1900s

As the Victorian era drew to its close, skirts for both day and evening were elongated at the back to form a train. The silhouette was slim at the hip, accomplished by pleating and smocking the excess fabric. Any fullness in the skirt began below the knee. Decoration was achieved through large and small tucks, hem ruffles, buttons, and lace inserts. For day, ladies wore very high necks, and the bosom had an undefined, full shape over the boned bodice, which often ended below the waist. These pigeon-breast or mono-bosom bodices often featured wide cape-like collars that dropped from the shoulders. Sleeves were generally fitted from shoulder to elbow, then full to the wrist. A double-sleeved effect, featuring a small, gathered under-sleeve revealed at the wrist, was seen often.

Evening dresses were more daring and were worn off the shoulder, with or without sleeves. The Edwardian era began mid-decade and initially took a retro step, with small balloon sleeves and very nipped-in waists last seen in 1895. Skirts, although full, were rounded. Fabrics were soft and allowed to drape. Wide sashes or cummerbunds were de rigueur.

The retro look quickly faded in favor of the revolutionary designs of Paul Poiret, who quickly became the most prominent fashion designer in Paris. He showed slim, straight skirts and insisted on fewer undergarments. His decrees resulted in the disappearance of the high, boned collar and in the loosening of women’s corsets, allowing them to literally breathe sighs of relief. This new freedom enabled a higher-waisted look, and Poiret’s empire line was popular. Most representative of the period were the amazingly detailed, superbly constructed gowns. These featured lace, cord work, appliqué, soutache, beading, tucking, and inserts—very often on the same gown! The great Haute Couture houses of this era include Worth, Doucet, Lanvin, Boue Souers, Callot Souers, Paquin, Lucile, and Fortuny.

Written by The Vintage Fashion Guild

Next 1910 to 1920
Back Fashion Timeline

Shape and silhouette constantly evolved. More radical styles like the hobble skirt and the lampshade skirt each enjoyed their moment in the sun. The Edwardians became more playful and innovative, taking an interest in asymmetrical draping techniques. Considerably less boning was used in bodices and boning was now solely for supporting the shape as opposed to changing it. Suits were fashionable for daywear and walking was eased due to a really big fashion happening – the skirt hem rose to the ankle!

The First World War provoked yet another fashion – skirts that rose to well above the ankle. Bodices tended to lean towards the higher waist and skirts were full and tiered. Other popular fancies were bat-wing sleeves, over-drapes and flying panel skirts.

Wool and linen walking suits were appreciated for their practicality. Asymmetrical designs were featured in bodices and skirts and preferred fabrics were satin, taffeta, chiffon and lightweight silks, with washable cottons to ease hot summers. Early Art Deco inspired prints were seen in the post war years. The automobile achieved status, so driving clothes were developed to protect against dust, including the aptly named duster, a long, lightweight coat. Hats were veiled to keep the complexion smudge free.

Written by The Vintage Fashion Guild

Next 1920 to 1930
Back Fashion Timeline

World War I ended and euphoria was the order of the day. Fashion responded by dropping waists to high hip levels and dresses became unfitted. While some gowns retained the design complexity of the Teens, the trend was toward Simplicity. Simple bodices, shaped using only a few tucks or shirring at the shoulders, or a little gather at the side seam reflected this new freedom. As the decade began hems lines perched above the ankle but in only three years skirt lengths had risen to unprecedented and – to some – shocking heights!

Necklines were usually a simple scoop or “V” but when collars were used they emphasized the long line. Sleeves were either long and straight or with bell shaping. Chiffons, light silks, soft velvets, lamés, lightweight wools and soft cottons made up the fabrics. Sometimes a sash was applied to the hip but dresses also fell in a straight line. Although dresses were simple in construction, detail was apparent in surface ornamentation such as embroidery, soft braid, and beading for evening; or fabric manipulation such as pin tucking or pulled threadwork. Tabard style sheer or semi-sheer dresses were worn over matching slips.

As the “flapper era” became established, hemlines continued their scandalous ascent and had reached the knee by 1926. The drop waist continued its popularity but skirts and bodices became more complex with seaming, circular flounces and floating panels. Decorative seaming, contrasting fabrics, and overlays began to appear. Quality, previously apparent by means of complicated fit and construction was now expressing itself through fabric and by manipulating a single layer of material. Time-consuming and costly beading was immensely popular, especially for dance dresses.

Skirt levels, that some believed were indecent, were tamed in the 1928/29 fashion collections and asymmetrical hemlines (knee length in the front, longer in the back) made their appearance to forecast the longer hemlines of the 1930s. Waistlines gradually rose to resume the position nature had intended.

Designers of the 1920s included: Patou, Molyneux, Chanel, Boue Souers, Louiseboulanger, Augustabernard and Vionnet.

Great innovations in fashion were seen during the Depression despite the economic hardships of the time. The abbreviated, linear forms of the 1920s quickly gave way to sinuous shapes and longer hemlines. Waistlines returned to the natural position, while remaining relaxed in fit. Designers experimented with new cuts and new materials. For evening, the bias cut gown was favored (as created by Madeleine Vionnet) in silk velvet or silk satin. Synthetic fabrics such as rayon and nylon were in common use for everyday garments.

After 1935, zippers were employed as a more efficient alternative to labor-intensive hook-and-eye closures. Indeed, in the hands of prestigious houses such as Schiaparelli they became design elements. Costume jewelry, popularized by Chanel’s signature faux pearl strands, became an accessory staple. By 1938, small shoulder pads had become fashionable, heralding the shoulder emphasis of the 1940s. This, in spite of the Depression, was another grand era for Haute Couture. Lanvin, Molyneux, Mainbocher, Patou and Maggy Rouff all had active fashion houses as did Vionnet, Chanel and Schiaparelli.

The movies influenced how women dressed and what they thought about fashion.

It was not uncommon for designers such as Gilbert Adrian and Irene to make their names in Hollywood’s film industry. Women clamoured to look like their screen idols. This desire prompted many Hollywood couturiers to produce clothing for the mass market via department stores or their own collections. The Hollywood phenomenon also spread to Europe. Exemplified by the white satin bias cut dresses as worn by Jean Harlow, the Hollywood look featured dramatic lines that played best to camera. The full length garden party dress with picture hat, the striking wool suit with portrait fur collar, the grand negligee – these were all part of the Hollywood in the 1930s look as well.

Written by The Vintage Fashion Guild

By the time the United States emerged from the Depression, Europe and much of Asia were already at war. Paris under Nazi occupation was a disaster for Haute Couture and one that gave great opportunity to the growing fashion industry in the United States.

Women who were deprived of the latest fashions from Paris began to look to homegrown talent. Designers such as Norman Norell and Claire McCardell soon built a following. Mainbocher and Molyneux fled Europe and set up shop in the United States. This development profoundly changed America’s fashion profile and the market continued to gain momentum after the war ended.

Wartime regulations such as L-85, which regulated how much fabric and what garment types could be manufactured, were applied to both men’s and women’s clothing. Materials that were needed for military purposes were restricted for civilian use. Though the restrictions were not difficult to heed, manufacturers over-complied in support of the war effort. Utility and practicality became more fashionable and “Rosie the Riveter” was created as a role model. Frivolity and extravagance were put on hold. The emblematic wide-shouldered, slim-waisted, narrow-hipped silhouette of the 1940s was established.

The war also brought social and cultural change as greater numbers of women entered the workplace. Slacks, once considered scandalous and fit only for the boudoir, gained popularity. For many years however, even into the 1960s, it was to be a subject of debate as to whether they were appropriate in the workplace or not!

February 1947 brought one of fashion history’s most dramatic events – Christian Dior’s explosive first collection hit the runway. He called it the Corolle line but the American press, which referred to the collection as “New Look”, ignored this. The media’s chosen name stuck and so did the fashion.

Dior’s 1947 New Look had symbolized a new hope and by the 1950s both the hope and the style were fully embraced.

Hems fell and hems rose but the hourglass silhouette remained. In addition to the full skirt, slender pencil skirts were worn too. The emphasis on silhouette and form created a dependency on foundation garments – bullet bras, corselets, waist-cinchers and girdles pulled in, pushed out and persuaded while crinolines lifted and shaped full-circle skirts.

The 1950s saw the birth of pret-a-porter (ready-to-wear), at first seen as a necessary evil but eventually gaining respect. The US War Production Board sponsored a measurements survey of 100,000 women, using the data to standardize sizing for the garment industry.

Led by Dior, Paris couture retained its popularity but the private couturier was being supplanted by pret-a-porter and mass production. Design houses such as the USA’s Suzy Perette and Lilli Ann and Horrockses in the UK, as well as American designers such as Ceil Chapman and Tina Leser, were proving that off-the-rack garments of quality could be made. America led the way with ready-to-wear, and high fashion, once restricted to the wealthy, was available to the general population.

1950s fashion was regulated by three C’s – code, conformity and consumerism. Women’s focus was on rearing children and keeping house as they had largely left the war years’ workplace. Both men’s and women’s activities centered around family and home and clothing changed as a result. Emphasis was on practical but attractive housedresses, not only for household chores but suitable for quick errands or the school run. Women dressed for ‘wifely’ roles!

The 1960s were greatly transitional. The decade opened with a continuation of the 1950s silhouette but ten years later the look was the virtual opposite.

In the U.S. in 1961 John F. Kennedy took office as President, bringing with him a beautiful, young and fashion-inspiring wife as First Lady. Jackie Kennedy’s innate sense of style and dress soon made her ‘Queen’ of American fashion. The American designed short-jacketed sheath suits (at which U.S. based designer Oleg Cassini excelled) captured her passion for French couture style.

As the first wave of baby boomers came of age, the market shifted towards a more youthful silhouette. Teens dominated the fashion scene and in time adults adopted some of the looks of their offspring. The French ‘baby doll’ look personified by Brigitte Bardot comprised shorter skirts and big hair. Eventually this gave way to the ‘British Invasion’ or ‘Youthquake’ movement, with teens embracing the free and fun fashions of their London contemporaries. The “It” girl Twiggy was seen on the covers of most fashion magazines, slinking about in colorful shifts and space-age prints. This helped convince the majority of women in the mid 1960s to try the new styles.

The movement towards modernity was conscious and international. Italian designers like Pucci created psychedelic palettes of color, transforming wearers of simple silk knit gowns into walking works of art. American designers excelled in casual, uncomplicated sportswear chic. French couture (mostly under the influence of Yves Saint Laurent) explored other ideas; one of these borrowed pants and tuxedo jackets from menswear for the hip, liberated fashion-conscious woman. Some British designers even attempted to borrow the new mini skirt from women’s fashion for menswear. This met with considerably less success, if not a stony silence.

The times “they were a-changing” and fashion needed to follow suit. By 1967 the new fashion was scandalously baring more of the body than ever before – less is more, the modernist’s creed, was now true. Even the most conservative suits were cut above the knee. The old etiquette (remember gloves and hats?) was out the door. Balenciaga even gave up his house in 1967, proclaiming “Fashion is dead”.

The 1970s can be called Decade of Decadence, the ‘Me’ decade and the decade of excess and androgyny. Women emerged in the work place tenfold. Pantsuits, day wear, and separates with a sense of masculine style as echoed in the film ‘Annie Hall’ created a sensation with Diane Keaton wearing a fitted vest with a collared white shirt and men’s neckties. Skirts could be seen in a variety of lengths, mini midi or maxi! The maxi dress was worn throughout the decade in a multitude of styles and shapes. Rich earthy tones dominated in popular colors; warm browns, burgundy, rust, mustard, and avocado green. Television shows such as Charlie’s Angels featured the smart and liberated but sexy woman. The California sun-kissed blondes Cheryl Tiegs and Farrah Fawcett represented the new sporty and physically fit ideal.

The Woodstock festival of peace and music was the end of the 1960s hippie movement, with the U.S. still at war. The hippie flower child look from the late 1960s carried over into the first half of the decade in a nonrestrictive bohemian silhouette with a heavy folksy influence. Thea Porter celebrated ethnic styles in Indian style prints, free flowing breezy gauzy tent dresses and wide legged pants. Arts and crafts elements such as tie-dye, batik, knitwear, crochet and macramé were also very popular. There was a great sense of ease and comfort to early 1970s clothing. Designers like Laura Ashley and Jessica McClintock for Gunne Sax popularized the prairie dress phenomenon.

Blue jeans emerged in the 1970s as everyday wear. Denim was being mass consumed by all ages and seen as the ultimate American garment. Jeans were flared, bell bottom, wide legged, hip huggers, high waist, embroidered, embellished, studded – you name it! Denim was was not just limited to pants: jean skirts, suits, vests, jackets, hats and accessories were omnipresent. Designer jeans were seen as a status symbol and the more expensive, the more desirable! A tighter, second skin fit with designer names such as Gloria Vanderbilt, Calvin Klein, Jordache, and Sasson were branded across the backsides of men and women everywhere. A far cry from the dungarees of years past!

Glam or glitter rock brought on to the scene flamboyant boldly colored clothes in lux fabrics like satins, velvets and lurex. Emblazoned with sequins, bedazzled, gemmed and worn with feathered boas! Nothing was too outrageous. Super high stacked platform shoes or boots were the favored footwear. Pop star David Bowie, as alter ego Ziggy Stardust, sported over-the-top androgynous outfits both on and off the stage. Avant garde designer Kensai Yamamoto was responsible for the otherworldly costumes for the 1973 ‘Aladdin Sane’ tour. Glitter rock stars of the the time such as Kiss, Marc Bolan, The Sweet and the New York Dolls were dandy dressers in chiffon, spandex and satin. Glitter trends in makeup were worn on the face by both men and women. Stores such as Granny Takes a Trip and Biba had multiple locations in the U.S. and the U.K that catered to the teenage audience and rock stars alike.

Disco brought excess and decadence. Designers and celebrities partied with the beautiful people at the infamous nightclub Studio 54 in New York City known for its overt drug use and bacchanalian carousing. Bob Mackie was often called the ‘Sultan of Sequins’ and dressed Cher and other stars in body-baring glamorous costumes. Designer Roy Halston’s draped jersey goddess dresses, kaftans and Ultrasuede were the perfect party clothes for a glamorous night of sin. Quiana polyester was wildly popular and was used in day dresses, shirts, blouses and evening wear. Cheaply made tight fitting body conscious clothing could be seen in any discotheque. Wrap-around skirts, leotards, tube tops, dance wear inspired dresses and separates with ease and movement were made in Lurex, miliskin and spandex. Film star John Travolta wore a white 3-piece suit with black shirt in the blockbuster movie “Saturday Night Fever”. Diane Von Fursternberg popularized the uber flattering jersey wrap dress, which became a staple in every woman’s wardrobe.

One word comes to mind when you think of the 1980s: BIG. Overconsumption, oversized and just plain over-the-top were cornerstone features in this decade of excess and materialism. It was a time of abundance, optimism and unabashed greed.

Shoulder pads returned to fashion in a super-sized version, and the “power suit” reflected women’s emerging status in the workplace. The term “Yuppie” was coined as an acronym for the Young Urban Professional who was a career driven, 20-30 something male or female, obsessed with upward mobility, money and the pursuit of personal fulfillment. Casual wear for the Yuppie set was collegiate or preppy with khaki pants, traditional blue blazers, crisp white shirts, polos by Izod Lacoste and Ralph Lauren and cotton cardigans draped over one’s shoulders, loosely tied in front. Designers boldly emblazoned their logos on the exterior of their designs and their clothing became elite status symbols.

Glamour in the 1980s, as depicted in the popular TV shows Dallas and Dynasty, translated to bedazzled evening wear studded with sequins and beads. Hair was permed, teased and coiffed to ever larger proportions and extravagance. Makeup was bold and colorful, as was jewelry of the era which featured large statement necklaces and long, dangling earrings which grazed the shoulders.

In contrast to the more conservative and affluent set, youthful counterculture was defining their own style. Music continued to have a strong influence on fashion, particularly with the emergence of MTV which brought music fashion to the masses. Numerous pop music stars became style icons as well. Underwear as outer wear, popularized by Madonna, infused street fashion with women donning crinolines and lacy bustiers. New Wave music and the corresponding New Romantics style trend was further popularized by London designer Vivienne Westwood, who embraced historical fashion with the use of corsets and bustles and later created the mini-crini. Music legends like Annie Lenox, Boy George, David Bowie and Grace Jones blurred the lines of androgyny in fashion. Japanese fashion designers continued to push fashion barriers exploring gender-bending, sculptural, avant-garde silhouettes.

The fitness boom of the 1980s, as part of this self-conscious and self indulgent decade, spawned a fashion trend that took dance and exercise wear from the studio and gym to the runway and the street. Jane Fonda sported neon leotards and leg warmers in her exercise videos and women soon embraced them as functional fashion. The aerobics craze influenced designer fashion with Lycra and other body conscious fabrics and styles infusing the dress designs of Azzedine Alaia and bodysuits by Donna Karan. The movie Flashdance inspired women to wear tight leggings paired with oversized, baggy sweatshirts with the necklines cut to drape casually off one shoulder. Designer Norma Kamali created an entire collection fashioned of sweatshirt fabric. Jogging or track suits became socially acceptable as casual day wear.

The early 1990s saw a continuation of late 1980s fashion, primarily model as muse. Supermodels dominated the beginning of the decade, when popular beauties such as Christy Turlington, Cindy Crawford and Linda Evangelista ‘wouldn’t get out of bed for less then $10,000’ starred in every major fashion campaign. Kate Moss, who often modeled for Calvin Klein, sparked controversy in a silver sheer slip dress with her very thin, waif-like figure coining a new term; heroin chic. Iconic designer Gianni Versace celebrated the female figure in tube dresses featuring body conscious cuts, luxury fabrics, baroque prints often garishly loud and brilliant colors, even touches of bondage inspired metal hardware such as grommets and safety pins.

The Seattle Sound exploded into mainstream fashion. Embracing a darker tone in both sound and vision with muted palates and worn textiles, the so called Grunge style departed sharply from 1980s excess. Staples included: winter thermal underwear as pants, work wear and the ubiquitous flannel shirt. In Marc Jacobs (now infamous) 1993 ‘‘Grunge’‘ collection for Perry Ellis, which ultimately got him fired from the line, models paraded down the catwalk in ‘bed head’ and knit beanies, Doc Martin lace up boots, flannel, knitwear and granny dresses as seen donned by bands like Nirvana, Soundgarden and Alice in Chains.

Hip Hop fashion mirrored its music and lifestyle also. In it’s infancy in underground African American urban culture, Hip Hop eventually crossed barriers into popular culture full force during the decade. High energy self start up labels like Fubu and Karl Kani used high profile rap artists like Tupac Shakur and Shawn Combs as spokespersons and models for their lines. The clothing label Cross Colours bold in both color and social outreach, were emblazoned with messages of empowerment and community. Over sized everything was the signature silhouette, sports team paraphernalia, denim, bomber jackets, track suits, Timberland boots, ‘Bill Cosby’ Coogi sweaters, and overalls were the preferred look. Gender neutral silhouettes for both females and males were notable of the genre aesthetic.

Gothic fashion in the 1990s, fueled by films like the The Crow, The Craft and a burgeoning club scene, found an incredible popularity. Goths made their way into the mall and into the sunlight, via popular suburban boutiques like ‘Hot Topic’, wearing layers of black-on-black, ripped tights, crosses, fishnets, latex and fetish wear including PVC and vinyl clothing, crushed velvet and black lace. Even the goth scene itself splintered off into many interesting subsets: Cyber Goth, Lolita, Rockabilly, and Traditional. The wildly outrageous ‘club kid’ party scene, who exhibited hugely creative and sometimes grotesque outfits. Drugs and nightlife mingled into pop fashion culture, faux fur, neon colors and monster platforms further pushed the envelope of conservative fashion.

In the mid-1990s, British pop bands Blur, The Stone Roses and Oasis spearheaded a revival of 1960s and 1970s mod culture, including Mod haircuts, aviator sunglasses, stovepipe pants, green parkas Harrington jackets, velvet sport coats, striped shirts, polo shirts, and Union Jack motifs exemplified by the dress worn by band member Geri Halliwell from The Spice Girls.