100 years of fashion trends – How fashion has changed over time

100 years of fashion trends – We all know that fashion trends come and go. One year the latest fashion is all the rage, and the next year it’s already in the garment bag. It is interesting that this is by no means a new phenomenon, because fashion has been reinvented again and again for over 100 years. Fashion was a kind of mirror of the current society, as the looks of men and women were always influenced by the circumstances of the time. If you take a look at the looks of the last century, you can also get a direct picture of what it was like back then. We always adapt to the latest trends and on the one hand we try to be individual and develop our own style, on the other hand we always want to identify ourselves with the crowd and therefore wear what is currently in fashion. This changes again and again and we adapt ourselves accordingly to the latest fashion. FIV Magazine has summarized here how fashion trends have changed over the last 100 years and what there is interesting to know about them.

The constant change of fashion

This video from Glam.com pretty much sums up how the different looks of the last 100 years have changed, from the 1920s flapper dress, to the colorful hippie outfits of the 1970s, to the boyfriend jeans of 2015. Fashion is in a constant state of change that affects every area of life. Whether on the street, at work, in sports or going out – people’s outfits have gone through immense changes over the years.

If you take a look at the working world of yesteryear, you will find nothing in the offices but suits, hats and fine shoes. Today, things look quite different. What started with Casual Friday has now been introduced by all employers on every day of the week. Even in sport, fashion was changing. Do you remember how short footballers’ shorts were in the 80s? Those who are still stuck in the same trend of the past – but who knows how long – are the snooker players who still have to show up in their suits. The professional poker players are in a completely different league in terms of fashion, as they have all the freedom in the choice of clothing. From the suit, to the cowboy hat up to the football jersey there was to see at the Pokertisch already so quite everything.

Even here you can see how the fashion trend over the years has been towards casual, less austere and chic, but comfortable and practical has become the motto. However, until it came to today’s look of the people, the fashion went through many a social change. We have taken a closer look at the last 100 years.

1920s – The Golden Twenties

Almost 100 years have passed since then, the golden twenties, the Roaring Twenties. It is not without reason that they were so called, since they were characterized by a newfound joie de vivre, which was really celebrated during this time. Gold and glitter, sequins and feather boas, flapper dresses, headbands and, for the men, dandy suits, suspenders and felt hats were the hallmarks of contemporary fashion. The waist of the woman was hidden under short, straight flapper dresses, the hair was cut off. The androgynous look reached its peak here, after all, at this time the woman also acquired a completely new position in society – she even smoked now, but only with a cigarette holder, of course.

1930s – Traditional thirties

The party mood of the twenties unfortunately took a leave with the economic crisis as quickly as it came. In the thirties, women’s style changed from glittering party outfits to elegant women’s fashion. The hip experienced a renaissance, which now came to the fore again with long, tight dresses. Costumes and blouses with large sleeves shaped the street scene. The style icon of this time was without doubt Marlene Dietrich, who also made the long wide trousers presentable at this time, which later became the cult Marlene trousers. Also hats were missing neither with woman nor with man. The latter kept their style of the twenties as far as possible with suits and suspenders.

1940 – Circumstances make inventive

For obvious reasons, fashion was radically changed in the forties. There was no material available for dazzling and elaborate dresses, so women had to become inventive and usually made their own clothes. New clothes were made from the old, and to save on material, the clothes were especially figure-hugging. What was particularly noticeable at that time were red lips. An accessory that was supposed to defy the dreary environment.

1950s – Rockabilly lives

The society of the fifties finally came a little closer to that of the twenties. There was reason for joy again, reason to enjoy life and to devote oneself again to fashion. Christian Dior already laid the foundations for the typical rockabilly of the fifties at the end of the 1940s, when he put wide cut skirts with large petticoats in the shop windows, along with tight blouses that created the “New Look”. A new style was also on the agenda for men. The suit gave way to casual jeans in the younger generations. In addition, white T-shirts and leather jackets shaped the image of the men on the streets – James Dean and Elvis Presley send their regards!

1960s – The Swinging Sixties

The sixties, also called the Swinging Sixties, were characterized by protest movements. Instead of bowing to old norms, people began to inform themselves and stand up for their own cause. The rather romantic fashion of the fifties was unceremoniously discarded; instead, people took to the streets in A-line dresses and miniskirts. Jackie Kennedy was the fashion icon par excellence at that time with her unconventional and rather plain look. For men, jeans and leather jackets continued to be the trend outfit par excellence.

1970s – Flower power of the hippies

Hardly any other fashion era is as famously infamous as that of the seventies, when the hippie movement conquered society. Striking colours, patterns and accessories reflect the feeling of freedom and individualism of that time. Men and women at that time squeezed themselves into tight tops and tight jeans, but extremely lined at the bottom. Hair was now worn long by both men and women, men’s upper lips were covered with beards, clothes were self-cut and dyed in a colourful batik look and flowers decorated hair and outfits alike.

1980s – The age of fashion sins

In the eighties one can say that stylistically things went downhill quite a bit. Flatter skirts and fine crocheted jackets gave way to shoulder pads, carrot pants, puffed sleeves, perms and neon-coloured XL pullovers with leggings – combination at will allowed. It was the time when all kinds of music styles were celebrated, whether rock or hip hop. Madonna is with her song “Material Girl” probably the soundtrack of the eighties. The economy was booming again, so we went to the department stores in search of the brightest leggings and the bluest eye shadow.

1990s – A mix of styles

In the nineties, the world is changing, the wall is gone, the world is in the process of reorganising itself, travelling is becoming easier. There is a mix of styles, mainly influenced by music and American influences. With Kurt Cobain, the grunge style with torn jeans and colorfully dyed hair cannot be overlooked, Britney Spears is setting a new standard for the young female generation with her school uniform look. A uniform look did not really exist in the nineties, people simply dressed according to their own role model. However, there was a lot to see: huge sweaters and jewelry, jewelry, jewelry – at that time the motto was: More is more!

Today – Everybody do what they want

How does the whole thing look today? People today enjoy their freedom, and that is related to both life and fashion. Individuality is the order of the day, trends come and go faster than you can look, from one trendy summer look to the next are miles away, who wants to wear the same outfit from last summer? In addition, male and female fashion is converging more and more. Skinny-jeans are now also available on men, shirts also on women, the androgynous look is alive. Life and fashion are now fast moving, in constant motion. It’s no wonder that the one or other fashion style of the past century is often repeated; after all, retro and vintage looks could hardly be more trendy.

People’s fashion has always reflected social circumstances. According to the current mood of the people the clothing style was chosen. While in the decades between the Golden Twenties and the shrill Eighties there was always a very clear style of dress, since the Nineties this has been broken up, so that there are now many different styles of clothing. As individual as we are, so individual is our fashion. What is your favourite fashion epoch?