcoat. Dinner jackets were tuxedo style, sack cut and usually single breasted. Shirt fronts
were pleated and had wing collars.
Outdoor Garments
Sweaters were worn by working class men – collarless cardigans that opened down the front, Vnecked pullovers and high collared styles similar to modern turtle neck.
Overcoats were full to accommodate the wide cut suit of the first decade and became more fitted
in the second. Top coats ended at the hip. Basic styles included: Chesterfields, Ulster, Inverness,
Mackintosh, and trench coat.
Clothing for Active Sports
The blazer was worn with unmatched trousers for sporting events like tennis, yachting or other
sports. Jodhpurs were worn for horse riding. Swimming suits consisted of a pair of drawers or
knitted wool suit made up of fitted knee length breeches and a shirt with short or no sleeves or a
one piece short legged round neck sleeveless tank suit. Men wore flannel trousers and sports coat
for driving, however leather motoring coats were more practical. On their heads they wore
goggles and peaked caps worn backwards to avoid having them blown off.
Lounge and Sleepwear
Menswear at home consisted of dressing gowns and smoking jackets, some of which had quilted
lapels and were made in decorative fabrics. Nightshirts were still worn by many men, but others
wore pajamas.
Hair and Headdress
Hair was kept short. Faces were kept clean shaven. Hat styles remained much the same as those
in the latter part of the 19th century, including top hats for formal occasions, soft felt hats with
names as homburg or trilby, derbies and caps for leisure.
Western style Stetson felt hast were worn in some parts of the USA. For summer panama hats,
straw boaters and linen hats made in derby or fedora-like shapes were worn.
Footwear
Stockings were usually neutral colors. Some were made with few stripes or in multicolored
styles. Stocking had ribbed tops and were held up with elastic garters.
Shoes had long pointed toes, and laced or buttoned to close. Many were cut high, above the
ankle. For evening black patent leather slippers were popular. Oxfords (low laced shoes) gained
popularity. Others were two toned. By the end of the decade rounded toe became more popular.
Accessories
Walking sticks were popular until automobiles became widespread in use. Gloves, handkerchiefs
and scarves were also widely used. Jewelry was limited to tie pins, shirt studs, rings, and cuff
links. Wrist watches gained popularity with the automobiles.
Costume for Children (girls)
Girls of all ages wore white, light or cream colored lingerie dresses cut with waistlines low on
the hip. Decorations consisted of embroidery, smocking and lace. Other styles had more natural
waistline and full-bloused bodices like those of adult women. For school navy blue serge was
popular as were sailor dresses, hats and pinafores which worked as outerwear as well. Skirt were
knee length and longer. Gym tunics were worn over blouses had sleeveless yokes, square necks
and belted full pleated bodices. High laced shoes were worn by girls.
For dress they wore flat slippers with one or more straps across the instep or a flat shoe with an
ankle strap. Stocking tended to be knee length.
Costume for Children (boys)
Most small boys dress in skirts until the age 3 or 4. From 1910 onwards boys wore rompers and
when they got little older, knickers. Boys wore sailor suits, Eton suits, Norfolk jackets and a sack
suit, all with or without belts. Younger boys wore shorts or knickers with jackets. Older boys
wore longer pants. For outdoors boys wore Mackinaw coats in plaid or lain colors. Long
cardigan sweaters or turtle neck sweaters. Boys wore high laced shoes with knee length
stockings.
5.2 1920 – 1939: The Twenties, Thirties & WWII
The Twenties
Imperial monarchies collapsed. Business was booming. Automobiles, radios, rayon, cigarettes,
refrigerators, telephones, cosmetics and electrical devices were sold in huge quantities. Boom in
higher education, self-improvement books and travel abroad. The Prohibition was an
Amendment was passed making it illegal to distill, brew and sell alcoholic beverages in 1920.
This was ignored by many and a new institution, “the speakeasy” a clandestine drinking club for
drinking, dining and dancing replaced the salon. After the Prohibition was lifted in 1933 the
speakeasy made a rapid transition into the nightclub.
The Jazz Age
It was a movement that took place during the 1920s from which jazz music and dance emerged.
The movement came about with the introduction of main stream radio and the end of the war.
This era ended in the 1930s with the beginning of The Great Depression but has lived on in
American pop culture for decades.
In urban areas, African American jazz was played on the radio more often than in the suburbs.
1920s youth used the influence of jazz to rebel against the traditional culture of previous
generations. This youth rebellion of the 1920s went hand-in-hand with fads like bold fashion
statements (flappers) and new radio concerts.
Changes in Social Life
Soon after the war there was a revolution in mores and values. Revolution in terms of morality
especially in the behavior of women. Sexual theories of Sigmund Freud. The “flapper” as she
was nicknamed seemed free from all restraints of the past. This change in attitude, ideologies and
behavior was reflected in women’s costume.
The Thirties
In 1929, the stock market collapsed, creating a period now known as the Great Depression in
Europe and USA. Unemployment was widespread. Adolf Hitler came into power of Germany in
1933 and established a one part dictatorship. World war II began in 1939. Japanese army
attacked Pearl Harbor in 1941.
World War II
Americans did not experience the devastation of homes and communities during WWII
Goods and food was rationed. There were restrictions on fabric usage for clothing which affected
the styles worn at the time which used minimum materials. Most able-bodied men enlisted into
the armed services, women entered factories and took on jobs in factories. Their clothing took a
drastic turn as the factories required specialized clothing for jobs that involved active physical
labour. The war ended in 1945. While most of Europe was now rebuilding their devastated lands,
United States emerged from fighting with its lands unscathed and its economy intact, but
millions of families had experiences the loss of one or more men in battle.
The Movies
Silent films had become a part of everyday life by 1920. The movies brought visions of
glamorous actors and actresses into every small town of America. Life depicted in films helped
reinforce urban tastes, dress and an urban way of living. Rudolph Valentino and Joan Crawford
were some of the fashion setters of the time. Talking pictures began in 1927. Many films
portrayed a world quite different from what USA was facing at the time. Women were lavishly
gowned, and houses magnificently furnished. Greta Garbo, Jean Harlow & Shirley Temple, June
Allyson, Veronika Lake, Betty Grable. Movies did stress patriotic themes. Van Johnson and
Spenser Tracy were portrayed as true American heroes.
Royalty and Café Society
In Europe royalty and café society influenced fashion. British Prince of Wales later known as the
Duke of Winsor and became King Edward VIII in 1936 was an important style setter of the
times. Wealthy Americans and Europeans were photographed at fashionable resorts. They wore
much of the sportswear and became popular for tennis, riding and skiing. Brenda Frazier, one of
the debutantes helped popularize a new style, the strapless evening gown.
Sport
Participation in spectator and active sports increased – baseball, college football, boxing, tennis
and golf were widely followed. Women as leading sports figures were a new phenomenon. This
wide participation in spectator sports meant more people were eager to participate actively which
increased the popularity of the sport. Sports stars appeared in films. Sports clothing became
important as outdoor recreation activities expanded. Sportswear emerged as a separate clothing
category.
The Automobile
Once the automobile had become practical transportation rather than sport, special costume for
motoring disappeared. As women began to drive the need for shorter and less cumbersome skirts
was evident. Women walked less and parasols were unnecessary in closed vehicles. Cars
encouraged the use of wristwatches, and smaller hats. Canes and walking sticks went out of
style.
Technological Developments Affecting Fashion
Manmade fibers like rayon and acetate gained popularity. Synthetic fiber like Nylon was also
introduced. It was used for underwear and stockings. Metal hooks and eyes were developed for
garment closures. Zipper was invented and used in corsets, sleeping bags, money belts, boots,
etc. Zippers were incorporated in clothing only after British royalty and couturiers introduced
them in clothing.
The French Couture
Paris was cut off from England and America during WWII. Designs of Chanel typified the style
of 1920’s, Vionnet the early 1930’s and Schiaparelli the later 1930’s. Chanel is famous for
making the sun tanned look and costume jewelry popular but her real genius lay in designing
simple, classic wool jersey styles. Madeleine Vionnet was famous for originating the bias-cut
technique for dress making. Elsa Schiaparelli was famous for using colors in unusual decorative
effects. She also coined the label “shocking pink”.
American Designers
Fashion designers generally worked for ready-to-wear manufacturers. He/she designed a range
for a season and the collection was shown to buyers, orders were placed and after production, the
clothes would be sold through department stores. Mainbocher was an exception to designers of
that time.
He designed the wedding dress of Wallis Simpson who married the Duke of Windsor. Claire
McCardell was also an important sportswear designer of the time. She is famous for creating the
collections of matching separates, dirndl skirts, the monastic, a bias cut, full tent dress, spaghetti
or shoestring ties, the diaper bathing suit, ballet slippers and the poncho. Adrian was a celebrated
film costume designer.
Art Deco
Art typical of the period (1920 – 30). Geometric forms derived from past or present artistic
expressions. Art Deco notable in fashion when geometric lines of garments echo Art Deco style
lines. Also observed in fabric prints, embroideries, beaded decorations and jewelry. Brilliant
reds, shocking pinks, electric blues, siren yellows, tango oranges and metallic hues of gold,
platinum, silver and bronze enjoyed great popularity. The discovery of Tutankhamen's tomb
gave rise to the craze of antique shades such as gold, peach and turquoise.
Egyptian styles, Negro and primitive art and the American jazz culture wee assimilated readily
into the vocabulary of Art Deco as were Aztec and Red Indian motifs. Amidst the profusion of
bizarre patterns and vibrant colors, used to decorate every available space and surface, the
understated appeal of Le Corbusier had considerable impact at 1925 Paris exhibition.
Surrealism
Meaning “beyond the real” was a literary and art movement. Artists like Giorgio de Chirico,
Salvador Dali and Rene Magritte painted unconventional scenes and objects, drawing on the
subconscious imagination. Fashion photographers frequently used surrealistic settings for their
photographs of fashion. Schiaparelli used surrealistic motifs and unusual placements of those
motifs in her designs.
Costume for Women (1920 – 1930)
Undergarments came in a variety of styles: drawers or knickers became panty, a combination
garment called cami-knickers, step-ins or teddies became popular. A chemise or petticoat was
renamed the slip. Larger women wore corsets. Garter belts were worn to hold up stockings. A
figure with a flat bosom and narrow hips was ideal. The fashion silhouette was straight without
indentation at the waistline.
Belts were lose and worn at the hips. Skirts lengths shortened for the first half of the decade and
then gradually lengthened never quite reaching the floor though. Separate blouses and sweaters
were popular. They were elongated, low hipped and straight and worn over the skirt. For daytime
one piece styles predominated. Necklines usually ended at the base of the throat or lower, with
round, V-shaped, bateau or cowl styles.
Dresses were usually sleeveless or long sleeved.
Skirts of dresses often utilized bias cutting to produce interesting effects. Skirts had pleats,
gathers placed off center, scalloped hems, godet inserts and paneled effects in handkerchief
skirts. Tailor suits had matching jackets and skirts.
Chanel suit, a cardigan-style jacket and a skirt made of wool jersey was very popular. Ensembles
were matching dresses and coats or skirts, over-blouses and coats. Evening dresses were made in
the same styles as daytime dresses. Sleeveless dresses were held up by straps, had more complex
skirts. Jeanne Lanvin introduced a bouffant skirt reminiscent of the crinoline period. It was called
robe de style. Beading was a popular style of ornamenting. Fabrics like chiffon, soft satins,
velvets and silk taffeta. Geometric Art deco designs were frequently used as patterns.
Outdoor Garments
Characteristic coats closed over the left hip often with one large decorative button or several
small ones. Clutch coats had to be held shut because they had no fastenings.
Raccoon coats were popular with young men and women for motoring or spectator sports. Fur
and fur trimmed capes were popular with the affluent. Long and low belted sweaters were also
popular.
Hair and Headdress
Women kept their hair short like a bob or a shingle. Some women kept bangs at the front. Eton
crop was closely cropped and dresses like that of men. Some women got a Marcel wave in their
bobs through rollers. Bobby pin had replaced the old hair pin.
Hats were close fitted, called the cloche was popular. Headbands with bejeweled feathers were
also popular along with turban styles.
Footwear
Short skirts cause women to focus on hosiery. Tan and flesh colored stocking were used widely.
Rayon, silk was commonly used. Heels of shoes were two to two and half inches in height, toes
pointed or rounded. Commonly seen styles included pumps or T-shaped straps. Oxfords were
worn for sports. Russian-style wide-topped boots were also worn. Young women affected the
style of wearing their overshoes for bad weather or galoshes open and flapping. This may have
been the origin of the term “flappers”.
Costume for Women (1930 – 1947)
Undergarments of the 1930’s emphasized the curves of the figure. Brassieres were cut to lift and
emphasize the breasts. Terminology changed: panty became panty briefs and then only briefs as
they grew shorter to fit under active sportswear. One piece dresses, skirts and blouses and
tailored suits remained wardrobe staples. The 1930’s silhouette emphasized the natural form of
the woman’s body; the bosom, waistline and hips were clearly defined by the shape of the
clothing.
Hemlines lowered gradually almost reaching the ankles and then gradually making their way up
again. Wartime period froze styles of the late 30’s and early 40’s. By the beginning of the war
skirts had become shorter ending just below the knee and had grown fuller. Shoulders had
broadened with pad insertions. Bias cut was rarely used.
In the early 30s cowl necklines, cape collars and soft finishes such as bows and jabots
predominated.
Later, V-necklines and collared dresses with yokes were common. Sleeves styles were long and
full gathered at the wrist. Short sleeves had cape-like construction. Full sleeves were cut in
raglan style or as Magyar or batwing sleeves. At the end of the decade puff sleeves came back
into fashion. Most skirts were cut with several gores. Some had bias-cut pieces set into yoke that
covered the hips to create a skirt that was narrow but flaring. Fullness was also achieved by box
pleats or shirred sections. Suits were made in firmer fabrics. Some styles were modeled after
men’s styles. Wartime suits included bolero suits with short curving jackets that ended above the
waist or Eisenhower jackets based on military jacket worn by Commander Dwight Eisenhower.
In 1940’s adolescents wore large, loose pullovers called sloppy Joes. Movie stars who were
photographed in tightly fitting sweaters for “pin-up” pictures were called “sweater girls”.
About 1945, dirndl skirts became popular. Evening gowns reached to the floor. Bias-cut styles
were seen which flared out from the hips.
Other features include bare-backed gowns cut low to the waist, halter-type sleeveless bodices
and full cape-like or puffed sleeves.
Outdoor Garments
In the early 30’s the coats had decorations around the necklines and shoulder lines, large collars,
fur details and sometimes leg-o-mutton sleeves.
In the latter half of the decade with the influence of war, the silhouette grew wider and shorter.
Padding created a broader look.
Hair and Headdress
In the early years hair was relatively short, softly waved and with short turned up curls around
the nape of the neck. Towards the end of the decade the hairstyles grew longer, the page-boy bob
and the upsweep were fashionable. Hats were small in scale of different shapes and usually
tipped to a side at an angle. In the 40’s hat’s tended to be small, like pillboxes and small bonnets.
Working women in wartime factories covered their hair with turbans or wore snoods to protect
hair from getting caught in machinery.
Footwear
Stocking were made in flesh tones of silk and rayon and seamed at the back.
Cotton and wool stocking were for sportswear. Teenage girls wore ankle socks constantly that
teen girls came to be known as bobby-soxers. Shortage of stocking during the wartime led
women to paint their legs with leg makeup. Some even painted a dark line down the back of the
leg in imitation of the seams. Leather shoes were rationed during the war and cloth shoes were
readily available.
Sportswear for Women (1920 – 1947)
Women were becoming more active participants in sports. As a result of which women adopted
specific costumes for individual sports such as tennis, swimming and skiing and general informal
dress for spectator sports and outdoor activities. By 1928 such clothes were referred as “spectator
sports styles” by fashion magazines. By 1930 the clothing industry identified this new category
of clothing as sportswear.
Women began to appear in garments made like men’s trousers for casual wear. These garments
were called slacks and remained strictly a sportswear item. During the war many women found
slacks a very useful garment for working in factories.
Active Sportswear for Women (1920 – 1947)
Tennis dresses grew shorter. The bodices of tennis dresses were sleeveless and collarless, skirts
were either short or divide culottes-style and shorts were also worn.
No special costume was required for golf, but tweed skirts with pullover sweaters worn over a
blouse seemed to be favored. Swimming costume altered drastically. Knickers grew shorter
armholes deeper, necklines plunged lower and one-piece tank suits were adopted by women.
Bathing suits were made from knitted wool, rayon, acetate and cotton. Lastex a fabric made
from rubber core covered by another fiber was used to make suits that had stretch and were more
form fitting and wrinkle free. Women could choose from bathing suit styles that included onepiece, two-piece with either brassiere like or halter necklines. Ski clothes consisted of full
trousers and a sweater and or matching jackets. Women wore jodhpurs with high riding boots,
shirts and tweed jackets for riding horses.
Accessories
Umbrellas were practical. Handbags ranged in sizes from large to dainty. Women wore gloves
out-of-doors in the daytime. In 1930’s long evening gloves appeared. Scarves were made of
fabrics that contrasted with dresses. Fur and exotic animal skins were used as accessories.
Cosmetics and grooming
Makeup became an accepted part of women’s fashion. Fashionable ladies plucked their
eyebrows into a narrow line, which was then emphasized with eyebrow pencil. Bright shades of
rouge and lipstick were preferred.
Costume for Men (1920 – 1947)
No dramatic changes in men’s wear took place from 1920 through the end of the World War II.
Among the affluent the English tailor retained his reputation as the best in the world. The Duke
of Windsor was a trend setter in clothing styles for men. Hollywood leading men also started
trends. Sack suits remained the basis of suits for all occasions. Vests, trousers and jackets
matched in colour and fabric. Only wealthy and prominent individuals wore morning coats for
formal occasions. Those who could afford wore white suits for summer during vacations.
Underwear for more conservative men: one-piece knitted union suits were available with short or
long sleeves or legs. Boxer shorts were worn by professional boxers and this style was
introduced as underwear in the 30’s. Athletic shirts were knitted cotton tanks with fitted brief
shorts, trademarked Jockey shorts. Later a Y shaped front opening was added.
During the war, service men wore knit undershirts called T-shirts. After the war civilian men
continued to wear these undershirts and they came into general sportswear.
Clark Gable appeared bare-chested and without an undershirt in the Hollywood movie, It
Happened One Night. It is credited by some to have severely affecting the underwear industry as
it started a trend of going without a shirt. Wallace Beery shirt, a ribbed-knit undershirt with a
buttoned vent at the front of the neck. This shirt is called a Henley shirt today. Business suits had
natural shoulder-lines, wide lapels and pronounced waists and sleeves were short enough to show
an inch of the shirt cuff. During the 20’s trouser legs widened. The trend was started by Oxford
College students who wanted to wear knickers underneath their trousers so that could slip out of
them soon after classes.
These trousers came to be known as Oxford bags.
Turtleneck jerseys became a substitute for shirts and ties. The Prince of Wales made the plaid
suit popular. The English drape suit became popular during the latter part of the decade. Collar
style like Barrymore collar, California collar and Windsor or spread collar became popular.
Zoot suits are associated with a dance form called jitterbugging with popular African-American
music. The jacket was long with excessively wide shoulders and wide lapels. The trousers were
pegged. Tailcoats were reserved for the most formal occasions. For evening jackets were tuxedo
style made in black or midnight blue, with rolled collars or notched collars.
Outerwear
Coat styles included chesterfields and raglan styles. Raccoon styles were popular among the
young. Polo coats were worn by British polo team and the trend came to USA. English guard’s
coat. Zip-in linings made cold-weather coats convertible to use in warmer temperatures. Short
jackets with knit waistbands and cuffs. Parka jackets, lumber jackets or mackinaws and leather
jackets were worn. Pea jackets, Eisenhower or battle jackets were also popular during the 40’s.
Sportswear for Men (1920 – 1947)
Jackets without matching trousers were called sport or casual jackets. These were worn with
vests in matching or contrasting colors, pullover sweaters or shirts. Some were cut with half belts
and some were belted all the way. Golfers adopted Norfolk jackets with pleats in the back. The
Prince of Wales made tweed jackets popular. Bush jackets, short sleeves tan cotton jackets with
four large flapped pockets made to imitate styles worn by hunters and explorers in Africa. Sport
jackets were often combined with knickers or plus fours and argyle socks. Walking shorts based
on military costume of British Colonial soldiers had been adopted by wealthy vacationers. Polo
shirts were introduced. Dishrag shirts, basque shirts, cowboy shirts and Hawaiian shirts were also
worn.
Active Sportswear for Men (1920 – 1947)
Lacoste knit tennis shirts were introduced in the 1920’s. One piece swimsuits were held on over
the shoulders with shoulder straps. Sleeveless knit pullover shirts were worn with short trunks. In
the 1930’s tops decreased in size until eventually men stopped wearing any covering for upper
body. Skiers wore wool sweaters and plus fours.
In the 1930’s, wind resistant jackets were adopted and worn with long trousers cut full and
gathered into an elasticized cuff at the ankle.
Sleepwear
Pajamas had largely replaced nightshirts. Robes were worn in flannel and kimono styles.
Hair and Headdress
Men kept their hair short and closely set to the scalp. Few men kept thin moustaches while most
men went clean shaven. Fedoras were popular hat styles. Among others are homburg, straw
boaters, and Panama hats and sports caps. Pork pie was famous for sportswear.
Footwear
Stockings became colorful, chevron, argyle and diamond patterned socks were popular.
Elastic topped socks replaced the need for garters. High shoes went out of style and oxfords
became the predominant style. White and two toned shoes were worn in the summer. Moccasin
styles were adopted from Norwegian fisherman’s footwear and nicknamed “weejuns”. Sandals
and cloth shoes were also popular.
Accessories
Gloves, handkerchiefs, scarves, umbrellas and canes. Sunglasses were manufactured for the
general public. Watches, tie pins, shirt studs, cuff links and rings.
Costume for Children: Girls
Toddlers wore loose, smock-like dresses that often had a yoke at the neck. Many had matching
bloomers that could be seen beneath the short skirts. In the 20’s girls dresses were unfitted and in
the 30’s waistline of dresses returned to anatomical placement.
Older girl’s often had fitted bodices with skirts attached and a sash tied in the back.
Skirt fullness varied according to adult styles. For school skirts and blouses were common. Some
skirts had straps or suspenders. For sports girls also wore pullovers and cardigans over slacks.
Shirley Temple, a child actress influenced clothing styles for girls in the 30’s.
Costume for Children: Boys
Toddlers wore rompers or short pants. As boys grew their pant lengths also increased.
For dress occasions boys wore long or Norfolk jackets. Polo shirts were common.
Cotton knit pullovers with napped surfaces were called sweatshirt. Boys wore sweaters of all
kinds: cardigans, pullovers and sleeveless pullovers. Dress coats followed the lines of men’s
dress coats. For everyday mackinaw was popular. Lumber jacket with knitted waistband ending
just below the waist was worn. Fingertip length boxy jackets, poplin jackets and waterproof
parkas were also worn.
5.3 1940 – 1959: The Forties and Fifties
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Post war liberation & its effects on fashion.
The age of Streamlining – Consumerism and Style 1935 – 1955.
Designers: Christian Dior – New Look, Cristobal Balenciaga, Pierre Cardin, The Trapeze
Look.
Art Movements, Abstract Expressionism, The Age of Affluence, Internationalism
The Civil Rights Movement, Evolution of Mass Market and the popularity of man-made fabrics.
The Age of Streamlining
Consumerism & Style (1935 – 1955)
By the mid 1930’s, the professional designer influenced many new products that affected the
way majority of urbanized people lived and worked. The rich no longer were the only ones who
could afford carefully considered objects. Increasingly ‘style conscious’ goods began to
penetrate the mass market. Increase in wealth of social groups encouraged manufacturers to
increase their output and to find new technological means of achieving this end. One major
opportunity was the exploitation of new materials in particular new metals, their alloys and
plastics.
Consumerism and Style (1935 – 1955)
The automobile was one of the mass-manufactured goods that were reaching a large audience.
Since the demise of Ford’s famous dictum – “it doesn’t matter what color a car is as long as it is
black” – styling had become the norm in the American automobile industry. Stylists were
employed by big American corporations to create the “dream machines”. The people’s car, a
triumph of function over styling where appearance was concerned was also a product of this
period – the little European cars quickly became familiar appendages of the mass environment in
continental Europe.
Two cultures emerged in people’s homes – the futuristic, pro technology style of the kitchen and
the living room that was steeped in traditional values and ideas about comfort. The office was
revolutionized by the appearance of streamlined typewriters, adding machines, cash registers and
pencil sharpeners combined with the new approach towards office organization. Efficiency was
encouraged through use of more and more machines and increasingly intensive time and motion
studies.
Inspirations
Streamliners wanted a seamless integrated whole with moving parts covered, that presented an
efficient sleek outline. It was originally functionally essential for development in mass
transportation like cars, planes, and trains. International competition spurred innovation. Torpedo
forms of airships, seaplanes and monoplanes became a popular image of technological
achievement.
Post-war Design
The early post-war years were characterized by a ‘call for style’ in the countries affected by war.
Huge efforts were made to move beyond the limitations of the traditional industrial arts into
industrial design proper. While exclusive hand made goods of ceramic and glass entered the lives
of few people, mass produced oven-to-table ware aimed at the mass market changed the lives of
vast sectors of society. High technology entered everyday life eliminating the burden of almost
every manual task imaginable as well as increasing leisure options. Design became linked with
mass production and mass consumption and style became the means through which the vast
majority defined its social aspirations and preferred way of life.
Design Exhibitions
Design exhibitions attracted huge audiences and enthusiasm. It was New York World’s Fair
1939 that showed the mass potential of style for the first time. It promoted the American
‘streamlining’ through architecture and futuristic products. The largest exhibitions were
automobile companies – General Motors, Ford, Chrysler etc.
After the war the large scale world exhibitions were not revived and their role as disseminators
of style was taken on instead by other smaller specifically design-oriented shows such as Milan
Triennials.
Age of the Atom
The age of the atom exploded upon mass consciousness with the bombings of Hiroshima and
Nagasaki in 1945 and continued to ripple through the design world throughout the 1950’s. The
molecular model consisting of primary colored electron spheres on wires orbiting a nucleus,
provided a familiar motif for furniture, light-fittings, coat racks, souvenirs and objects d’art.
Other bi-products of scientific inquiry included fabric and surface designs based on crystal and
molecular structures as observed under the microscope, producing liberated random patterns free
from associations with earlier designs.
Streamlining
It is derived originally from aerodynamic experiments such as wind-tunnel testing, for objects of
transport, but it had a number of other sources including Futurist paintings, airships, tapered
forms of dolphins and porpoises, and the abstract engineered forms of objects like grain silos,
bridges and factory machines, to these were added the futuristic shapes and ‘speed whiskers’
used by comic book artists. These influences all combined to form a particularly American
aesthetic characterized by bulbous ‘tear-drop’ body shells for mechanical and electrical products
and expressive, organic forms for decorative art objects. This aesthetic was applied to a vast
range of artifacts from locomotives to irons, regardless of their potential for high-speed
movement or lack of it.
International Developments (1947-1960)
The main development was the end of WWII, the cold war, end of European Imperialism,
McCarthyism, The Silent Generation, Beginnings of social protest – Beatniks, Civil rights.
Beatniks
It began as a literary movement that included writer Jack Kerouac and poets Allen Ginsberg and
Gregory Corso. The ‘Beats’ adopted eccentric habits of dress and grooming – beards, pony tails,
dirty sneakers, peasant blouse. They experimented with drugs, turned to Eastern mysticism,
especially Zen Buddhism and rejected the ‘square’ world. Contacts with French existentialists
led to the adoption of black clothes, especially turtlenecks and berets for men and leotards, tights
and ballet slippers for women.
Influences on Fashion
The silent generation moves to the suburbs. Post WWII women return to homemaking, create a
baby boom…women’s magazines emphasized family and togetherness. Highways systems
expanded…suburbs grew…family travel, recreation increased…domestic help was scarce…led
to more informal styles in clothing. Sportswear increased…lifestyle changes…shopping as a
recreational activity…malls as a social place.
Fashion influences from the young to the Teddy Boys. The post war socio economic changes
kept many young people dependent on their families for a longer period of time…this
accentuated the period of adolescent as a separate stage of development. The teen market grew.
Britain late 40’s and 50’s that Teddy Boys created a first truly independent fashion for young
people. Teddy Boys were working class British adolescents who adopted styles in menswear that
had a Edwardian flavor – longer jackets with more shaping, high turned-back lapels, cuffed
sleeves, waistcoats and well-cut narrow trousers. They adopted an exaggerated version of these
styles. Elongated loose jackets and wide, padded shoulders and often a velvet collar. Trousers
were very narrow and tight and short enough to allow garishly colored socks to show. They
added narrow neckties, winkle pickers were shoes with exaggeratedly pointed toes. Their hair
was somewhat longer with sideburns and duck-tailed shape cut at the back known as DA.
Females wore long gray jackets over tight high necked black sweaters and black skirts with dark
stocking a feminized version of winkle pickers with high heels.
The impact of television
TV became commercially available to the American public by 1948. TV had a direct impact on
spreading fashion. Some style that became popular – white bucks: shoes of white buckskin worn
by Pat Boone, Elvis Presley look alike pompadours: a slick combed back hairstyle and a fad for
Davy Crockett coonskin caps. Lucille Ball allowed the story of ‘I Love Lucy’ to incorporate her
pregnancy into TV show more attention was paid to maternity clothing. Women however
wanting to emulate TV fashion would concentrate on ball gowns and cocktail dresses worn by
singers and actresses.
Internationalism
Air travel encouraged travelling abroad and fashion exchange…encouraged receptivity to
imported goods. Imported fashion goods from western European countries were high end luxury
products and commanded high prices.
Imports from third world countries of Asia, Africa and South America cost much less than
European goods and dominated the low and mid-range markets. High-fashion design took on a
more international flavor.
The fabric revolution
New fibers entered the consumer market, Nylon, Modacrylics, Polyesters, Triacetate
Spandex. Easy to care fabrics – fewer domestic help – travelling encouraged drip dry clothing
acceptance – wash and wear – permanent press fabrics. These new fibers may have contributed
to the popularity of the full skirts of the period which were held out by lightweight permanently
stiffened nylon petticoats. Readymade clothing now came with wash care labels.
The changing couture
French couturiers were part of the organization Chambre Syndicale, a business organization
that serves to promote the products of designers. Members are required to develop and show new
styles several times each year. Most French couture houses did not make profits on their haute
couture operations. They established auxiliary enterprises such as perfumes and accessories
which had lower overheads and therefore became a profitable.
Prominent designers of post-war couture
New Look was the name given by the fashion press to the collection showcased by Christian
Dior. Cristobal Balenciaga was a favorite of Carmel Snow, the editor of Harper’s Bazaar and
often featured his worn in the magazine. Coco Chanel did not reopen her atelier until 1954 and
once again became a major force in couture.
Other designers are Pierre Balmain, Pierre Cardin, Jacques Fath and Hubert de Givenchy.
The American mass market
During WWII America emerged as a fashion design centre and continued so after the war. The
knock off industry also flourished with increased travel. By 1950’s Florence, London and Rome
had joined Paris and New York as important centers of fashion.
Costume for Women: 1947 – 1960
The New Look (1947 – 1954) and the gradual emergence of a softer, easier style (1954 – 1960)
The New Look
Skirts lengths dropped sharply. The square padded shoulder since the 30’s was replaced by a
softer rounder shoulder achieved by shaped shoulder padding. Many designs had enormously full
skirts.
Slim pencils skirts were also worn. Waists were nipped in and small. The rounded curves of the
body were emphasized especially in jackets with Basques which were padded and stiffened into
a full round curve.
Under Garments
To achieve the fashionable look women returned to more confining underclothing.
However with the newer synthetic fabrics the desired shape was achieved without the rigid and
painful boning and lacing of the previous century. Underwear included brassieres or bras
emphasizing an uplift. They also came in strapless versions for strapless evening gowns. Many
women wore waist cinches to narrow the waistline.
Corsets or corset like garments were now called girdles or foundation garments.
To hold out the skirts and dresses, full petticoats were required.
Crinoline like slips were worn under the skirts.
Day Dresses
Necklines were plain, round, or square and ended either close to the neck or lower.
Many dresses had small squares or round Peter Pan style collars, larger round or square collars or
“mandarin” style standing collars. Sleeves were mostly close fitting, most popular style being
short cap sleeves. Set-in-sleeves in various lengths that fit closely to the arms as well as shirt
sleeves similar to those on men’s shirts but fuller.
Dress styles included summer jacket dresses, usually sleeveless and with small straps or helter
tops and a short jacket or bolero over it. Shirt waist dresses and coat dresses with full skirts.
Narrow skirts were worn with jackets that fit closely to the waistline, extending below the waist
where they either flared out into stiffened peplum or had a rounded stiffened and padded hip.
Maternity Dresses
Most maternity dresses were two pieces, with loosely fitting tops over narrow skirts that had a
stretch panel or open area to accommodate the expanding figure.
Evening Dresses
Evening dresses that were the same length as day dresses and were called ‘ballerina length’.
These were especially popular with high school and college students and were worn over stiff
“crinolines”. Bridal gowns were generally floor length. Wide skirts were preferred from evening
but some narrow-skirted style had elaborate puffs of fabric at the hips or fish tails. Strapless
bodices predominated and were often boned.
Outdoor Garments
Coats either followed the silhouette, having fitted bodice areas and full skirts or were cut full
from the shoulders. Most fitted coats were cut in princess line and belted, full coats had a good
deal of flare in the skirt. Sleeve styles included kimono and raglan types.
Some had turned back cuffs ending well above the wrist and long gloves were worn with these.
Fur coats were popular with affluent women. Jackets ending above the waist were called shorties
or toppers. They were a convenient way to accommodate wide skirts.
Sportswear
Casual garments worn during leisure time and in informal situations became a large part of the
wardrobe. Skirts were either full or narrow. Lines of blouses were shaped to follow body
contours with darts or seams so that they fit smoothly through the rib cage and the bust. Sweaters
worn either tucked into the skirt or outside with a belt, fit close to the body. Many sweaters had
smooth shoulder lines achieved by knitting sleeve and body in one. Variations included matching
cardigans and pullover, evening sweaters with beaded or sequin decorations and bolero-like
cardigans called shrugs. Shorts were upper thigh length and fairly straight. Bermuda shorts were
also adopted. Narrow pants fit the leg so closely that shoes had to be taken off in order to pull on
the pants. Pants length included those that ended at the ankle, houseboy pants ending at the calf,
and shorter mid-calf-length pants were called pedal pushers. Loose printed or knit tops were
worn commonly with pants.
Active-sportswear
A scanty two-piece bikini was introduced by designer Jacques Heim inspired from the atom
bomb explosion in Bikini islands. It was later called a bikini. Most American women however,
wore more conservative bathing suits for the first half of the decade.
Bathing suits were cut with bottoms like shorts, while others had skirt-like constructions and a
few had full bloomers. Cotton, nylon and Lastex were popular fabrics. Shorts, trousers or skirts
and sweaters were worn on golf courses. Cotton golfing dresses were constructed with extra
pleats of fabric at the shoulders to accommodate the golf swing.
Ski pants narrowed and were worn with closely woven wind breaker jackets in bright colors.
Tennis clubs required players to wear white, however players in public courts wore ordinary
sportswear.
Sleepwear
Nightwear followed the trend towards full skirts and figure hugging bodices.
Tailored pajamas were also available.
Hair and headdress
Short hair had become fashionable with the New Look. In the mid-1950’s longer hair was again
in fashion. Hats were worn only on very formal or religious occasions. Hats ranged from small in
scale to large-brimmed picture hats. In the later 1950’s hats were consistently small and fit the
head closely. Turban styles in brightly coloured prints or plain colours were also seen.
Footwear
Stockings and hosiery were generic terms and included item ranging from long, sheer stockings,
also called hose, to ankle-length cotton stockings, also called socks or anklets. Women called
their long sheer stocking, ‘nylons’ as they were mostly made of nylon. Seamed stocking were
popular. Seams were usually stitched in dark thread with reinforced heels made in dark yarn and
extending several inches up the back of the ankles. Through the 1940’s and mid-1950’s roundedtoes and very high heels and some open-toed, ankle-strap, sling-back or sandal styles were worn
for dress. Lower heeled and flat shoes were also available. Casual styles like moccasins, loafers,
ballet slippers and canvas tennis shoes called sneakers became popular. By the mid-1950’s toes
of shoes became more pointed and heels narrow. ‘Stiletto heels’ made with steel spikes to
prevent the narrow heel from breaking were in fashion.
Accessories
Gloves were worn for many occasions. They were available in cotton and nylon knits in a variety
of weights, textures and colors as well as leather. They ranged from very short for day dresses to
elbow length for strapless evening gowns. Handbags tended to be moderate in size, usually with
small handles. Close fitting necklaces, bracelets and earring were favored. Rhinestones, colored
stones and imitation pearl in a variety of colors were used for costume jewelry.
Cosmetics
Women favoured bright red lipstick and used face makeup in natural skin tones, mascara on
eyelashes and pencil on eyebrows. After 1956 eye makeup became more pronounced with the
introduction of colored eye shadows. Nail polish was available in many shades of pink and red.
Signs of Silhouette Change: 1954 – 1960
By the late 1950’s and early 1960’s a new silhouette had emerged: the unfitted look.
Designers Dior and Balenciaga were the prominent designers at the time who initiated this
change.
Costume for Men: 1947 – 1960
Boxer shorts, jockey-type shorts, athletic shirts and T-shirts remained much the same but the
variety of fabrics and colors in which these items were manufactured increased.
Esquire, a men’s magazine with a heavy emphasis on fashion, introduced the term the Bold Look
for men in October 1948.
This was not a radical change but a continuation of the English drape cut with greater emphasis
on coordination between shirt and accessories and the suit. Broad-shouldered jackets had lapels
with a long roll. Double-breasted suits predominated.
Jackets were somewhat longer than during wartime years. After wartime restrictions were lifted,
most pant legs were cuffed. Shirts tended to have wide collars.
The Teddy Boy influences moved into mainstream menswear.
Suits with less padding in the shoulders and a narrower silhouette. Single-breasted styles
prevailed. Dark gray (called charcoal) was the most popular shade fro menswear suits for the
career minded businessmen. It was the shirts worn with gray flannel suits that provided touches
of colour – sometimes pink or light blue. Shirts most often had small collars either in the
buttoned-down style or they were fastened together under the tie with the tie pin. As polyester
fibers came into widespread use, they were blended with cotton to make ‘wash and wear’ shirts
that wrinkled lass than all-cotton shirts.
Vests were also produced in bright colors for informal occasions.
Continental suits were popular in the late 1950’s and continued into the 1960’s. These suits had
shorter jackets, a closer fit through the torso and rounded, cutaway jacket fronts. Evening wear
consisted of tuxedos or dinner jackets. The cut of the jacket followed the prevailing cut of jackets
of daytime.
Outdoor Garments
The 1950’s designer of outdoor garments made coats with trimmer, narrower lines. Some
specific styles included tan polo coats, tweed, checked and small-patterned fabric coats and
raglan-sleeved coats. In the late 1950’s wraparound, belted coats were revived. Coats for casual
wear were generally either hip or waist length, made in sturdy fabrics, lined or unlined, had setin or raglan sleeves and either buttoned or zippered closings.
Sportswear
Clothing favored by college students influenced some of the sportswear styles.
Fashion promoters called this the Ivy League Look. Sports jacket reflected the cut of business
suits. During the gray flannel suit era, sports jackets of tartan plaids were popular. In the mid1950’s sports jackets were cut along the lines seen in continental suits, had interesting textures
achieved by using raised cord or slub yarns with thick and thin areas. Leather-buttoned corduroy
jackets in checked and plaid and Indian madras plaids were also fashionable. In the 1950’s,
casual trousers were slim and straight. Among the important Ivy League styles were chinos
(khaki-colored, twill weave, cotton fabric trousers) with a small belt and buckle at the back.
These were generally worn with button-down shirts or crew-neck sweaters.
In the late 1950’s, self-belts and beltless trousers were worn. Slacks tapered to the ankles and
were cuffless. Bermuda or walking shorts were revived for general sportswear. These were
combined with knee-length stockings.
In the immediate postwar period, sports shirts reflected the wide-collared styling of more formal
shirts. They were made in bright colors; plaids were especially popular. In the 1950’s smallpatterned fabrics in shirts with button-down collars were preferred.
Knitted shirts and sweaters of all kinds were worn including T-shirts and polo shirts
Active-sportswear
In the early 1950’s tailored trunks were preferred for swimming especially medium-length boxer
shorts. Men sometimes wore sets of matching sport shirts and trunks.
By the end of the 1950’s varieties of trunks similar to Bermuda shorts, still longer Jamaica shorts
and tailored trunks were all being worn.
Sleepwear
Men preferred pajamas to nightshirts.
Hair and headdress
After WWII some men continued to wear short crew cuts like those given to soldiers. When the
hair was cut flat on top, it was called flat top. In the 1950’s a contrasting style inspired by Teddy
boys and Elvis Presley in the US had curly pompadour in front and hair at the back brushed into
a DA.
Older men tended to compromise somewhere in between with hair long enough to be combed
back from the forehead.
The fedora was the staple of men’s head wear. President Dwight Eisenhower helped reestablish
the homburg for formal occasions. Straw hats for summer followed the lined of the fedora and
hat brims decreased in size. Businessmen in winter wore a narrow Russian-style hat made of
Astrakhan fur or its imitation in synthetic fiber.
Sporty hats like the Tyrolean hat with a sharply creased crown, a narrow brim turned up in the
back and down in the front was worn. Sports car drivers wore flat-crowned caps with visors were
worn. Some men wore flat crowned, small brimmed round pork-pie hats.
Footwear
Synthetic fibers made possible one-size stretch stockings. These were available in variety of
patterns and styles. Anti static finishes were added to avoid clinging. By varying the type of
leather used, the color and style detailing the same type of shoes could be used by manufacturers
to make shoes for either dress or casual wear. Popular styles were oxfords, brogues and
moccasins, white buckskin shoes and Italian shoes were fashionable.
Accessories
Functional items like wristwatches, handkerchiefs, umbrellas and jewelry such as rings,
identification bracelet, cuff links and tie pins.
Costume for Children
Costume for infants and preschool children. Long pants up to about size 3 were made with
gripper-snap fasteners up the inseam and around the crotch area to facilitate changing of diapers
without having to take off the entire garments. For children at the crawling age, knees were
reinforced. Small girls were dressed in loose yoked dresses.
Boys wore romper suits or short pants. Both boys and girls wore long corduroy pants or overalls.
Costume for Girls
Girls followed smaller versions of their adult counterparts in costume. Princess-line, full circular
skirts and jumpers were popular. Styles of blouses and tops were tailored shirts, which often had
rounded peter pan collars, knit polo shirts, T-shirts and other knit tops.
Girls tended to keep their hair short.
Costume for Boys
Dressing boys in jacket and knickers was abandoned. Suits with long pants in adult styles were
available for boys. Younger boys wore Eton jackets and blazers were worn by all age groups.
Casual shirts styles included knitted T-shirts that pulled over the head and polo shirts with collars
and buttoned vents at the front. Woven sports shirts and plaid flannel shirts in winter. Usually the
hair was cropped short or in a crew cut.
Notable Youthful Fads
In the 1940’s, girls wore long full black skirts with leg-of-mutton-sleeved plaid blouses and flat
ballet slippers and denim jeans with saddle shoes and a large shirt with loose tail. In the 1950’s
fluffy bedroom slippers were a fad. Poodle skirts, full-circle felt skirts with a poodle appliqué in
a contrasting color of felt. Rhinestones were used for the eyes and to form a collar on the dog.
Such skirts were worn together with ankle socks, two-tone saddle shoes, a white shirt and a small
scarf tied around the neck.
5.4 1960 - 1979: The Swinging Sixties and Seventies
The Age of Affluence
The Impact of Americana
The design legacy that America passed onto the postwar world was two-fold – the professional
structure for the practice of industrial design was emulated on a world-wide scale and consultant
design offices sprang up in many countries all over the world, among them Britain, Germany,
Sweden, Italy and Japan.
The other major contribution lay in the area of mass culture. While the exhibitions at the
Museum of Modern Art in New York had put European products on a pedestal captioned ‘good
design’, on the streets outside the tail finned extravagances from the assembly lines of General
Motors, Ford and Chrysler began to arouse a different kind of interest. Coupled with the impact
of Hollywood movies, advertisements and pop music and alternative idea of American culture
emerged that was soon to invade the homes and streets on industrialized nations the word over.
The consumer society expanded and focused where material goods were concerned on the
American home which was illustrated widely in advertisements with bulging, bulbous fridges,
food mixers, deep freezes, dish-washers and electric can-openers that dominated the spacious
‘open-plan’ American kitchen and the huge finned automobile parked outside in the garage
adjoining the suburban house were American inventions appropriated by an eager European
audience. These were the ‘coca-colonization’ years in which by means of financial aid that USA
poured into Europe, America spread its culture over the capitalist world thereby affecting the
lives of millions of people. The booming economy had an effect on America’s approach to
styling and what came to be called ’built-in-obsolescence’. Critics attacked the evils of styling
and object bsolescence but they had little restraining influence on the far-reaching effects of
American-style consumer marketing.
The New Consumer Society
The ‘teenager’ quickly became one of the most important consumers of all.
The youth market emerged with considerable disposable income to spend on luxury goods and
life-style accompaniments like motor-bikes, motor scooters, transistor radios, hi-fi equipment
etc.
Rock’n’Roll imported from America brought numerous stylistic implications with it for fashion
goods and consumer durables.
Women too were financially more independent than ever before and represented a more
powerful market where goods for the home were concerned – it was now possible to talk not
only of mass style but also mass styles.
Industrialized society had become richer and more fragmented and as a result design became
more pluralistic. Pre-war design philosophy of functionalism died out in the atmosphere that
accepted eclectic, open-ended approach towards design and style which welcomed both
the ’throw-away’ ethic and the idea of symbolic appropriateness in objects, seeking to fulfill
short-term rather than long-term needs.
Towards the end of the decade, the optimism of the early years was replaced by the growing
awareness of the economic reality of a looming recession and a feeling that there might be more
to design than just style and fun. Consumerism drove a wedge between parents and their young.
Identified as rebellious the young were cobbling their own lifestyle from a patchwork of
contemporary sources: Warhol's unashamed celebration in paint of commercial culture was
picked up, as were Lichtenstein's impactful comic book imagery and Bridget Riley’s dazzling
optical tricks.
Resisting the shifting conformity that consumerism can induce, an ‘alternative’ drug culture
dropped out and barbed in Eastern robes, saw its destiny through a swirl of psychedelic colours.
At the sensible end escapism meant craft revival and rural nostalgia. Meanwhile, technology
strives for the moon and futurist fantasies clothed by Cardin and Courreges and coiffed by Vidal
Sasson, graced fashion pages.
Pop Art
Started in the early sixties by artists such as David Hockney, Allen Jones, Derek Boshier and
Ron Kitaj. The Independent Group (a group of artists, critics and architects came together to
understand and analyze icons of American mass culture. They helped in both isolating and
marketing intellectually respectable notions such as bright colors, ‘pop’ imagery derived from
comic books, science-fiction and advertising and other instantly appealing visual qualities such
as surface pattern and mixing them with abstract concepts like ‘object symbolism’ and
‘expendability’ which were to become such central features of the Pop design movement a
decade later.
Pop art stressed on fun, life-style, expendability and symbolism and rejecting austere forms and
any emphasis on utility. Many young designers who moved into this area were eager to break the
barriers between the areas of fashion, graphics and product design. The most visible surface
patterns from the mid sixties included flags, bull’s eye, stripes and other ‘pop’ and ‘op’ motifs
borrowed from the works of artists like Jasper Johns, Victor Vasarely and Bridget Riley.
Symbolic themes like those of ‘space travel’ and the ‘child’ were frequently used.
These themes summed up the optimistic nature of an affluent society which stressed youthful
values and worshiped innovation. The first people to make pop design movement a reality came
from within the fashion industry and clothing was the first area to be revolutionized by the
growing emphasis on the youth market.
John Stevens was the man behind Carnaby Street and for the young female consumer Mary
Quant opened Bazaar thereby pioneering the principle of boutique – a small personalized shop –
which was to dominate female fashion retailing throughout the sixties. Mary Quant introduced
the miniskirt to Britain and rejected traditional French haute couture by using young,
unsophisticated even gawky models. Her ‘play’ outfits which included a plastic Mac plus
sou’wester set called ‘Christopher Robin’ and a pin-striped suit called ‘The Bank of England’
redefined the way young women thought about clothing.
Other designers of this movement were Marion Foale, Sally Tuffin and Ossie Clark.
In France Andre Courreges broke away from his native haute couture tradition creating ‘spaceage’ outfits complete with visors, white mini-skirts and ankle boots.
The Style Revivals
By the mid sixties the search for style that was inspired from contemporary phenomena had
virtually exhausted and the process for raiding the past for inspiration started in earnest. Paisley
shirts suddenly broke in among the Pop and Op patterns and Victorian decoration appeared on
the surfaces on furniture, tea-cloths and curtains alongside Pop Union Jacks and Stripes.
Nostalgia for this new style was accompanied by yearnings for the countryside by small flower
prints on cotton fabrics by Laura Ashley from original Victorian patterns.
Interest in the past also led to reassessment of earlier methods of production as well as previous
styles.
The early seventies saw a sudden rebirth of concern with the craftsman and his objects.
Craftsmen moved on to develop new forms with both new and traditional materials, inspired by
ideas borrowed from minimal and conceptual art.
Impact of Social Change in Fashion
Style Tribes and Street Styles
The Mods and Rockers
Rockers were rough and tough, rode motorcycles and wore black leather jackets.
They vied with Mods, who were ‘up for love, self expression, poetry and getting stoned’
The Mod fashion statement was ‘elegance, long hair, granny glasses and Edwardian finery. The
Beetles then a popular music band adopted the Mod look and helped popularize it. One of the
ideas central to the Mod fashion was the notion that men and women were entitled to wear
handsome dashing clothing.
The Hippies
Following the 1967 hippie gatherings media coverage made colorful hippie costume familiar:
long hair for men and women, beards, headband and love beads for men, long skirts and gypsylike costume for women. Hippies assembled imaginative costumes from used clothing bought in
thrift stores.
In 1968 Ken Scott, an American designer designed a collection called the ‘hippie gypsy’.
The young gathered at popular music concerts such as the Woodstock and Art Fait. The ‘beads,
feathers and bandanas’ they wore were copied by others. The hippies were about ‘communal
living away from the cities, getting high, digging arts, clothes and crafts exhibits and listening to
songs of revolution’. The interest in Indian religion may have been a factor in the widespread
popularity of styles inspired or influenced by clothing from India. A ‘Peacock Revolution’
started for men emphasizing fanciful colored and styled garments.
Anti-War protesters and the adoption of Jeans
In the 60’s, young people protesting against the establishment adopted blue jeans as a symbol of
solidarity with working people. In the 1955 movie ‘Blue Denim’ they were associated with youth
and rebellion.
Jeans became a sort of uniform for young anti-war protesters. They began to use jeans as a
medium of self-expression with embroidered, painted and patch work messages.
Punk Style
Striving to dramatize their alienation through their garb, young fans of so-called “punk” rock
music in 1977 began wearing ‘messy, baggy, ripped up clothes’. Boys generally wore black
leather and girls wore micro-minis with black fishnet stockings.
Fabrics were purposely made with holes, tears and stains. Accessories included safety pins worn
as earrings or through the skin. Razors were also worn as piercings.
Punks wore black eye makeup, two-toned purple lips and hair painted green, yellow and red.
British fashion designer Zandra Rhodes quickly incorporated punk ideas into her 1977 collection
bringing the punk style to a wider audience.
The Women’s Movement
Some feminists in the 1960’s saw clothing as symbolizing oppression. To dramatize their
liberation from social as well as physical constraints and to protest against the Miss America
contest, which they saw as glorifying women for their beauty alone, a few feminists
demonstrated and burned brassieres outside of the pageant in Atlantic City in the fall of 1968.
While the majority of women did not abandon brassieres, many women stopped wearing corsets.
Bra styles became less rigid, molded from knitted synthetic fibers rather than cut and sewn to
produce maximum uplift as in the 1950’s. Acceptance of garments for men and women that are
similar such as blue jeans and T-shirts and pant suits were symbolic of the changing roles of
women in society.
The Civil Rights Movement
The civil rights movement brought with it a new consciousness of African culture, traditions and
art that was expressed in phrases, ‘black pride’ and ‘black is beautiful’.
Many African-Americans adopted styles in dress that reflected this interest in their African
heritage, like wearing dashikis (traditional African garments). These and other garments were
fabricated from textiles made in traditional designs such as kente-cloth, mud cloth, tie-dye
fabrics and handsome embroideries.
The afro hair-style, full and fluffy and taking advantage of the curl natural to the hair of many
African-Americans was widely adopted by both men and women.
Corn-row braids were also worn by women.
Jewelry was constructed in traditional designs much of it imported from Africa and utilized
materials native to Africa – amber, ivory and ebony. Initially these styles were worn both at work
and at home, but in later years this style was limited to leisure wear and continues to this day.
The White House Influences Style
Media coverage made it possible for political personalities to be seen at work and play.
Kennedy went bare-headed to his inaugural in 1961 after which hat use among men declined.
Mrs. Kennedy became a major influence on styles. Bouffant hairstyles, pillbox hats, A-line
skirts, low sling pumps, empire-style evening dresses and wraparound sunglasses were some
styles associated with Jackie Kennedy.
Political Events
Among the influences from the Vietnam War were the adoption of jeans by youthful anti-war
activists and some military-inspired styles. When Richard Nixon announced his intention to go to
China in 1972, Chinese-influenced styles began appearing. From actual Chinese clothing to
textiles, accessories, design motifs and adaptation of Chinese styles.
Space-Age
Some fashion on the 60’s reflected interest in the growing aerospace developments.
Couturier Andre Courreges showed what he called a ‘Space Age collection’ in 1964.
Fashion models wore helmets and lines were ‘precise and unadorned’ and shapes geometrical.
Designers used materials similar to those required for the technological advances that
accompanied space explorations. New materials like Velcro for closures, vinyl for rainwear and
outer wear etc.
Paco Rabane made dresses of square pieces of plastic held together with metal rings.
The most extreme of these styles were not widely adopted, but clean, geometric lines and plastic
jewelry and accessories in geometric shapes were often seen.
The Fine Arts
Op and Pop art designs translated readily into fabric and soon appeared in fabrics for clothing.
Yves Saint Laurent incorporated these Op and Pop art paintings into his designs. Art deco and
Art Nouveau designs were also revived during this period.
The exhibition of the treasures from the tomb of Tutankhamen in the 70’s revived Egyptian
inspired clothing and jewelry.
The 70’s also saw the origin of a combination of clothing and fiber art in what was known as
wearable art that probably had its antecedents in the decoration of the textiles used for clothing
by hippies.
Ethnic Looks
Fashion designers seemed to be looking everywhere for design inspiration.
A source that they tapped into was ethnic clothing. Design inspiration came from a variety of
sources, such as Native American dress, styles from countries like India, from traditional Eastern
European folk costume and from Africa.
The Changing Fashion Industry
Increasing variety in fashion segments, trickle down and bottom up theories. There were
attempts to curb fashion changes and the establishment’s response to ‘radical’ fashion changes.
Changes in fashion design, Prêt-a-Porter and RTW, Labeling and licensing, Designer jeans,
logos appeared on garments, designers of men’s clothing such as Pierre Cardin and John Weitz.
Costume for Women (1960 – 1974)
Brassieres, underpants, slips, girdles continued to be the most common items of women’s
underwear. A new garment, part hosiery, part underwear was introduced and called pantyhose –
sheer in nylon – and replaced nylon stockings held up with garters or girdle. Body stocking and
body suits were also used.
A new line for suits gained acceptance – loosely fitted jackets – Chanel’s braid trimmed,
collarless, cardigan-style jacket with 3/4th length sleeves. Worn with an A-line skirt and a blouse
with a bow tie at the neck with sleeves extending a little beyond the jacket sleeves.
Notable silhouettes of dress styles were empire waistlines, A-line shapes with dresses flaring
slightly from neck to hem, dresses cut straight and loose from shoulder to hem.
Dresses falling straight from yoke at the shoulder and were unfitted through the torso and with a
flounce joined to the hem of the dress at the knee
Long daytime dresses known as granny dresses were popular among the youth in the early 70’s.
A brief interest in paper dresses emerged in 1966. Matching pants and jackets were introduced
just after mid 60’s for daytime, business and evening wear.
Evening dresses were made in both long and short lengths. Trends include short straight dresses
some in vivid prints and others made of metallic fabrics or trimmed with sequins, paillettes of
plastic and/ or beads. In the late 60’s, pantsuits of decorative fabrics with full-legged pants made
in soft fabrics were also worn for evenings and were called palazzo pajamas.
Sportswear
Most skirts tended to be A-line finished with facing at the waist. Knitted stretch pants with
narrow legs were worn with straight or blouson tops. Jeans were worn predominantly. Hip
huggers were a jean style that had a low waist (facing finish) and a wide flare or a bell-bottomed
legs fitting smoothly at the hips. Hot pants were very short shorts. Tight figure hugging, fitted
blouses gave way to looser styles many with straight lines. Turtlenecks were among the most
popular separate tops. Popular sweater styles included poor-boy sweater.
Active Sportswear
Women adopted leotards for aerobic exercises. Leg-warmers loose fitting footless stockings were
used for exercises and as a street fad among young women. Rudi Gernreich introduced a topless
bathing suit called the monokini. Skiwear was made in bright colors and prints. Synthetic and
down fillings were quilted into ski jackets and other sportswear for warmth.
Styles worn at the Olympic Games influences skiwear. In 1968, Olympic skier Susie Chaffee
wore a sleek, silver jumpsuit and began the trend toward one-piece unitard ski suits. Knickers
and knee length socks worn with sweaters and lightweight windbreakers wee appropriate for
cross-country skiing. At Wimbledon, England Rosie Casals broke the tradition of wearing white
to play tennis when she appeared in a tennis dress decorated with purple scrolls. By the late 70’s,
the quest for good health through fitness had led many men and women to jog, run and work out.
Manufacturers responded with new lines of warm-up suits, running and jogging clothing and
shoes especially sneakers.
Hair and Headdress
New bouffant hairstyles, the fullness achieved by a technique of massing the hair called ‘backcombing’ and/ or addition of artificial hair pieces became stylish in the early 60’s.
Courreges, Cardin and Quant had the hair of their models cut in almost geometric styles for their
mid-decade collections. Hair stylist Vidal Sassoon helped make the geometric cut a popular
alternate to long hair.
Footwear
Stockings without seams became popular. Pantyhose gained wide acceptance. Coloured and
textured stockings, pantyhose or tights were worn with short skirts.
Heels lowered as skirt length shortened. By mid 70’s toes were rounded. In the early 70’s,
platform shoes ranging from small platforms to enormously high ones were added to all kinds of
shoes and boots. Clogs with wooden soles were especially popular.
Accessories
Small tailored bags, very large bags with round handles and/ or shoulder straps and shoulder
bags. Materials included leather and plastic imitations of leather, fabric and straw.
Jewelry
Popular jewelry items included long strings of pearls or other beads similar to those worn in the
1920’s, necklaces of brightly colored stones, earrings either small or long and hanging and an
enormous variety of costume jewelry. Women started piercing their ears. Colourful plastic
jewelry in geometric shapes complemented the somewhat geometric forms evident in women’s
clothing. In the latter half of the 60’s, large decorative wristwatches appeared and gold colored
jewelry, especially multiple gold chains overshadowed colored beads.
Cosmetics
The bright red lipstick was replaced after 1966 by a variety of lighter, paler colors.
Mascaras, eyeliners and eye shadow were available in colors ranging from mauve to lavender,
blue, and green and even yellow. False eyelashes were commonly used.
For the first part of the 70’s makeup though much used was supposed to create an ‘unmade-up’
or natural look. Lip gloss was first used in 1971.
Costume for Women (1974 – 1980)
Some women abandoned brassieres and went bra-less. Brassieres were molded from synthetic
fabrics to eliminate unsightly seam-lines and provided a ‘natural’ appearance under the clinging
fabrics used so much during the latter part of the 70’s. Pantyhose with control tops took the place
of girdles. Most dresses were belted or had clearly defined waistlines. Lines were soft, with
shaping that followed and revealed body contours.
Natural fibers made in beige and neutral colors replaced the brightly colored manufactured fibers
of the 60’s. Fabrics were soft and had good drape, many were knitted. Some popular styles
included: Dresses that pulled over the head, had elastic or drawstring waistlines and slightly
bloused bodices. Cotton knit wrap-dresses, the style originated by designer, Diane von
Furstenberg that tied shut with an attached belt.
Pantsuits had become a staple in the wardrobe of all but the most conservative women.
Made in fabrics such as knitted or textured polyester and wool gabardine and sold widely
varying prices, pantsuits were worn for work, leisure as well as evening.
As discos replaced formal dances and parties, evening clothing was not as important as in
previous periods. Clothing for disco was less formal. Jeans were commonly worn. Dresses
tended to be floor length. Materials were soft, clingy and knitted.
Sportswear
Pants were an alternative to skirts in almost all situations. By 1976, the bell-bottom was replaced
by narrowed legs. Most were pleated or gathered into a waistband tapering towards the ankle and
cuffed or rolled to ankle length. Jeans were a virtual uniform for casual wear.
Designer jeans were popular among all age groups. Some women wore exceptionally tight jeans
conforming to the body-conscious look of the period. By the mid-70’s, skirts had more fullness,
tended to flare out and covered the knees by at least several inches.
Skirts that wrapped around the body and tied into place and the swirl skirt made from bias- cut
strips of multicolored fabrics that were often from India were part of the ethnic styles that
appeared periodically.
Most blouses were of soft fabrics, often knits. Many knit tops fell somewhere between a blouse
and a sweater. Short or long-sleeved made of narrow ribbed knits; they fit the body closely and
ended a short distance below the waistline.
The wrap-style closing was popular in blouses as well as dresses. The film, ‘Annie Hall’ had a
strong impact on current fashion. It helped popularize combination of layers of separates and
pantsuits and men’s hats for women. In 1975, Vogue magazine proclaimed the sweater as a basis
for building a wardrobe. Round neck sweaters were worn over tailored blouses, the collar being
visible at the neck. This preppy look focused on Shetland wool sweaters. Long thigh length
cardigan sweaters usually had a matching belt and were worn over trousers or skirts.
The twin-set was another popular style. In 1977, Japanese designer Issey Miyake combine
oversized sweater tops with narrow leggings. Popular tops were T-shirts with blurbs. The focus
on fitness grew; sweatshirts in various colors were worn.
Leotards were worn for exercise as well as under jeans as tops and with wrap skirts.
Outdoor Garments
Coats like dresses followed body lines, flaring out gently below the waist. Tie belted coats
became popular. Most coats ended below the knee. Down or fiber filled coats gained popularity
for winter wear. Tennis clothing came in variety of colours. Bathing suits came in styles ranging
from the tiny string bikini to the empire style to the skirted swimming dresses.
Rudi Gernreich designed the thong. One piece maillot suits were popular. Sleek fitted jumpsuit
was popular on the ski slopes. Stretch pants with stirrups worn with puffy parkas were
fashionable in 79. Top fashion designers had begun to design skiwear in the late 70’s.
Hair and Headdress
By the mid-decade hair was becoming shorter and for the rest of the decade a soft ‘natural’ style
was preferred. Late 70’s some women were wearing their hair in tight ‘frizzy curls, a style seen
on a movie star Barbara Streisand in the film ‘A Star is born’.
A short haircut called the wedge became popular in 76 after Olympic medal winner Dorothy
Hamill wore the style.
Farah Fawcett-Majors in the TV program Charlie’s Angels had a full, streaked blonde ‘mane’ a
style popular after 77. Although hats were not an important fashion item, berets and knit caps
were used in colder regions. Head scarves were also used.
Footwear
After 1975 slender, more graceful shoes with comfortable heels had replaced the ‘clunky’
platform soles. Boots remained a popular item.
Accessories
A large variety of accessories were available. Notable among those were handbags that included
narrow rectangles, large tote bags, large soft satchels with interesting textures around, small
square quilted handbags with chain shoulder straps originally designed by Chanel.
Women who dressed for success carried briefcases rather than hand bags. Emphasis on natural
materials led to strong interest in real leather accessories.
Jewelry
Along with natural materials came an interest in real gold and gemstones, in particular gold
chains, gold-wire hoops earrings and ‘diamonds by the yard’ designer Elsa Peretti’s strings of
gold chain with diamonds interspersed periodically. In ‘73 snakeskin-covered bangle bracelets
were a fad. Digital watches were first introduced in ‘76.
Cosmetics and grooming
Women worked hard at using make-up to create a ‘natural’ look. As hairstyles grew in volume
more hair products required to hold the styles in place were made. By the end of 70’s, lipstick
shades grew brighter and eye makeup more obvious.
Costume for Men (1960 – 1980)
Undergarments continued to include boxer shorts, knitted briefs, athletic shirts and T-shirts.
Boxer shorts already available in colors and small prints were made in bright prints. Jockey
briefs produced these garments in cotton mesh and continued to make the bikini-cut shorts in
bright colors.
By the mid-60’s continental suits were being exchanged by mod clothes. English styles with
jackets padded slightly at the shoulders, wider lapels, moderate flare to the skirt and pronounced
side or centre back vents. In the early 70’s lapels were fairly wide and suits were fitted through
the body. Double-knit fabrics in both manufactured and wool fibers were widely used and
trousers tended to flare at the bottom. Suits were both single and double breasted.
In the late 70’s three-piece suits with vests returned. Lapels narrowed and grew longer.
The cut was looser. Men's suits were conservatively tailored usually double breasted made in
dark colors and smooth textured fabrics. Interest in men’s fashion grew with media promoting
fashions for men. Pierre Cardin was one of the first to design for the menswear market. Suits
with Nehru jackets appeared on the scene.
After Lord Snowdon wore a formal evening Nehru suit with a white turtleneck, the trend picked
was picked up. Sweaters in the 70, are fit close to the body ending just below the waistline. In the
late 70’s sweaters became larger and looser. From the early 60’s turtle necks were accepted as an
alternative to collared shirts. Shirts are cut and seamed so as to follow body lines and called body
shirts were popular in the 60’s. Shirt collar sizes varied so that shirts would be in proportion to
the lapel width of suit collars. Striped and printed shirts were popular.
Suits were made for casual wear. Top and pant were usually made from the same fabrics. The
unstructured tops had shirt-like collars or were collarless. Fashionable throughout 70’s leisure
suits were out of style by the end of the decade. The Peacock Revolution had a major impact on
tuxedos, which were cut with more body shaping and manufactured in a wide range of colours.
Burgundy, green and brown were especially popular. Shirts with ruffled fronts were worn with
tuxedos.
Sportswear
Tapered slacks were replaced by those with trouser bottoms that grew wider and included some
flare pant legs and wide, bell-bottoms. They fit close to the torso without pleats. Blue jeans
moved from being work clothes to fashionable dress by late 60’s.
Sports jackets followed the lines of suit jackets. Styles that were widely used were safari-jackets
and Norfolk-style jackets in the late 60’s and 70’s. Sports shirts varied with the seasons: T-shirts
and polo shirts, turtle necks, velour pullovers and shirts, jacquard-patterned knitted sweaters and
sweatshirts were popular.
Active Sportswear
The miniscule European bikini for men was appearing on American beaches. Synthetic knits
were used for bathing suits because they dried quickly and were wrinkle free.
The Olympics influenced styles in bathing suits. Until the early 70’s white predominated for
tennis. After this men and women were more likely to be seen in colored tennis clothes. Ski
clothes styles changed yearly, moving gradually towards a tighter fit and the use of fabrics
designed to offer as little wind resistance as possible.
Hair and Headdress
Longer than shoulder length hair was chiefly limited to high-school and college-age youth or
older men wishing to dramatize a personal protest some aspect of contemporary society.
Moderately long hair, beards, mustaches and sideburns had become accepted styles for all
segments of society by the end of 60’s. Shorter styles returned in the late 70’s.
Footwear
Platforms were seen on men’s shoes as well especially the youth. After hippie men wore work
shoes and sandals these entered men’s fashion.
Accessories
Ralph Lauren made 3-inch wide ties popular in 1967 and continued till the mid 70’s.
With turtleneck styles men began wearing necklaces. Bracelets and earrings were also seen.
Men’s hair products range also expanded.
5.5 1980 – 1999: The Eighties and Nineties
Historical Background
The Cold War ended. Progress continues toward European Union. The Middle East
Japanese Economic influences.
In the United States, political and economic developments, energy and environmental issues, the
changing American family, changes in the role of women, the computer revolution, the new
immigrants and AIDS.
Fashion Industry Undergoes Changes
Trickle down as opposed to bubble up. Style tribes proliferated. New Romantics, Goths,
Preppies, Fashion fetish or pervs, Grunge, Hip Hop (break boys and fly girls), Ravers,
Cyberpunks, Emo, Scene. Manufacturers focus on market niches.
Style Tribes
The New Romantics
The new Romantics were a young fashion movement in the 1970's in the UK. It was associated
with the New wave scene that was around at the same time. The sub culture was associated with
bands such as Adam and the ants and Duran Duran. They took fashion to the next level with
there theatrical outfits, flamboyant, colourful dramatic look with use of frills and luscious fabrics
associated with historical periods.
New Romanticism was music and fashion movement of the 1980’s and was a direct reaction
against the punk movement. It first emerged in London nightclubs such as ‘Blitz’ on Great
Queen Street and soon moved to Barbarella’s in Birmingham. People involved in New Romantic
club nights wanted to protest against the anti-fashion ethos of punk and appear as flamboyant
and frilly as possible. The look was everything for a New Romantic and it involved wearing
glitter, make-up, and ostentatious clothing. The appeal of the New Romantic scene proved so
popular that it rapidly filtered into mainstream fashion.
Designers linked with the New Romantic period include, Stevie Stewart and Colin Swift.
Vivienne Westwood is also often associated with the Adam and the Ants’ pirate and buccaneer
look. This look was extremely popular with New Romantics and it included the wearing of
frilled bell sleeves shirts, and blazers made of brocade and velvet
Valley girl
This style included trends - leg warmers and ,miniskirts, especially the ra-ra skirts, modelled
after the short, flared skirts worn by American cheerleaders. Leg warmers, which had long been
staple gear for professional dancers during rehearsals,became a teen trend in 1981; their
popularity and that of sweatshirts with their collars cut open, exploded following the 1983
release of Flashdance.
Headbands became fashionable in 1981. The trend started in California and spread across the
United States. Frequently, these miniskirts were worn with leggings. These styles are shown in
today's fashion with stores such as American Apparel, whose main look is solid colors and
simple patterns and the same shapes and silhouettes of the 1980s.
Graffiti
It is writing or drawings scribbled, scratched, or sprayed illicitly on a wall or other surface in a
public place. In modern times, paint, particularly spray paint, and marker pens have become the
most commonly used graffiti materials.
Graffiti may also express underlying social and political messages and a whole genre of artistic
expression is based upon spray paint graffiti styles. Within hip hop culture, graffiti has evolved
alongside hip hop music, b-boying, and other elements. Clothing inspired from graffiti art or
street painting is graffiti clothing. Many shoes, bags, caps and tees with printed graffiti are being
designed.
Power Dressing
Shoulder pads were in trend and remained popular throughout the 1980s. The reason behind the
sudden popularity of shoulder pads for women in the 1980s may be that women in the workplace
were no longer unusual, and wanted to "power dress" to show that they were the equals of men at
the office.
The Dynasty television show, watched by over 250 million viewers around the world in the
1980s, influenced the fashion styles in mainstream America and most of the western world. The
show, targeted towards females, influenced women to wear jewelry often to show one's
economic status. Synthetic fabrics went out of style in the 1980s. Wool, cotton, and silk returned
to popularity for their perceived quality.
Dancewear
The popularity of aerobics and dance-themed television shows and movies created a dancewear
fashion sense—professional dancewear, such as leggings and leg warmers, were worn as street
wear.
The 1983 film Flashdance popularized among women ripped sweatshirts that exposed one bare
shoulder. Leotards were also worn during this period and became colorful. Other dancewear
inspirations included Olivia Newton John's Physical video and Jane Fonda’s line of aerobic
videos.
Gothic Look
The post-punk 1980s was the gothic look black clothing, often made of gabardine, leather or
velvet trimmed in lace or fishnet material. Corsets were often worn by girls.
British bands which inspired the gothic trend include The Cure, Siouxsie and the Banshees, and
The Cult. This trend would resurge in the 1990s and 2000s. English singer Siouxsie Sioux in
1986 wearing black clothing, back-combed hair, and heavy black eyeliner. She was an
inspiration for the gothic fashion trend that started in the early
1980s.
Preppy
Conservative teenagers, especially in the United States wore a style that came to be known as
"preppy”. An example of preppy attire would be a button-down Oxford cloth shirt, cuffed khakis,
and loafers. Also popular were argyle sweaters and vests. It was also considered "preppy" to
wear a sweater tied loosely around the shoulders.
In the 1980s, preppy fashions featured a lot of pastels and polo shirts with designer logos. Preppy
fashions are associated with classic and conservative style of dressing and clothing brands such
as Izod Lacoste, Brooks Brothers, Polo Ralph Lauren and clothing from The Gap.
Designer Underwear
Underwear became a more important fashion accessory for both men and women.
Women's looks tended to be in a wide array of pastel colors, with lacy trimmings.
Camisoles with built in bras became popular for women, especially visible in the neckline of
jackets worn for work. Men became more fashion conscious as well. Underwear was also
colorful for men, and boxer shorts were "tapered", or styled after the side-vent running shorts,
with a trimmer cut.
Postmodernism
These were characterised by theories about nature of present day society, a style of expression in
the arts and certain cultural values and sensibilities. The rejection of authority: casual wear for all
occasions, cultural or ethnic groups with irreconcilable differences, juxtaposition of elements
from different styles and the use of symbols without reference to their traditional meanings.
Elements of the Fashion System
Haute couture as a source of inspiration has been replaced by luxury fashion design, industrial
fashion and street styles. Luxury fashion includes part of the haute couture and more of
innovative and expensive RTW. Not limited to Paris couture houses. American luxury is rarely
made to measure. Trunk shows are held by designers for their wealthy clients who can try on the
clothes and this interaction provides designers with insightful details about the client’s needs and
wants.
Industrial fashion is fashion created by manufacturers which sell similar products to similar
social groups in many countries Ralph Lauren, Liz Claiborne and Tommy Hilfiger. Street styles
are styles originated by urban subcultures or style tribes.
Different styles have different publics; there are no precise rules about what is to be worn and no
agreement about a fashion ideal that represents contemporary culture.
The role of Haute Couture in the 80’s and 90’s
Couture’s influence waned in the sixties. It did not disappear however. 70’s and 80’s saw
wealthy women from oil producing countries buying couture. Economic prosperity of the 80’s
also saw acceptance of elaborate evening dresses. Couture did not compete with RTW instead
focused on evening lines and suits. Most couturiers produced couture as well as RTW and
makeup and perfume licences. Large businesses conglomerates acquire fashion and couture
houses. Global marketing helped make brands gain world wide awareness.
Ready to Wear
USA: RTW became very popular. France: Prêt-a-porter thrived, franchised boutiques sold RTW
products in cities around the world. Manufacturers purchased licenses to use the couture name on
items like handbags, jewellery, and household linens. Many firms opened in France for the
attention French shows were given each year in Paris.
Italy had a strong presence in fashion.
London: British fashion diversified and unconventional and innovative styles, many derived
from street fashions, once again appeared along with classics.
Japan: emerged as a major fashion centre. Many of their designs were radically different and
stimulated interests in wide press coverage. Issey Miyake, Yohji Yamamoto and Rei Kawakubo
(Comme des Garcons).
Changes in the production and retailing of apparel
Computer technology cut costs for manufacturing apparel. Overseas manufacturing in third
world countries created domestic unemployment and loss of GDP in America. To combat this
economic depression American apparel manufacturer exploited workers, often immigrants in
sweat shops with poor wages and working conditions.
Merchandizing
Specialized boutiques came across towns and cities. Department stores started to organize
merchandise according to designers. Off price retailers, factory outlets and mail order outlets.
Vintage clothing. Used clothing stories were first patronized by hippies and by people who
sought out ‘vintage’ clothing. Some customers valued the quality and workmanship of vintage
clothing.
An active overseas market for Levis 501 hidden rivet jeans (from the period 1937-60) had
developed in the 90’s. By 2002, manufacturers were making replicas of vintage jeans. Television
shopping networks, internet shopping caught on. Growing teen and tween markets (the market is
fickle and capricious in their tastes, followed celebrities, music artists and sports figures for their
fashion information.
Prominence of labels and licensing logos.
Origin of fashion trends
Retro fashions inspired from the past became a increasingly visible phenomenon
Political and social elites, such as Princess Diana, her wedding dress, Duchess Ferguson, Nancy
Reagan and Michele Obama.
Yuppies
Yuppies, applied to young upwardly mobile professionals who worked in fields such as law and
business. They wore double breasted “power suits”. Affluent students studying in Ivy League
colleges – stressed classic tweed blazers, conservatively cut skirts and trousers, tailored blouses
or shirts, and high quality leather loafers, pumps, oxfords.
Street Styles
African American style. Styles came from African American inner city youth and from rap
musicians seen on MTV. They wore Adidas sneakers or high tops with laces untied, oversized tshirts, huge gold earrings and chains. They originated the fade, a hairstyle in which hair was cut
very short on the side and long on top and began to shave designs and names on their scalps.
Public enemy’s black is back inspired African inspired round flat topped crown hats and leather
medallions with maps of Africa.
Kente cloth became popular.
In the 90’s, both black and white hip hop music fans were wearing oversized baggy pants,
matching football or baseball shirts, baseball caps worn backwards, leather knapsacks and
running shoes. Dreadlocks were worn by Rastafarians, reggae musicians from Jamaica and
others wanting to adopt these styles.
Body piercing and tattooing
High fashion garments that look like tattoos.
Jewellery worn in other parts of body came to be known as body jewelry.
The persistence of blue jeans and the importance of denim.
Washes and textures were innovated
Slashing and cut offs weer explored.
Torn jeans became fashionable and a symbol of status.
Current events
9/11 affected fashion, demand for clothing dropped sharply, even the affluent chose a sombre
taste in evening wear, clothing with American flags became popular to make a patriotic
statement. Islamic traditions and clothing are seen as suspicious. As the US went into war
military influences appeared in civilian dress, cargo pants, trenches, battle jackets in camouflage
prints.
Media as fashion influence
Music groups – MJ, Madonna, Annie Lennox, rock bands now more recently Sean Combs, Sean
Jean Label, Jennifer Lopez, Phat farm, Jay Z Rocawear etc
Fine arts
Diana Vreeland retired from editor of vogue magazine and joined MET and showcased various
exhibitions of costumes art from different periods and cultures…often inspiring designers from
these periods and influences.
Textiles
Synthetic fabrics went out of style in the 1980s. Wool, cotton, and silk returned to popularity for
their perceived quality was used for “Power Dress” Suits. For men, Hawaiian shirts sales soared
complemented with sport coats, often with top-stitched easy-care micro-suede and corduroy
jackets became popular choices. Leather jackets popularized by Michael Jackson and films like
The Lost Boys were often studded and left undone to create a messier look. Oversized, slouch
shouldered faded leather jackets with puffy sleeves were flourishing.
Preppy attire would be a button-down Oxford cloth shirt, cuffed khakis, and loafers. Also
popular were argyle sweaters and vests. Bright jewel tones to match the silk camisole and satin
blouses shown on Dallas and Dynasty were the rage. Dresses in slinky satins and foulard silks or
polyesters were often batwing or with set in sleeves. Both styles had shoulder pads and
frequently swathes of fabric were gathered and ruched onto hip bands, with falling silk, crepe de
chine or chiffon asymmetric draped swirling skirts.
Lace was popular for evening, especially cream lace bound with cream satin collars. Lace collars
made an appearance after being worn by the Princess Diana.
Mohair sweaters were over-sized, but covered with lavish beading and satin appliqué they could
be worn for evening too. Highly styled knit jumpers became fashionable.
From the wearing of sport and fitness wear as casual wear, due to the fitness craze inspired by
Flashdance and Olivia Newton-John's popular single "Physical“, materials like Lycra, spandex
were popularized for aerobic clothing.
Hairstyles
Sideburns of the 1970s saw a massive decline in fashion in 1980, big and eccentric hair styles
were popularized by film and music stars in particular amongst teenagers.
There was generally an excessive amount of mousse used in styling an individual's hair which
resulted in a desired shiny look and greater volume, some mousse even contained glitter. The
Mullet existed in several different styles, all characterized by hair short on the sides and long in
the back.
Women's hairstyles became increasingly long in the latter part of the decade and blunt cuts
dominated. Frizzy hair was cemented as a common fashion style and was complemented by the
attire of the times. "Banana" clips were another favorite. Shoulder length earrings often
contrasted with hair that was chin length or shorter. Crimped hair, and contrasting color streaks
were the trends in the 80's popularized by teenagers. Many young women in Europe and North
America dyed their hair a rich burgundy or plum-red in the last half of the decade.
Accessories
Eyewear
In the early-to-mid 1980s, glasses with large, plastic frames were in fashion for both men and
women. Small metal framed eyeglasses made a return to fashion in 1984 and 1985, and in the
late 1980s, glasses with tortoise-shell coloring became popular. These were smaller and rounder
than the type that was popular earlier in the decade. Throughout the 1980s, Ray-Ban Wayfarer
was extremely popular, as worn by Tom Cruise in the 1983 movie Risky Business. Sales of RayBan Aviator sunglasses jumped 40%, following the release of the 1986 film Top Gun, in which
they were worn prominently by Maverick and Iceman, played by Tom Cruise.
Watches:
At the beginning of the decade, digital watches with metal bands were the dominant fashion.
Newer digital watches with built-in calculators and primitive data organizers were strictly for
gadget geeks. Adult professionals returned to dial watches by mid-decade. Leather straps
returned as an option. By late in the decade some watch faces had returned to Roman numerals.
In contrast, one ultramodern status symbol was the Movado museum watch. It featured a sleek
design with a single large dot at twelve o'clock.
The Tank watch by Cartier was a fashion icon that was revived and frequently seen on Cartier
advertisements. Rolex watches were prominently seen on Miami-Vice TV show. Teen culture
preferred vibrant plastic Swatch watches. These first appeared in Europe and reached North
America by the middle of the decade. Demographic changes, casual wear, large and plus size
stores. Fashion photographers promoted thin anorexic models in the 90’s. It coincided with an
increase use of hard drugs by celebrities.
High tech fabrics
These were water proof, breathable, ultrafine microfibers, silicone finishes, polypropylene…dry
fit, stretch fabrics, teflon coating…stain free, chameleon fabrics, clothing and electronic devices,
LZR racer suit by Speedo with less drag, bonded seams.
Sports and Activewear
Interest in fitness continued to grow. High tech footwear, walking, trekking, jogging, running,
sports. Expensive sneakers became status symbols in inner city dwellings
High heeled shoes with sneaker inspirations. Designers creating sportswear lines
and jogging suits.
5.6 2000 – Present day
Modern History: 2000-present day
Women’s costume
Towards the late 90’s, minimalist designers created styles in neutral or darker tones that had little
ornamentation and strong lines. After 2000, minimalist tendencies declined and more colorful
and dramatic styles could be seen. In 2005-6 several designers produced Goth inspired lines.
Camouflage animal prints and stripes continued to be in fashion.
Leather was still popular. Asian influences appeared in the Chinese cheongsam dresses and
jackets, and the kimono. Retro styles continued to be revived. High fashion designers look to the
past all the way back to Ancient Greece and Renaissance painters for inspiration.
Undergarments and Sleepwear
Camisoles were also worn as visible tops. Bustier style tops were also worn as tops.
With a large variety of necklines available, lingerie manufacturers specially created brassiere for
halter necklines, strapless necklines, and tank tops. Some garments were made with built in
brassieres.
By 2005, it was possible to buy sleepwear made from fibers originally developed for sports.
Minimalist slip dresses in satin appeared often. Maternity dresses started to follow the form of a
pregnant woman. These styles were often belted high under the bust like an empire style.
Tweed was very popular around 2000. Skirts often had a row of lace or trim attached to the hem.
Many evening dresses were bare and low cut. Gowns worn at the Academy Awards ceremonies
served as an inspiration for evening gowns each year. Leading designers often loaned famous
actresses gowns as a way of promoting their designs.
Broomstick skirts were popular in 2004-2006. The bare midriff style of the 80’s continues in the
early 2000’s. Navel rings were especially popular. By 2005, a style trend called Boho, derived
from bohemian, a kind of revival of the ideas part of upscale hippie influenced clothes of the
1960’s.
Vibrant colors, soft flowing fabric and combination of various patterned fabrics are part of this
trend. In addition to classic blouses and tops, there were ultra-feminine blouses in peasant styles
ornamented with ruffles and frills. A popular neckline style was the funnel neck.
Tops cut like men’s vest were called wife-beater after the popularity of the movie A Streetcar
Named Desire. Fair Isle sweaters became popular again but this time they were smaller, shorter,
neater and less baggy than in the 80’s. Fitted waist-length cardigans with attached hood called
hoodies were popular for both girls and boys.
Skirts were found in a variety of lengths and styles. Pants also came in many styles including the
low-waisted flare pants from the 60’s, stretchable tight-fitting pants, tailored pants of moderate
widths. After the invasion of Iraq, cargo pants and combat shorts were often made in camouflage
prints or solid colored fabrics. Capri-length pants became a wardrobe essential. As the decade
progressed, short dresses, skirts, or hip-length tops were worn on top of tight fitted jeans or
leggings.
Outerwear
Cloth coats were cut in slender classic styles of varying lengths. Trench coats were popular again
after the Matrix. Fur and fur trimmed coats were popular due to new techniques of handling fur
(making them lighter) and synthetic imitations (which felt very close to the original) were
colored in lively colours.
Hair and Headdress
Hair could be short or long, worn straight or curled. Tousled hair was called bed hair.
Young girls tied their hair into a ponytail at the back of the head, purposely allowing a few
strands of hair to fall on their face. Celebrity hairstyles were popular with many women. Popular
hats include the flower decked picture hats, fedoras and the Andean-inspired knitted caps.
Trilbys, beanies, large fur hats, schoolboy caps and berets were also popular.
Footwear
Many shoe types were available. Stilettos and other high heels, such as cones, open-toe pumps,
etc were worn for dressy occasions. Flip flops became a fad for casual wear. Wedge heels
became popular from about 2006. Heels became higher and styles more fanciful. Many
fashionable women got surgery done on their feet to be able to wear these fashionable shoes. But
many women found the surgery only made it worse preventing them from, wearing anything
except sneakers or custom made shoes.
Flats were available in many colours. The waterproof, no slip shoe called crocs became popular
for all.
Accessories
Belts became an important accessory. They were heavily ornamented with metal studs or chains.
Elaborate belt buckles were attached. Pashmina shawls were an essential item for the fashionable
woman. Handbags were made with cell phone compartments.
Certain classic handbag styles were a status symbol if original and were counterfeited and sold at
lower prices. Bags imitated bowling bags or gym bags.
Jewelry
Costume jewelry made in bright colors became fashionable. Large dangling earrings called
chandelier earrings; necklaces made from cultured pearls, chokers became very popular. By the
middle of the first decade of the 21st century, gold was preferred in jewelry. It became bold and
showy. Necklaces were made of chains and cuff bracelets, and floral designs. Fashion watches
looked like bracelets.
Men’s costume
The basic items like boxer shorts, briefs, ad undershirts continued to be worn with innovations
being made in fabric, cut and colour. Designer labels on the waistbands became a fashion
statement. Interest in hiking and camping increased in the 1980’s and soon thermal underwear
was being made in cotton, wool, silk and polypropylene for both men and women. Men’s suit
silhouette in the 80’s emphasized Italian styling, with a wide shoulder line and an easy fit. By the
90’s the English cut was being favored with its narrower waist, wide shoulders and side vents.
Suspenders were being used to hold up the trousers.
French and Italian suits with slightly softer tailoring were also considered fashionable.
By 1996 a more structured line in suits was apparent. Some Italian suits had stretch fibers
incorporated to maintain a line that was closer to the body. By 2000 suits tended to be dark, slim
in cut, and had either two or three buttons. In summers men could wear un-pressed linen suits
with a somewhat rumpled look. Preppy styles were revived in 2007. Men were interested in
apparel specifically designed to hold electronic gear like iPods, Blackberries and digital cameras.
Coloured or printed shirts with white collars became popular. Around 2000 shirts in darker
shades of color were being work with lighter shades and patterns of the same colour. Asian
influences were seen in men’s band collar shirt. Hawaiian prints also became popular. Giorgio
Armani showed some of his suits in the 1980 being worn with T-shirts.
Sportswear
Sports jackets generally followed lines of suit jackets, easy in the 1980’s, then more fitted again
in the 1990’s and gradually looser again. Popular styles included double-breasted jackets and
wool tweeds in the 1980’s. These were worn over a sweater or fabric vest. Pant styles for casual
wear ranged from blue jeans to tailored slacks. In the early 1980’s some pants tapered to the
bottom and closed with Velcro fasteners at the ankle. By late 1980’s trouser fronts had pleated
fullness and a loose, easy fit
A 1994 feature article in GQ magazine showed a cross section of pants styles. All of these pants
had pleats, although the style of the pleats was not the same for all trousers. Most had cuffs.
The styles included the following: Slim, narrow at ankle, wide all the way to the hem, cargo
style, with large patch pockets on the side, high waisted and tapered to the ankle, casual with
suspender buttons and no cuffs.
By 1996, pleats were disappearing and dress trousers were tighter. Casuals pants alternatives,
however, picked up some style features from hip-hop style and were full, baggy overlarge, and
low on the hip. Cargo pants maintained their popularity. The basic sport shirt styles continued to
be T-shirts, polo shirts, and woven short-sleeved styles.
Many T-shirts and sweatshirts were decorated with words or phrases, cartoon characters, or
sports logo.
Summer wear included tank tops. For cooler weather, men wore turtlenecks, velour pullovers
and shirts, jacquard-patterned knitted sweater, and sweatshirts. In the 1980s, mesh shirts worn by
football players were added to casual sportswear. Sweaters of the 1980s were loosely fitted and
were made in a wide variety of handsome knits made from natural fibres in earth tones.
Evening Dress
Tailcoats were worn by musician and other stage performers and occasionally for weddings.
Almost all other men wore tuxedos for formal evening dress. Their fit varied in much same way
as that of daytime suits. Evening dress colours were diverse. By the mid-1990s, white dinner
jackets were being featured in men’s fashion magazines. In 2007 men were offered choices
among tuxedos with notched, shawl, and peak lapels.
The ruffled shirtfronts first adopted in the 1960s continued in use, but by the later 2000s pleated
fronts predominated. Collars might be wing-tipped, lay-down, or mandarin, also called band,
standing collars.
Outerwear
Hemline length of coats for business and dress were similar to those of women. The fit of
overcoats followed the fit of suit jackets. Some of the more popular casual outdoor wear
included leather motorcycle jackets, Western-style split cowhide with pile lining jackets (or
simulated synthetic pile versions), down-filled vests and jackets. Parkas were also worn.
Polhemus (1994) cites black leather Perfecto motor-cycle jackets, made by the Schott Brothers
Company, mainstream fashion. Such jackets had been symbols of rebellious youth ever since
Marlin Brando wore one in the 1950s film The Wild One. Gradually, through the 1970s and
1980s, these jackets became “normal” apparel, helped along by their adoption by rock
musicians. By the 1980s and 1990s this jacket was appearing in show by the haute couture and
its transformation into mainstream fashion was complete.
Clothing for active sports wear
For swimming, men could choose from a wide range of styles that included the extreme thong,
bikinis, briefs, and boxer trunks. After the end of the 1980s stretch fabrics were used. As surfing
got more attention, so did surfer shorts that were loose and long. Warm-up suits popular as a
results of jogging and running fads, were important garments from the early 1980s on. Gym
shorts and sweatpants were being worn for athletics and casual sportswear in the 1980s and
1990s.
From the mid-1980s and after, spandex bicycling shorts were worn by competitors in the Tour
de France set the styles.
By the 1980s, colours were much in evidence in tennis clothing. Skiing styles changed yearly,
with gradually tighter fit and fabrics designed to offers as little wind resistance as possible. Bob
Ottum, writing in the February 27, 1984, issue of Sports Illustrated, observed that the Olympic
ski uniforms of that year were so tight that “the next step can only be to line up the racers naked
at the starting gate and spray paint them”. Cross-country skiing continued to be popular. Interest
in snow surfboarding grew rapidly after 1990. Unlike skiers, snowboarders wore loosely fitted,
well-insulated clothing. Most often it was two pieces, and top and bottom were different in
colour. Popular colours varied from season to season.
Sleepwear
Most widely used pyjama style tended to be high-necked pullovers, V-neck pullovers, or shirtcollar tops with pants. Robes were made in collarless kimono styles. Other robes had shawl
collars. In the 1980s, there were terry robes with matching shorts.
Hair and Headdress
Shorter hair styles predomination throughout the 1980s, although hair styles of all lengths were
still seen. Men’s hair stylists in the late 1990s and 2000s used hair care products to make men’s
hair stand up into a tousled effect. Well-known actors with beards in films may have inspired
some men to grow beards, as more appeared around 2001. Very short hair and even shaved
heads were seen often in the 2000s, possibly a military influence.
Hats were not worn a great deal except in cold weather. For sports, men wore caps. In the 1990s
base-ball caps, worn backward by younger men, became exceptionally popular. Stetson-style
hats experienced a brief revival during the popularity of the television program Dallas, set in
Texas, and snap-brim felt hats in the early 1980s after the release of the Film Indiana Jones and
the Raiders of the Lost Ark.
Footwear
Stockings were available in wide variety of knit fabrics, colours, and patterns. When the leading
character on the television program Miami Vice wore shore shoes without socks, some men
imitated him. Boots remained fashionable throughout the 1970s. In the 1980s various types of
sneakers, both high and low, were important, as were Western boots, and hiking and walking
shoes.
The wide variety of shoes in the 1990s ranged from wing-tipped style and two-tone shoes to
sturdy hiking boots and includes a vast array of sneakers. The casual focus was evident in shoes
in 1994. One shoe company introduced a Casual Friday’s line, and sales of loafers and sporty
oxfords increased.
Accessories
In the late 1980s, floral ties gained popularity, and ties grew wider again, remaining wide into
the 1990s. Article about men’s fashion in 2007 proclaimed the return to popularity of neckties,
after a period when they were important. They were described as low-key and narrow.
Jewellery
Although more men were wearing jewellery, including gold chains and earrings, manuals of
advice to men about appropriate attire for business generally counselled them to wear only
wedding or signet rings, conservative watches with leather bands, tie clips or stick-pins, and
cuff links.
Cosmetics and grooming
In 1987, $1 billion was spent on men’s toiletries, $560 million of which was for fragrance and
aftershave lotions double that of ten years before (Lord 1987). More skin-care products were
also available.
Don Johnson, the leading man in the 1980s TV series Miami Vice, generally appeared on that
show with several days’ growth of beard. Soon fashion models, popular musicians, some
fashion-conscious students, and men whose jobs permitted it were cultivating an “unshaven”
look.
Some men and boys imitated professional athletes who shaved their heads and wore goatees.
After 2000, facial hair was still much in evidence. Some men grew moustaches, sometimes with
goatees and a soul patch, a small patch of hair centred beneath the lips. Special razors could be
used to maintain the stubble from several days’ growth of beard. A wide variety of hairstyles
could be seen on male fashion models of 2008.
5.7 Conclusion
To summarize in this unit you have been given an overview of the evolution of fashion and
fashion trends during the 19th and 20the centuries.