EVOLUTION AND MOVEMENT OF
FASHION
Recognize the relationship between historical events and fashion evolution.
Mood in 40's•World War II
– Women re-entered the workforce
– Parisian Fashion houses closed their doors due to German invasion of Paris
– American fashion designers emerged
– Shorter skirts– Sloppy Joe sweaters– Bikini introduced
Mood in 40's•World War II (cont.)–L-85 (General Limitations Order) restricted amount of fabric used in production of apparel.•Designers had to create fashions
that would remain stylish through multiple seasons.
•A new style of suits for women had short skirts and short jackets of twenty-five inches or less in length.
•Sheath evening dresses replaced the long flowing gowns of the thirties.
Mood in 40's•World War II (cont.)–Restrictions limited use of silk, wool, rubber, metal
–Tailored masculine-looking suit
–The young danced the jitterbug.
Mood in 40's
•World War II (cont.)–Postwar fashion freedom•Women wanted a return to more feminine designs.
•Christian Dior introduced the “New Look” with rounded shoulders, fuller bustlines, and fuller skirts fifteen inches off the ground.
•Paris was re-established as the center of the fashion world.
People who influenced fashion
•Christian Dior—designer of the “New Look”; first to license name
•Norman Norrell—winner of the first Coty American Fashion Critics Award; founder of CFDA
•Cristobal Balenciaga—known for huge evening coats, long, full skirts, pillbox hats, and chemise dresses
Mood in 50's•Korean War•Color television introduced•Rock-n-Roll explosion
– Teenagers emerged as a fashion voice.
– Leather jackets and T-shirts with the sleeves rolled up
– White shirts and blue jeans– Letter sweaters– Beatniks– American Bandstand– Elvis Presley appeared on The
Ed Sullivan Show.
Mood in 50's (cont.)
•Moving to the suburbs– Sportswear emerges– Pedal pushers, slacks, halters,
shirtwaist dresses– Cashmere sweaters with a
matching scarf– Poodle skirts– Single-breasted jackets, narrow
lapels, and natural shoulders– Tapered trousers and penny
loafers– Shopping malls are built.
Mood in 50's (cont.)
•Ivy League look–Men wore neat single-breasted jackets with narrow lapels, pressed trousers, with white, yellow, or pale blue button-down collared shirts, and ties.
–Female students dressed in twin sweater sets, or Peter-Pan collared blouses and sweaters, with pencil-slim or pleated skirts.
Mood in 50's (cont.)
•Hairstyles–Girls wore ponytails early in the decade. Later, the beehive was popular.
–Boys “trained” their hair into greased-back ducktails and carried a comb at all times.
People who influenced fashions
•Designer influence was significant– Dior—the A-line
silhouette for women
– Givenchy—the chemise or “sack” dress
– Claire McCardell—sashes, harem pajamas, bias-cut, dartless clothes
Mood in 60's
•Civil Rights Movement–Black Pride–The Afro–African prints–Dashiki: A loose, brightly-colored African tunic.
Mood in 60's (cont.)
•Youthquake Revolution–Youth take ownership of the decade
–Mod look: Clothing with psychedelic colors and geometric designs.
–Go-Go Look with mini skirts, white go-go boots
Mood in 60's (cont.)
•Election of John F. Kennedy– Youngest president in
history– The bare-headed
President Kennedy begins the demise of the men’s hat industry.
– First Lady Jackie Kennedy is the fashion icon of the decade wearing Chanel suits and simple dresses, pillbox hat, pearls, and low-heeled shoes.
Mood in 60's (cont.)
•Man walks on the moon–Pierre Cardin and André Courreges are called the space age designers.
–Space age and futuristic looks appear on high fashion runways.
Mood in 60's (cont.)
•Onset of the women’s liberation movement– See through blouses, no bra– Unisex look– Pantyhose introduced (Glen Raven Mills,
NC, 1959)
Mood in 60's (cont.)
•Anti-war movement (Vietnam)–Hippie look, suede fringe jackets, appliquéd bell-bottom trousers, tie-dyed shirts, love beads, granny glasses, and peace symbols.
–Woodstock Festival
People who influenced fashions
•Decreased designer influence– Mary Quant—London designer
who introduced the miniskirt– Twiggy—skinny British model
who became the top model of the sixties
– Emilio Pucci—exotic, psychedelic, beautiful prints
– Yves St. Laurent—fresh approach to fashion with Mondrian-inspired shift dress
•Jackie Kennedy•Audrey Hepburn—classics such as the “little black dress”
Mood in 70's•Watergate Scandal•Vietnam war ends•Dawn of the Disco, Studio 54, Saturday Night Fever– John Travolta’s white suit
with an open-necked shirt.
– Platform shoes– Bell-bottom hip-hugger
pants– Hot pants with white go-
go boots
Mood in 70's•Punk Rock, short-lived anti-social and anti-fashion movement–Torn, frayed clothing–Body piercing–Spiked hair colored pink or green–T-shirts being worn as billboards
–Political statement designs
Mood in 70's•Ethnic influence–Macramé bags–Crochet waistcoats and shawls
–Ponchos–Gypsy tops with gathered necklines trimmed with bells and puffed sleeves
–Nehru jackets
Mood in 70's•“Me” decade, self indulgence–String bikini–Tight clothes–Men’s leisure suits
–Designer jeans–Hand-braided friendship bracelets
Mood in 70's•Feminism, sexual equality, women’s lib, equal rights– Bra burning– Women no longer wear
girdles– Women buy pantyhose– Women wear pants and
pantsuits– Double-knit polyester
man-made fabrics– Micro, mini, midi, and
maxi skirts
Mood in 70's•Shoes
–Platforms–Clogs
•Movies and their stars–Annie Hall—women wearing oversize men’s shirts, very long skirts, khaki pants, and men’s hats
–Grease—leather motorcycle jackets
Mood in 70's•Television
–Charlie’s Angels—Farrah Fawcett Major’s hair style and flared trousers
–Happy Days—Fonzie’s leather jacket, jeans, white shirt
–Dukes of Hazzard—Daisy Duke’s cutoff jean shorts
People who influenced fashion
•Yves Saint Laurent—womenswear based on menswear
•Halston—use of cashmere
•Calvin Klein—denim jeans
•Mary McFadden—fine pleating
•Bill Blass—sporty, sophisticated classics
Mood in 80's (cont.)
•MTV–Music becomes visual–Videos become a major influence on apparel choices•Lace tops, tight skirts
•Bustier worn by Madonna
Mood in 80's (cont.)
•Television influence–Dallas—jeans, boots, western shirts, and cowboy hat
–Dynasty—wide shoulder silhouettes
–Miami Vice —T-shirts worn under Armani suits, pastel colors for men
–General Hospital —Luke and Laura
–Lady Diana Spencer weds Prince Charles
–Diana’s wedding dress becomes one of the most copied in the world
Mood in 80's (cont..)•Workout craze, Jane Fonda
– Legwarmers, leotards, sneakers– Nike, Reebok– Women left their high-heels at
home and wore sneakers to work– Introduction of the thong bikini– Stirrup pants– Warm-up suits– Flashdance—increased the
popularity of legwarmers, sweatshirt fabric, and sweatshirts with cut out necks
Mood in 90's
•Sandra Day O’Connor—first woman on Supreme Court
•AIDS first identified•Collapse of the Soviet Union and the expansion of overseas companies
Mood in 90's (cont.)
•Longest bull market in Wall Street history–More luxurious fashions are introduced as people have more money to spend.
–More luxurious fabrics enter the market.
Mood in 90's (cont.)
•Casual Friday—khakis, polos, loafers, jeans with company T-shirts worn to work
•Internet–Finger-tip access to global fashion information
–Online shopping
Mood in 90's (cont.)
•Street Fashions–Hip-Hop style–Jeans, logo T-shirts, windbreakers, all oversized
–Body piercing–Tattooing–Doc Martens–Backpack purses
Mood in 90's (cont.)
•Megabrands–Youthquake with Tommy Hilfiger
–FUBU–Banana Republic–J. Crew–Old Navy, The Gap, Abercrombie and Fitch
–Tweens (8 to 12 years old), Gap Kids, Limited Too
Mood in 90's (cont.)
•Women’s competitive and adventure sports—Example: WNBA–Athletic shoes–Sports bras
People who influenced fashion
•Princess Diana—most photographed woman ever
•Tommy Hilfiger—“brand image” designer
•Gianni Versace—designer with rock star type sex appeal
•Isaac Mizrahi—high-fashion designer whose line is sold exclusively by Target
•Ralph Lauren—“preppy” styles for men and women
People who influenced fashion
•Music, movies, and television–Garth Brooks—western shirts–Shania Twain—bare midriffs and tight fitting clothes
–Back Street Boys—“oversized” clothes
–Madonna—the bustier–Jennifer Aniston—“Rachel” hairdo on Friends
People who influenced fashion
–Russell Simmons—Phat Farm hip-hop clothing
–Sean John Combs (“P. Diddy”)—denim-based signature sportswear for men and boys
Mood in 21st
century
•Y2K—The Millennium Bug
•Unclear winner in the United States Presidential Election
•Firestone recalled tires•Microsoft ordered to split
•September 11, 2001 attack on the Twin Towers
•Taliban regime
Mood in 21st
century (cont.)
•Anthrax scare•Invasion of Iraq•Stem cell research•Number of AIDS victims rises
•Arnold Schwarzenegger became Governor of California
•Recording industry cracked down on people who illegally swapped more than 1,000 songs over the Internet
Mood in 21st
century (cont.)
•Saddam Hussein captured December 13, 2003
•Street wear–Low-rise jeans–Slashed T-shirts–Overtly sexual clothes
–Bling bling (big jewelry)
–Ugg boots
People who are influencing fashion
•Valentino•Paris Hilton•Rappers and Hip Hop artists in music videos— baggy pants, big jewelry (bling bling) and urban wear (Enyce, Rocawear, Baby Phat, Phat Farm)
People who are influencing fashion (cont.)
•Rappers and Hip Hop artists–Sean “P.Diddy” Combs
–Lil Kim—increased the popularity of wearing weave and wigs
–Camron—increased the popularity of males wearing the color pink
– Jay-Z—wearing earrings in both ears
People who are influencing fashion (cont.)
•Film and popstars–Britney Spears—bare-midriff tops, skimpy skirts and shorts
–Janet Jackson—bare, sexy, metallic, urban streetwear
People who are influencing fashion (cont.)
•Celebrities who have clothing lines–Beyonce Knowles–Jennifer Lopez–Sean Combs–Russell Simmons–Jessica Simpson–Reba McEntyre