Fashion through the ages:
1960-2000s
Morgue Files
THE ASK:
Explore the popular trends and styles that defined the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, providing a detailed overview of each decade. Dive into the distinctive elements of Women’s Day Wear, Women’s Evening Wear, Men’s Wear, and Accessories, shedding light on iconic garments and prevailing silhouettes.
THE process:
By conducting research and utilizing the information given to us from textbooks and lectures, I was able to determine the most popular trends for each decade. After selecting three pieces for each category, I found imagery that supported each piece as well as creating a short description of the items importance to the decade. Many descriptions depicting why the item gained popularity.
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Bell bottoms became a popular denim trend in the 60’s. These jeans were fitted at the top and flared at the bottom making jeans more fashionable with fewer embellishments. Celebrities like Cher, Mick Jagger, and Twiggy popularized this look.
1960’s
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The Bouffant dress was a popular style for evening wear in the 60’s. It presented a shorter hemline and a fitted waistline. This was quite different from the popular evening wear in the 50’s.
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Designer Mary Quant popularized the idea of the mini skirt. The idea was quite controversial at first because society wasn’t used to quite a short hemline. After YSL launched a dress with a mini skirt hem the trend received much more attention.
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Cobra envelope bags were a popular style. These bags were made out of cobra skin and styled in many different ways for both casual and formal outings.
1970’s
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Prairie dresses were midi-length with flounces and delicate floral patterns, these dresses were popularized by designers and retailers like Gunne Sax and Bill Gibb. They reflected a similar silhouette and design seen during the Victorian era.
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Layered pant suits became popular for women, as women began to break social norms and become more comfortable with sexuality we saw more menswear inspired outfits. Actress Annie Hall is one of the inspirations for this trend.
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Leg warmers would be paired with womens athletic wear. We saw these come into fashion with the rise in the fitness craze after Jane Fonda’s fitness video.
1980’s
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Shoulder pads became quite popular in the 80’s. Princess Diana was a style icon across the world and wore shoulder pads in many of her looks making shoulder pads trendy.
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The fitness craze highly impacted the clothing industry. Women began wearing clothing made out of stretchy fabric that was form fitting. Designers like Donna Karan and Azzedine Alaia designed athletic shapewear. Jane Fondas fitness video continued the fitness craze throughout the 80’s.
THE OUTCOME
I was able to explore different decades throughout different decades, gaining valuable insight on each decade. I was able to learn how to throughly research a specific topic as well as using trusted sources for information. Click the button below to see the completed project!