By theend of the First World War, women were used to their freedom and independence, Corsets became a thing of the past. A designer calles "Coco" Channel predominated that decade
The consummate image of the 1920s, the flapper, did not fully emerge until 1926. This style promoted modernity and reckless rebellion. Women used short hair and short dresses that shows their limbs, and they applied makeup, smoked with long cigarette holders, and drank in public. Since the straight shift dresses were simple to make at home, flapper style was more attainable for the masses.
The Wall Street Crash of 1929 kicked off the Great Depression, from which the general public escaped through Hollywood. The movies became the new glamorous medium for fashion. Also clothing became more functional and with square shoulders. Techniques for mass production of uniforms carried over into the creation of ready to wear fashion.
Once thar the second world war was underway, clothes became even more restrained. Cloth was severely rationed. Uniforms were commonly seen in public.
In the enden of the second World War a new designer Christian Dior rebelled against the austerity of the time and produced an extravagant design of a fitted jacket with a cinched waist and a full calf ength skirt using ten to eighty yards of fabric. This style, that was called "New Look," would prove to be a turning point in the postwar. Dior's designs became extremely popular, as women
were longing to dress femininely and frivolously again.
Chanel countered the voluminous minous look with boxy suits and slim skirts in tweed
Synthetic fabrics became more widely used because they were affordable and easy to maintain. A consumer market was born, and for the first time,teenagers became a force in the fashion market as a result of influences such as music and film.
While the 1950s introduced teenagers to fashion and society in general, the youth were the leaders of the sixties, which was a colorful decade in many ways. Two subcultures of young British people, the Mods and Rockers, were at odds. The Rockers tended to wear clothes like black leather jackets, whereas the Mods were more stylish and bohemian. By 1966, designer Mary Quant popularized the miniskirt which appealed to bold young women.
America's answer was the hippie movement. This youth subculture created trends like bell-bottom jeans and tie-dyed shirts.
Fashion icons included the understated Jackie Kennedy and the creation of the supermodel, the most famous one being Twiggy. Men wanted to dress like the Beatles.the 1970s increased ease of travel meant that fashion had more global, ethnic inspirations. The disco dance craze led to widespread use of polyester, which was ideal for creating tight, stretchy clothing that shone under disco lighting. These flashy styles reflected the social revolution and openness that defined the decade. The late seventies gave rise to punk, an anti-fashion anarchistic movement.
Materialism defined the 1980s, as the western world experienced an economic boom. The power suit became a symbol of the eighties, especially after John Molloy argued in his book Women’s Dress for Success that women would need such a suit to climb the corporate ladder. People flaunted designer brands as symbols of wealth. Increased use of credit cards encouraged spending.
The creation of MTV revolutionized the music industry by turning musicians into television stars who had the power to influence through fashion and visuals in addition to music. Princess Diana also became a fashion icon during this time.
As technology made working from home more feasible and offices instituted “Casual Fridays,” fashion became more laidback and comfortable. In contrast to the excessive consumerism,1990s style veered toward a more minimalist aesthetic with lots of black and neutral colors.The fashion industry blossomed the most in the United States, where Calvin Klein used overtly sexual. Grunge was an alternative rock subculture that began in Seattle and spawned a style of unkempt dressing.
