01 Jun Fashion & Its Evolution

Fashion evolution has always been an ever-changing process indicator of current time in history. As interpreted by Amanda Halley “Fashion is not an island, it’s a response”. As witnessed by history, fashion has been deeply affected by socio-economic and cultural changes. Be it the post-World War II changes in the fashion industry or the current environmental problems the globe is experiencing. The current conditions will constantly influence the fashion’s present, past, and future. Let’s unravel the evolution that the fashion industry has seen, from pricey dresses to a sustainable strategy.

Let’s start with the Victorian era…

Victorian era (1840s – 1890s)

Victorian fashion was marked by Queen Victoria’s reign in 1837 and ended upon her death. The era was an important time in history around the globe. Throughout the era the Victorian fashion displayed class, wealth, beauty. The layering of dresses and suiting was pretty much impractical and uncomfortable. The Victorian era was identified by corsets, bonnets, top hats, bustles and petticoats. The era was largely dominated by full and extravagant skirts.

Edwardian Era(1901 – 1914)

The Edwardian era commonly spans between the end of the Victorian era (1901) until the beginning of the first World War in 1914.Fashion was still greatly influence by fashion of 1800.Women’s fashion was still confined to corsets and men still wore suits. The fashion was opulent and formal with expensive fabrics and trimmings.

The 1920’s

The 1920s saw a huge change in fashion as women fought against the form and purpose of clothing as well as the trends of prior eras. Shapeless, straight-over-and-down skirts that were in style fully embraced this lack of form. Shorter hemlines, discrete bustline and flat-chested appearance was the most popular style fad of the time. The new slip-on gowns were comfortable for dancing and visiting speakeasies that were popping up all around, and corsets were no longer worn. Women also started to bob their hair into short boyish styles.

The 1930’s

In the 1930s, the truly glamorous made a resurgence as a number of fashion trends were influenced by Hollywood starlets and motion pictures. Bias-cut gowns with body-hugging silhouettes and feather boas were common. The 1930s styles were frequently a touch more conservative than the more rebellious aesthetics popularized by the Flappers, who were also founded during this decade, despite the shorter skirt. Classic styles took over as the norm as the average person could no longer afford contemporary attire that would only be worn for a night out in the city.

The 1940’s

The dress and apparel of this particular era were heavily influenced by the military. The jumpsuit was a useful item of clothing that was easy to put on. Styles were kept as simple as possible due to necessity during WWII and the ensuing fabric shortage, and practically everything was retrieved and finally reconstructed as completely as was actually possible.

The 1950’s

1950’s fashion was casual yet formal and elegant. Shoulder lines became more softened, corset waists became smaller, and rounded hips with long skirts became popular. The iconic gray felt poodle skirts emerged with white bobby socks and saddle shoes.

The 1960’s

This decade is also known as space age fashion. The evolution of space age fashion was greatly influenced by the French fashion designer André Courrèges. He launched the “space look” in the spring of 1964, which featured box-shaped dresses with high skirts, goggles, and go-go boots. In the 1960s, go-go boots eventually became an essential part of go-go girl attire. Paco Rabanne and Pierre Cardin are two further influential designers of the space era.

Ponchos, moccasins, love beads, peace signs, medallion necklaces, chain belts, polka dot-printed fabrics, and long, puffed “bubble” sleeves were popular fashions in the late 1960s. Both men and women wore frayed bell-bottom jeans, tie-dyed shirts, work shirts, Jesus sandals, and headbands.

The 1970’s

As the Swinging Sixties turned into the 1970s, the influence of boutique stores and diffusion lines made ready-to-wear clothing increasingly accessible. New synthetic fabrics meant that fashionable styles could be bought at any price point. So pervasive were these materials that the seventies became known as the “Polyester Decade.” The decade saw a wide range of popular styles: from the early prairie dresses influenced by hippie fashion to the flashy party wear worn to disco nightclubs, to the rise of athletic wear as the decade looked towards the 1980s, the seventies was a decade that explored fashion, but also looked back.

The 1980’s

The 1980s, in particular, had a major impact on modern fashion, with enduring muses like Grace Jones, Madonna, and Bianca Jagger. And today, plenty of the signature staples of the 1980s, like biker shorts, bold-shoulder blazers, and taffeta evening wear, are everywhere. In a post-Phoebe Philo era where neutral palettes and minimal silhouettes were king, the ’80s influences in the early 2010s gave the market a renewed sense of bold color stories and playful dressing many would argue was missing from the industry for decades.

1990’s fashion

In the 1990s, scrunchies, slip dresses, bomber jackets, and plaid flannel shirts were all the rage. Today, several of these fashion trends are making a comeback. Celebrities like Halle Berry, Naomi Campbell, Jennifer Lopez, and Nia Long wore their most fashionable attire to red carpet events and regular activities in the 1990s.

2000 till present day

Fashion saw huge transformation in this era. Subcultures like athleisure, dark academia and streetstyle roared in this era. The biggest shift in fashion industry is inclination towards sustainability and environmentalism. Wards going completely sustainable. As we all know sustainability is here to stay. While many brands are taking this aspect seriously and making sustainable goals fast fashion brands are focusing on green washing. Next 10 years in this industry is crucial and will see major changes.