Erika Jimenez

Mrs. Hensel
English III
November 13, 2014
Fashion through the Decades

Fashion is a distinctive and often habitual trend in the style in which a person dresses and can
be influenced by people, things, or wars. For example, during World War II, people were only
allowed a certain amount of fabric so they were forced to create simple outfits that were practical
enough for wartime duties (Over Seventy Years of Fashion History).Each decade of fashion
has had a reason for their existence .Throughout the 1920s until now fashion has evolved
severely. Fashion trends have evolved over time during the different decades because of the
many changes in society, the mood reflected of a decade, the upcoming of fashion designers and
their creativity.
There are different fashion trends that started because of the changes in society. During the
1920s after World War I many women began to wear shorter skirts and dresses. These
individuals were known as Flappers that signaled the 1920s as a decade of debauchery and
fun. Then after the Stock Market crashed and the Great Depression occurred the hemline
returned to a conservative length. Also, the effects of the Great Depression made many designers
not have time for experiments on clothing, so the clothing became more modest and preservative
reflecting the difficult social and economic situation of the decade (History of Fashion
Design). 1930s boasted a return to femininity and Hollywood glamour was idolized. Evening
gowns showed bias-cuts and diamante accents and were made of chiffon or velvet. For a more

casual look in the thirties dresses were slim-cut and had wide shoulders and a belt around the
waist. Real fur accents and floral prints were also popular during this era. (Over Seventy Years
of Fashion). Then World War II occurred and the dazzling look lost its shine. During World
War II, luxurious fabrics like wool, silk and nylon were highly regulated and women's skirts and
dresses were often made of viscose and rayon. Skirts and dresses would also be made out of
anything that could be found within a home such as curtains, night gowns or bed sheets due to
the illegality of using excess fabric when making an outfit from about 1942 to 1947 (Over
Seventy Years of Fashion).
In the 1950s many women started wearing dresses that showed off their body structure by
wearing corsets. By the end of the decade mass manufactured off the peg clothing had
become much more popular than in the past, granting the general public unprecedented access to
fashionable styles (History of Fashion Design). In the 1980s fashion evolved once more,
skirts and dresses were once again at a conservative length, featured straight lines and more
serious design. As more and more women joined the professional work force business suits
became a trend for women with straight conservative skirts and broad shouldered, boxy blazers
topped the look (Over Seventy Years of Fashion). Also, in the mid 1980s there were a lot of
spandex, hoop earrings, neon colors, and wraparound sunglasses. Societys love for brand was
epitomized by its inexplicable love for wearing Coca-Cola brand clothing in 1987. MTV had a
huge impact on fashion, as teens across the U.S. were tuning in to watch music videos starring
wildly dressed celebrities (History of Fashion Design).
1990 was like the Hip-hop Era, rap music was a projecting inspiration on popular and street
fashion during the early and mid-1990s. Followers of hip hop adopted huge baggy jeans, similar
to those worn in American prisons, with big patterned shirts and heavy black shoes (History of

Fashion Design). Also, in the mid 90s industrial and military styles crept into mainstream
fashion, people were discovering ways possible to make a fashion fitment out of a piece of
machinery. Camouflage pants were ironically worn by anti-war protestors. In the 2000s clothing
became more colorful and anti-modest. They received clothes mainly from the 1960s, 1970s,
1980s. Globalization also influenced the decade with the combination of Middle Eastern and
Asian dress into Mainstream European, American and Australasian fashion(2000s in
Fashion). Everyone now has their own fashion taste, some take it back to the late 90s while
others like to be update about their apparel and no discrimination is showed.
There were also different trends that were influenced by the mood reflected in a decade. The
two main decades that got influenced were the 1960 and 1970s. In the 1960s fashion was
influenced by the Hippie Movement. The Hippie Movement wasnt just floral fabrics,
trouser flares, and tie dye shirts, it was a time where people wanted peace not war to the Vietnam
War. Many people agreed with making peace during this time period and joined the bandwagon.
The 1970s was known as the Disco/Retro Era. An immense movement claiming civil rights for
blacks combined with the influence of soul music from the USA created a nostalgia for Africa
and African culture. This decade was influenced by the likes of James Brown, Diana Ross,
Angela Davis, and the Black Panthers, in everything from afro hairstyles to platform soles
(History of Fashion Design).
In the 1920s through the 1990s there were a lot of fashion designers that influenced each
trend in a decade. Coco Chanel and Jeanne Lanvin were two of the main influencers in the
1920s. Coco Chanel was a major figure in fashion at the time, as much for her magnetic
personality as for her chic and progressive designs. Chanel helped popularize the bob hairstyle,
the little black dress, and the use of jersey knit for women's clothing and also elevated the status

of both costume jewelry and knitwear(History of Fashion Design). The Lanvin style
embraced the look of the time, with its skillful use of complex trimmings, dazzling embroideries,
and beaded decorations in light, clear, floral colors that eventually became a Lanvin
trademark(History of Fashion Design). Two of the most projecting and significant fashion
designers of the 1930s were Madeleine Vionnet and Elsa Schiaparelli. Broad shoulder silhouette
was influenced by Elsa Schiaparelli in this decade. Madeleine Vionnet was known as the Queen
of the bias cut. She produced evening dresses that fitted the body without excessive elaboration
or dissimulation, employing a flowing and elegant line. Her perfect draping of chiffon, silk, and
Moroccan crepe created a marvelously poised and sensual effect (History of Fashion Design).
The most influential and respected designers of Hollywood from the 1930s to the 1950s were
Edith Head, Orry-Kelly, William Travilla, Jean Louis, Travis Banton, and Gilbert Adrian.
Everyday women's clothing during the decade consisted of long coats, hats with small veils, and
leather gloves. Knee-length dresses combined with pearl necklaces, which were made instantly
popular by First Lady Mamie Eisenhower (History of Fashion Design). In the 1980s,
Azzedine Alaia greatly influenced the silhouette of the woman. The master of all kinds of
techniques that had previously been known only to haute couture, he experimented with many
new and underused materials, such as spandex and viscose (History of Fashion
Design).Michael Kors, Marc Jacobs, and Calvin Klein were the three of the most influential
fashion designers in the 1990s. One of the first fashion designers to anticipate the globalization
of world markets, the already well-known designer Calvin Klein started to market his fashions,
perfumes, and accessories not only right across the US, but also in Europe and Asia, achieving
an unequaled success. A brilliant artistic director, Klein used carefully constructed
advertisements containing images tinted with eroticism to promote his sophisticatedly functional

mass-produced designs, which won massive popularity among the urban youth of the
1990s(History of Fashion Design). The top fashion designers in 2000 through 2009 included
Alexander McQueen, Vera Wang, Christian Louboutin, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Vivienne Westwood,
and Karl Lagerfeld. Vivienne Westwood is an English fashion designer largely responsible for
establishing modern punk and new wave fashions into the mainstream and Karl Lagerfelds
importance is that he is the head designer and creative director of the fashion house Chanel, the
Italian house Fendi ,and his own label fashion house.
As you can see, fashion has evolved severely throughout the 1920s to now. The many
changes in society, the mood reflecting of a decade, the upcoming of fashion designers and their
creativity have all had a impact on the evolving of fashion over time.