20th Century Fashions
The Iconic Dresses and Women’s Fashions of the Twentieth Century
Abstract
This paper describes some of the most popular women’s fashions of the Twentieth Century, from 1900 through 1999. Starting with the 1900-1910’s this paper goes decade by decade, exploring the details of the most iconic fashions, from the Gibson Girl to the designer fashions of the Nineties. Throughout the paper there will be comparisons of the different decades and their popular styles, as fashion can change a great deal over just a decade. Some of these styles are still seen today in the form of skirt lengths or shoulder pads, and some have completely passed from popular fashion, now seen only in text books and museums, but all of the styles and fashions referred to in this exploratory paper are an important part of history.
The Iconic Dresses and Women’s Fashions of the Twentieth Century
From the Middle Ages to today, in the Twenty-First century, Fashion has always been a huge component of culture. It’s a form of identification, a way to express oneself, and even a canvas for the artistic. Every decade has its fashions and styles that everyone associates with it, and these women’s fashions of the Twentieth Century, from the Flapper’s dance dress of the Twenties to the miniskirt of the Sixties, are still incredibly relevant today. These fashions, seen through text books and todays fashion alike, can act as windows into Twentieth Century Fashion. The twentieth century decades are represented by the clothes and dresses that anyone in today’s culture with an interest in the history of fashion and culture should learn about.
The Early Twentieth Century, 1900-1940
In the early Twentieth century, fashion was still holding on to some of the Victorian ideals of the past century. However the period between 1900 and World War I saw a great change in women’s silhouettes, fashion in general, and instituted some of the cornerstones for later
Abstract
This paper describes some of the most popular women’s fashions of the Twentieth Century, from 1900 through 1999. Starting with the 1900-1910’s this paper goes decade by decade, exploring the details of the most iconic fashions, from the Gibson Girl to the designer fashions of the Nineties. Throughout the paper there will be comparisons of the different decades and their popular styles, as fashion can change a great deal over just a decade. Some of these styles are still seen today in the form of skirt lengths or shoulder pads, and some have completely passed from popular fashion, now seen only in text books and museums, but all of the styles and fashions referred to in this exploratory paper are an important part of history.
The Iconic Dresses and Women’s Fashions of the Twentieth Century
From the Middle Ages to today, in the Twenty-First century, Fashion has always been a huge component of culture. It’s a form of identification, a way to express oneself, and even a canvas for the artistic. Every decade has its fashions and styles that everyone associates with it, and these women’s fashions of the Twentieth Century, from the Flapper’s dance dress of the Twenties to the miniskirt of the Sixties, are still incredibly relevant today. These fashions, seen through text books and todays fashion alike, can act as windows into Twentieth Century Fashion. The twentieth century decades are represented by the clothes and dresses that anyone in today’s culture with an interest in the history of fashion and culture should learn about.
The Early Twentieth Century, 1900-1940
In the early Twentieth century, fashion was still holding on to some of the Victorian ideals of the past century. However the period between 1900 and World War I saw a great change in women’s silhouettes, fashion in general, and instituted some of the cornerstones for later
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