1900s: Tall, stiff collars characterize the period, as do women's broad hats and full "Gibson Girl"

hairstyles. Blouses and dresses were full in front and puffed into a "pigeon breast" shape of the
early 20th century that looked over the narrow waist, was often accented with a sash or belt.
Necklines were supported by very high boned collars. Skirts brushed the floor. By the end of the
decade the most fashionable skirts cleared the floor and approached the ankle.
1910s:Dresses and Skirts
The 1910s brought a new trend, where skirts tightened around the ankle. These skirts looked
almost like a longer, more flowing version of the pencil skirts of today. They were often worn
with a tunic, jacket, or even a fur-lined coat. big hats, and short hair. Dress length came up from
the floor to above the ankle. Skirts were widest at the hips and became narrow at the ankle.
1920s:Women typically wore dresses that were below the knee and were straight yet slightly flowy.
They paired these dresses with T-strap heels, fur coats or fringe wraps, pearl necklaces, and short,
bobbed hair. These women are often remembered as “Flappers”. Dresses were generally colorful or
patterned (plaid, checked). Dresses also had some type of collar . Women also always wore small hats
outside the home. Men also embraced the idea of simplicity and stopped wearing three-piece suits. In
place of this, they began to wear soft collar shirts and jackets with one or two buttons. The design of
“pinstripes” also became popular during this time. Men wore long overcoats, pullover sweaters, fedora
hats, and lace-up boots. They also used canes, gloves, and pocket watches.
1930s:The 1930s was the time when Hollywood first began to emerge. The fashion of this period was
influenced by films and the stars of the movie world. 1920s women’s fashion was often characterized as
“boyish”, but 1930s fashion began to use more of the “feminine silhouette”. dress length moved back
down to the ankles, but dresses became tighter and more fitted towards each woman. Typical evening
dresses were low-back and made of satin. Dresses for women during this time also began to come in
more patterns. Actresses like Greta Garbo and Bette Davis became the Hollywood fashion icons that
many women looked up to. Menswear also began to take inspiration from films of the era. Men moved
away from “elite” looking suits to those that reflected the working class. Knitted sweaters and collar
shirts became a popular day-time wear item. Men began to wear overall less formal clothes on a daily
basis, but still used formal suits (similar to 1920s style) for any special occasions or events.
1940s: During the 1940s, men’s fashion stopped progressing from the 1930s. Due to the start of World
War II in 1939, men typically adorned their military uniforms. However, men began to wear suits that
were colorful, baggy, and paired with a long jacket.
Women’s fashion was defined by a “clean and slim silhouette”, almost military-style like. Due to the war,
New York City became the center of the fashion world. Many of the materials was needed to make
military uniforms and parachutes for soldiers. Skirts became shorter and tighter and patterns were a
thing of the past .
1950s: During the 1950s, many of the big designer brands we see today began to emerge (Christain Dior,
Balenciaga, Coco Chanel, etc.). Menswear began to progress more towards casual outfits while women’s
clothing displayed elegance and formality. Women’s dresses still had the slim waist with a lower-ankle
flair. Bright and patterned colors also made a comeback during this time. During this time, there also
began to be more style options for women to choose from. Some chose between dresses while others
were drawn to business-like suits. Sundresses, shin/ankle-length skirts, and bathing suits became
popular.
Men began to wear narrow-fitting trousers, t-shirts, and velvet-collared jackets. Much of men’s fashion
was inspired by actor James Dean and singer Elvis Presley. A typical, everyday outfit for men in the late
1950s became a white t-shirt, jeans, and a leather jacket.
1960s: Women’s dresses were straight fitting, often with a white collar. Women’s sweaters and shirts
were also knitted and turtleneck style. During the 1960s, more and more women began to wear pants as
well that were high-waisted and slim-fitted legs. During this time, low heels and flats/pump shoes were
also in style. Short and bobbed hair was also the norm. For men, pants became far more tighter and they
began to wear silk scarves, or ascots. While their pants did get tighter, they began to flare out at the
bottom. Suit jackets became double-breasted. Casual clothing could include short-sleeved, patterned,
button-down shirts.
1970s: Women during the 1970s wore granny-style or hippie-style dresses, bell-bottom pants, tunic
tops, and graphic t-shirts. Many dresses now went only up to knee length. To the workplace, they would
wear dress pants (or pantsuits) with silk-bow blouses and a blazer. For a night out, some women
preferred wearing jumpsuits. Men also began to wear low-rise, bell-bottom jeans and platform shoes.
Track suits also become a “leisure” clothing. Their shirts went untucked and they began to grow their
hair out longer (taking inspiration from bands such as The Beatles).
1980s:1980s fashion relied heavily around bright colors and hues. For both men and women, the
waistline of pants was high. A big staple of the 1980s was messy hair, neon colors/makeup, and big hoop
earrings. Most of the 1980s fashion was bizarre in terms of the previous decades. Women could wear
brightly-colored leggings paired with an oversized top or “parachute pants” with a small v-neck top - all
were in style! For men, sweatpants became far more popular and men began to wear sports jerseys
(NFL, NHL). For men, denim jackets and jeans were popular. For women turtlenecks and high-waisted
pants were once again in fashion.
1990s: Clothing during the 1990s was still loose fitting, but the colors were not as vibrant as the 1980s.
Tapered pants and Nike Air Jordan’s were in high demand. Baseball caps came into fashion for both men
and women during this time. Amongst the young people, hip-hop style became the most popular as hip-
hop music became more mainstream. People also began to wear name-brand designer clothing far
more.
2000s: During the 2000s, women’s fashion became far more feminine once again. Denim miniskirts,
halter tops, low-rise jeans, and capri pants where what everyone was wearing. Known as the mash-up
decade, designers began to take inspiration from many different decades. Men began to wear more
athletic attire in their everyday clothes. Baseball caps made a comeback as did bootcut jeans.