Is elegance still fashionable?

How fashion has changed from the 1950s to today.

■ 1950s

 

Fashion: brightly coloured clothes and accessories became fashionable in the 1950s. The emphasis was on elegance and showing off the body.

 

 

■ 1960s

 

The 1960s featured a number of diverse trends. It was a decade that broke many fashion traditions, mirroring social movements during the time. In the middle of the decade, culottes, go-go boots, box-shaped PVC dresses and other PVC clothes were popular. The widely popular bikini came into fashion in 1963 after being featured in the musical Beach Party.

Mary Quant invented the mini-skirt, and Jackie Kennedy introduced the pillbox hat, both becoming extremely popular. False eyelashes were worn by women throughout the 1960s, and their hairstyles were a variety of lengths and styles.

People were dressing in psychedelic prints, highlighter colors, and mismatched patterns.

The hippie movement late in the decade also exerted a strong influence on ladies’ clothing styles, including bell-bottom jeans, tie-dye, and batik fabrics, as well as paisley prints.

In the early-to-mid-1960s, the London Modernists known as the Mods were shaping and defining popular fashion for young British men while the trends for both changed more frequently than ever before in the history of fashion and would continue to do so throughout the decade.

Designers were producing clothing more suitable for young adults, which led to an increase in interest and sales.

 

■ 1970s

The 1970s fashion, often called the “Me Decade”, began with a continuation of the mini skirts, bell-bottoms, and the androgynous hippie look from the late 1960s and eventually became one of the most iconic decades for fashion ever.

Generally the most famous silhouette of the mid and late 1970s for both sexes was that of tight on top and loose on bottom. The 1970s also saw the birth of the indifferent, anti-conformist approach to fashion, which consisted of sweaters, t-shirts, jeans, and sneakers.

 

■ 1980s

 

The 1980s fashion had heavy emphasis on expensive dressing and fashion accessories. Apparels tend to be overly bright and vivid in appearance. Women expressed an image of wealth and success through shiny costume jewelry like large faux-gold earrings, pearl necklaces and clothing covered with sequins and diamante.

Punk fashion began as a reaction against bo

th the hippie movement of the past decades and the materialist values of the current decade. The first half of the decade was relatively tame in comparison to the second half, which is approximately around the time that the iconic 1980s color scheme had come into popularity.

 

 

■ 1990s

 

The fashion in the 1990s was the genesis of a sweeping shift in the western world: the beginning of the adoption of tattoos, body piercings aside from ear piercing and to a lesser extent, other forms of body modification such as branding.

This brought back the indifferent, anti-conformist approach to fashion, leading to the popularisation of the casual chic look; this included T-shirts, jeans, hoodies, and trainers, a trend which continued into the 2000s.

Overall, the 1990s saw a return to the minimalist fashion of the 1950s and 1970s, contrasted to the more elaborate and flashy trends of the 1980s. Additionally, fashion trends throughout the decade recycled styles from previous decades, notably the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s.

■ 2000 until now

 

The 2000s fashion is often described as being a “mash-up”, where trends saw the fusion of previous styles, global and ethnic clothing (e.g. boho), as well as the fashions of numerous music-based subcultures, with hip-hop fashion generally being the most popular among young people.

Those 25 years of age and older adopted a dressy casual style which was popular throughout the decade. Globalization also influenced the decade’s clothing trends, with the incorporation of Middle Eastern and Asian dress into mainstream European, American and Australasian fashion.

Furthermore, eco-friendly and ethical clothing, such as recycled fashions and fake fur, were prominent in the decade.

In the early 2000s, many mid and late 1990s fashions remained fashionable around the globe, while simultaneously introducing newer trends. Although the 2000s did not have one particular style, they revived clothes primarily from the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s.