One of my absolute favorite styles we covered in the class is the dresses that were worn in the 50s. I love love love a-line dresses and fit and flare dresses. I think they are so cute and flattering and I’m glad they are still around today.

Although there were many style tribes of the 20th century, hippies and greasers were two of my favorites to learn about. Hippies wore loose, flowing clothing with fun prints, like paisley. Headbands, fringe, vests, and tie-dye were also popular among hippies of the 60s. Greasers were prevalent in the 50s and 60s. “The Outsiders” is a great movie that was made in the 80s that depicts the lifestyle that greasers had and what their style was. Often times, they wore rolled up jeans, with tight white tee shirts and black leather jackets. The term “greaser” comes from the greasy-looking hair they had.

One style tribe I can think of that we have today is “athleisure”. Workout clothes that look like regular clothes are very popular. People wear things like hoodies, leggings, etc. in a way where they are portrayed as everyday clothing, instead of athletic wear. Below is an example:

What was considered fashionable in the late 19th century went through some pretty drastic changes, especially for women. Feminists, educators, and doctors all began to realize that the current styles might not be all that great for women’s health. This is when constricting clothing, such as stiff corsets and uncomfortable stockings were modified and worn less. A few styles of clothing that came of of the movement include: pants for women (finally!), and shorter hemlines. These things were often worn together at this time, since it was not “proper” yet for women to show their legs.

Beau Brummell was an English Dandy, meaning he was concerned with the way he looked and how he presented himself, fashion wise. He dressed very well and was a “fashion icon” when it came to men’s fashion in the 19th century. Beau led the trend of men wearing understated clothing that was delicately decorated. It is said that it took him up to five hours to get dressed in the morning and that he is the one who introduced the look of a men’s modern suit.

I think a modern-day Beau could be Johnny Depp. Although I feel like he isn’t explicitly concerned with fashion, I think he is aware of it and does his best not to fit in any certain mold. He isn’t too out-of-the-box with his fashion choices, but he does have an edgy side and is slightly different than the typical male celebrity.

The royalists dressed in highly-decorated, stylish clothing that featured many bright colors. They enjoyed themselves and liked to be dressed in the finest clothing. Puritans, on the other hand, wore more simplistic and dark-colored clothing without much decoration. The Puritans believed that this style of clothing showed that you had a pure heart. The basis for these differences can be traced back to the kinds of people found in each group. Also, since the Puritans were Protestants who wanted to simplify worship, and the Royalists were people who supported the monarchy, each side tended to show their personalities and what they supported through their clothing – Puritans being more simple, and Royalists being more sophisticated.