A decade by decade glance at the trends from the 20s till today with
a look at the original and modern reflection:
The Roaring 20s
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The 20s was a new era for fashion, the war was over and women felt free to dress in a more liberating and comfortable way. The flapper is the epitome of the 20s girl, she was a rebel, smoked in public, embraced controversial modern styles and wore the shortest of shapeless shift dresses. And for this we have Coco Chanel to thank, one of the first women to say no to the corset, wear trousers and cut her hair, a true style icon.
The Flirty 30s
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After the masculine shapes of the 20s the 30s hit back more feminine than ever. The hourglass figure became the shape of the decade. Skirts became longer at the back, with below-the-knee pleats falling from the waistline to give a fuller look. Now that women were leading busier lives a distinct transformation was made between day and night. From the feminine and sweet daywear, to a return to the glitz and glamour by night of sequins, sequins and more sequins.
The Fighting 40s
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Fashion was not at the forefront of the 40s, the war had set in and women were wearing more practical clothing. Trousers and dungarees became a regular part of the country woman’s wardrobe, and headscarves were worn to keep their hair from catching in machines. Everyday wear was simple: knee-length tea dresses or skirts and short-cropped jackets with padded shoulders, influenced by the military uniforms at the time.
The Charming 50s
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The 50s started a fashion revolution; it was no longer governed by the austerity of the war and was moving into the prosperous 60s. The hourglass silhouette replaced the 40s broad shoulders and women dressed more smartly in tailored feminine dresses. The two major silhouettes of the 50s were designed to emphasise a small waist, the classic pencil skirt or a fuller, wider 'swing skirt'.
The Swinging 60s
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Before 1965 clothes were still influenced by the designs of the 50s, but after this period the image associated with the swinging 60s evolved; the mini skirt, the shirt dress and the pillbox hat were all the rage. Accessories were not as crucial as in previous years, the emphasis was on the colours and tones of the crazy psychedelic prints of the clothes themselves. The late hippy movement in the 60s also manipulated the fashions, with batik fabrics as well as the infamous paisley print all flooding onto the market.
The Soulful 70s
The 70s continued the hippy look with tie-dye garments and bell-bottomed jeans. The silhouette was all about belly tops and maxi skirts or wide legged trousers. The disco look was de rigueur at the time, most particularly platform shoes with a sole varying from two to four inches thick. But by the very end of the decade the raging fashions seen at the beginning of the decade were tamed and gave way to more conservative wrap-around jersey dresses and unisex zip-up jumpsuits.
The Retro 80s
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Throughout the decades fashions and trends broaden, and this is seen predominantly in the 80s when a fusion of styles all held their own in the fashion industry. From retro dance wear to dominating shoulder pads and casual tracksuits, the 80s rocked it all. The punk style also brought in metal studding and lots of leather. The silhouette of the seventies is reversed in the 80s as skin tight leather trousers become the norm.
The Denim 90s
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The daytime look of the 90s was all denim; blue jeans and a t-shirt, whilst the girls revelled in baby doll dresses and denim jackets. Crop tops black leather biker jackets, catsuits and high top trainers were just some of the new designs that flourished in the 90s. The spice girls came to the spotlight and became style icons to nearly every teenage girl at the time. The nineties was a more relaxed fashion environment, one’s own individuality in style could begin to shine through.
The Millennium Noughties
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After 80 years of fashion only the likes of Lady Gaga can continue to shock. The noughties have brought us a fierce recollection of the last 80 years with trends from every decade gracing the catwalk in new collections each season. The noughties brought back the twenties bob that Victoria Beckham made fashionable, the twenties flapper dress that hit the 2007 summer stores and the maxi dress of the nineties. It's encouraging to see our designers appreciate the trends of the vintage era.
Our wardrobes are filled with vintage inspired clothing, from an old pair of flairs, a mini skirt, a maxi dress to a tea dress, there's no escaping the undeniable fact that your clothing might not be an entirely fresh design.
The 70s continued the hippy look with tie-dye garments and bell-bottomed jeans. The silhouette was all about belly tops and maxi skirts or wide legged trousers. The disco look was de rigueur at the time, most particularly platform shoes with a sole varying from two to four inches thick. But by the very end of the decade the raging fashions seen at the beginning of the decade were tamed and gave way to more conservative wrap-around jersey dresses and unisex zip-up jumpsuits.
