Fashion is hard to keep up with these days, but do you know how we got to where we are today? There are a lot of trends that came and went during the 20th century, and many of them shaped the fashions that we see today. In fact, many of the most popular fashions have been coming back in recent years, and have been making huge statements on the runway. If you want to know how bell-bottom jeans got popular or when flapper dresses were worn, just read the history fun facts listed below. You might be surprised at what fashions you wore that you forgot about!
See also: Five Old-School Fashion Trends that are Back
There are some popular Women’s Fashion through the 20th Century:
1. 1900s – Haute Couture
While you might not think of the early 1900s being the most fashionable decades, they actually had a huge influence on what fashion is today. This is when the designer Charles Frederick Worth became extremely popular and started creating extravagant dresses for his customers. Haute couture was more popular than ever, and women in Paris were influencing what women across the rest of the world were wearing. Full skirts, gowns and corsets were extremely popular with women of all shapes and sizes. Hats were also popular, and were worn consistently throughout the early 1900s.
Do you want to let your inner haute-couture woman out? Then consider wearing a corset! These are seen often in women’s clothing today, with styles for both lingerie and sexy clothing.
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2. 1920s – Shift Dress
After the First World War, things started to change with the world and fashion. Women weren’t as interested in the tight-fitting clothes they were wearing in previous decades, and instead went for clothing that was loose-fitting. In fact, many women started wearing men’s clothing because it offered the look they were going for, including the larger size. Coco Chanel became popular during this time, and she made the jersey knit dress as well as bob hair style very popular.
As a result of designers like Chanel and Jeanne Lanvin embracing new styles, women started to wear the loose-fitting shift dress more often. Eventually the flapper dress grew out of this, and it was accompanied by dark makeup, red lips and a bob haircut. Women don’t wear these today, unless they are going to a Halloween or themed party where they want to dress like they’re from the 20s.
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3. 1930s -1940s – Military-Inspiration
More women started to wear military-inspired clothing throughout these decades. This included clothing with a lot of buttons as well as square shoulders. Because the Great Depression caused a somber mood during this time, most designers didn’t try out new fashions and stuck to dresses that were feminine. Towards the end of this decade, fashion became more popular once again, and a full skirt with accentuated bust was the new look. Christian Dior was one of the most popular designers, and always used beautiful fabrics and designs that created an hourglass figure on women.
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4. 1950s – Full Skirts
During the 1950s women loved wearing tight-fitting dresses with full skirts that were made of rich and luxurious fabrics. The mid-calf hemline was the most popular, and corseted waists rose back to popularity. This look was created by Christian Dior, and women absolutely loved it!
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5. 1960s – 1970s – Bohemian and Disco
A lot of colors were seen in the 60s, but it was also when black leather jackets rose to popularity. The bohemian style also became very popular, with loose fitting tops that featured bright colors and unique patterns. This is when bell-bottom jeans and miniskirts started to become popular amongst teenagers who were more into fashion than ever. The 60s also created the popularity of PVC dresses and go-go boots, which you’ll see almost every time you go to a 60s themed party.
Disco dancing also became popular during the 70s, which led to short shorts, tall boots and tall ponytails. The 70s also brought forth hotpants, turtlenecks, sandals and tennis headbands!
Image source: myvintage.co.uk
6. 1980s – 1990s – Track Suits and Overalls
Women started the 80s with dressing more professionally, and this is when power suits for women started to become easily accessible. But, as time went on and fashion became more popular, bright colors and funky fashions were extremely popular. If you didn’t have puffed-up shoulder pads or huge earrings, then you weren’t dressing fashionably! And, if you’re a fan of jogpants or track suits, then you can thank the 80s for bringing this trend to the world.
As for the 90s, who could forget about tying a hoodie around their overalls or wearing baggy jeans? Mood rings, skate tees and parasuco jeans (which resemble the now-popular tuxedo jeans) were also extremely popular fashion mistakes!
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Author Bio:
Alex works alongside moving specialists Two Men and a Truck and has recently relocated from the North to the Midlands, therefore has very current experience of moving her belongings from one home to another.
