100 Years of Fashion

Last week we gave you a look at the history of changing body shape and dress sizes. This week we've had a look at 100 years of fashion and the different styles both men and women went through. In their video, Mode shows the change in middle-class men and women's fashion in under three minutes...

 

 Post WWI and the Edwardian era, men opted for a more military look and women chose a more sophisticated look with elongated silhouettes.

 

 The twentites brought about the era of prohibition and jazz. Men were all about pinstripe suits, fedoras and sweaters. Women on the otherhand wanted freedom of the body with flapper dresses and shorter hemlines giving them the freedom to dance the night away.

 

 With the arrival of Hollywood and the depression era styles varied. Women opted for softer looks with bias cuts and lower hemlines, whilst men wore sweater vests and straight wide leg trousers.

 

 World War II brought about rationing and a shortage of materials. Military once again was a major influencer in both men and women. Women wore the convertible suit with padded shoulders and knee length skirts. Men kept it cool with the bomber jacket. The bikini also made it's debut.

 

The rise of the teenager... The fifties saw a shift from teenagers no longer dressing like their parents and having their own identity. For men and teenagers, it was all about the tight jeans, plain white tee, leather jacket and classic converse. Rock 'n' Roll not only influenced men but women too. Here came the rise of the  poodle skirt, capri pant and sweater set.

Jeans, turtlenecks, miniskirts, knits and lots of bright colours, the sixties had it all. Women started to wear pant suits along with the iconic pillbox hat. Men on the otherhand took a leaf out of the Beatles and went for a more retro look.

Here came the disco dancing era and with that all rules went out the window. Both men and women wore unisex clothing including the look of the decade, the demin flared jumpsuit pared with a platform boot. Men started to experiement with leisure suits and bolder neckties as well as prints.

The 1980's saw a rise in the 'yuppie movement', young, urban and professional. Men opted for the pinstripe business suit as a way of power dressing yet also favoured a designer jean and sweater combo. For women, it was all about the 'Material Girl'. Punk clothing, along with impressive hairstyles, the eighties was revolutionary.

Grunge became the vibe on everyones radar. Women turned to a more minimal look with slip dresses, jeans and t-shirts as well as a rise in vintage. Men on the otherhand were either influenced by grunge and an oversized fit or hip hop styles like the ones worn by the Beastie Boys.

The turn of the Millennium saw a major shift. Men opted for a casual look, with tall tee's, hoodies under blazers, bootcut jeans and fedoras! Women it was all about the skinny jean, silky cami's layered over t-shirts, and everyone's favourite, wearing a tie as a belt. Style icons, dare we say it back then was the one and only Lindsay Lohan...

 Today is seems that anything can be worn, you just have to have the confidence to pull it off. A more casual look including our favourite nineties sports brands, such as Fila, Puma and Reebok have all made a comback for both men and women. On top of that on the hipster movement came about where you literally wear whatever the heck you want.

There's no longer a unified look for everyone. Style has become what an individual makes it.