- costume through the decades History of Fashion - costume through the decades

Why Fashion? Fashions move ever forward at a dramatic pace due to several factors: Change of seasons Planned obsolescence Technological advances Conspicuous consumption … “a term used to describe the lavish spending on goods and services acquired mainly for the purpose of displaying income or wealth.”

1900-1910 – Edwardian Era British class system was very rigid However, economic and social changes also created an environment in which there was more social mobility than previously Changes included rising interest in socialism, attention to the plight of the poor and the status of women Together with increased economic opportunities as a result of rapid industrialization. These changes were to be hastened in the aftermath of the first World War.

Sport 1908 summer Olympics held in London Sport becoming more popular More flexible clothing styles were needed Corset modified

Silhouettes – early 1900s Lots of undergarments Voluptuous shape Low waist

Late 1900s Paul Poiret points the way to a new silhouette, with a high waist and narrow, ankle-length skirts, 1908 Beginnings of the ‘Hobble skirt’ Exotica and travel influenced these changes

1910 – 1920 First half of decade full with riches and opulence World War 1 had a huge impact on dress in the second half of the decade (1914-1918) Unstable money market New fabrics and technologies developed Women began working as there were fewer men at home Women began to wear trousers or breeches to work on the land or in factories Fabrics and clothing became more practical based

Silhouette - first half of the century Column-like Higher waists Masculine influences beginning to appear

Silhouette - second half of the century Fuller Skirts Hems rising – ankle visible for the first time! Hair beginning to be cut short into bobs

1920-1930 Fashion entered the modern era. The 1920s were characterized by two distinct periods of fashion The early 1920s were relatively conservative in nature and change progressed slowly as many were reluctant to adopt the new styles From 1925, the styles that have been associated with the Roaring Twenties were passionately embraced by the public The public spirit was light-hearted, young and hedonistic but also very forward thinking

America America entered a prosperous era Women were allowed to vote And joined the workforce Sport was again very important and had a huge influence on clothing

Silhouette The straight-line chemise worn with a close-fitting cloche hat became the uniform for daywear Boyish and sporty looks were made popular by Jean Patou Women "bobbed," or cut, their hair short to fit under the popular hats Low-waist dresses with fullness at the hemline allowed women dance the Charleston.

1930-1940 (pre-WW2) The light hearted forward-looking attitude and fashions of the late 1920s lingered through most of 1930 But by the end of 1931 the effects of the Great Depression began to affect the public and a more conservative approach to fashion returned For women, skirts became longer and the waist-line was returned up to its normal position in an attempt to bring back a more feminine look

Technological Advances This period saw the first widespread use of synthetic fibres Viscose was used for linings and lingerie Nylon stockings and plastic zips became widely used                           

Foreign Travel With the advances in technology and increasing availability of commercial flights foreign travel became more popular It was now fashionable for the first time to have a sun-tan New styles influenced by beachwear became popular The Influence of American film was becoming increasingly important Along with Health and fitness

1930 – 1940 Silhouette Elsa Schiaparelli introduced a more structured look for women’s clothing Shoulder pads and sleeve details very important By the late '30s, emphasis was moving to the back, with halter necklines and high-necked but backless evening gowns with sleeves

1930 – 1940 Silhouette Skirts remained at mid-calf length for day Towards the end of the 1930s skirts were reaching just below the knee This was a practical length and would remain in style for day dresses through the war years.

1940 – 1950: War Time restrictions Wartime led to restrictions on the amount of new clothing people could buy Money saving was very important Dresses became shorter and were made with less fullness to reduce the amount of fabric needed Make-Do-and-Mend became a national campaign

1940 – 1950: War Time Restrictions Rations meant that nylon stocking were not available Women would sometimes paint on stockings instead Most women wore knee-length skirts with simply-cut blouses and square-shouldered jackets. Trousers were becoming increasingly popular for workwear, but were still not fully acceptable for leisurewear.

Dior’s New Look When the French fashion houses reopened after World War II, Dior introduced the "New Look" silhouette

1950 – 1960: early years Early 1950’s was still dominated by Dior’s New Look and very feminine styling with nipped in waists and full skirts Fashion was nostalgic and looking to the past for inspiration Balenciaga, Dior and Chanel were all very influential in this period Women were slowly beginning to wear trousers as an everyday item

The American Look American films were again very influential Stars such as grace Kelly and Marylyn Monroe were widely copied Off-the-Peg clothing was much more available than ever before and of a higher quality

Late 1950’s Rising teenage market with more freedoms than ever before And with a higher disposable income Influenced by music Beginnings of short-lived trends and throw-away society ‘Teddy-Boys’ and ‘Greasers’ first appeared.

1960 – 1970 Early 1960’s women still fairly conservatively dressed Focus of fashion beginning to change from Paris to London Fashion starting to be led by people on the street rather than by a few elite Parisian designers

1960’s Culottes very popular in early 1960s Bikini became fashionable Mini-skirt invented… But it was not adopted by the general public until the late 1960’s Carnaby Street in London was the coolest area to shop for fashion conscious teenagers

1960’s Design Influences Technology once again had a huge impact on fashion Space travel and man first landing on the moon (1969) Futuristic films and fashions followed

1970-1980: Early Style Influences Garment shapes became a lot more fluid and floaty Started with the Hippy look that originated in the late 1960’s Jeans were a now a wardrobe staple for both women and men Tie-dye was popular Very strong music influence

1970-1990: Early Style Influences Tunics and Indian styles popular in early 1960s Skirt lengths varied between Mini, Midi and Maxi Platform shoes were worn by both men and women

Late 1970’s Disco music and styles became popular Increasing availability of man-made fibres More colours and shiny fabrics available than ever before.

1980 – 1990 Punk began as an underground movement in the late 1970’s and became an important part of 1980’s fashion Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood brought the punk look into mainstream fashion

1980 – 1990 The 80’s had an wide mix of fashions and styles influenced by many different factors: Power Dressing New Romantic Look Rap Music Dynasty and Dallas MONEY!

and now.. Supermaket of style