Kameryn Achary, Reporter

December 12, 2022

         American Fashion is a very important part of the world today. Everyday you wear fashion. For the most part American fashion began in the early 1600’s. French colonists wore European fashion from the land of their origins from the ornate patterns of Sioux war shirts to the intricate patchwork of breechcloths. Native American fashion varied from tribe to tribe, celebrating local identities and resources in ways most of today’s sustainable fashion brands would envy. As tribes were pushed together they began learning each other’s clothing techniques and wearing each other’s ideas of design. Fashion is a way to express one’s true personality and creativity. Undoubtedly, with changing times, fashion has changed over the decades to cater to the changing environments. There have been many trends that come and go as time goes on. For example, in the 1920’s women typically wore dresses that were below the knee and were straight yet slightly flowy. They paired their dresses with T- strap, fur coats or fringe wraps. Pearl necklaces and short bobbed hair was in style at the time. The 1930’s was a time when Hollywood first began to really take off. The fashion industry was influenced by movie stars and movie films. Dress length moved back down to the ankles, dresses became tighter and more fitted towards each woman. The norm for dresses was “slender, elongated torso with widening shoulders”. Typical evening dresses were low-back and made of satin. Dresses for women during this time also began to come in more patterns (floral, plaid, dots, other abstract designs). Actresses like Greta Garbo and Bette Davis became the Hollywood fashion icons that many women looked up to. Skipping to the 1960’s 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 still very normal. During the 1970’s women changed to more of a granny-style or hippie style dresses, bell bottom pants, tunic tops, and graphic t-shirts. Dresses began to go shorter as they laid right at the knee. 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. The 1980’s is one of the more popular time periods in fashion history. It was based on 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. 1980’s fashion stood out overall because it was more unique then the previous decades of fashion. Women could wear brightly colored leggings paired with an oversized top or “parachute pants” with a small v-neck top and it would be considered “in style”.  On the other hand, 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. Among 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 more. Lastly, during the 2000s, women’s fashion became far more feminine once again. Miniskirts, halter tops, low-rise jeans, and capri pants were what everyone was wearing. Known as the mash-up decade, designers began to take inspiration from many different decades. Overall, fashion is something that is always changing. People use it to express themselves and the time that they are in.