Fashion Forward

Changes in fashion seem so prevalent and continuous it is hard to imagine a world or a time without change.

Fashion-as-change came into reality in the seventeenth century. Prior to that "styles" (or the lack of them) stayed in place for centuries. European men wore toga-like garments (although of dubious quality materials) from the fall of the Roman empire until the 1400's and somewhat longer. Think of the costumes Medieval knights wore: Togas with armor over.

From the 1500's to the 1700's "fashion" in clothes and hair (including facial and eventually wigs) changed slowly. There were traditional differences among countries (the French court wore lace; the Spanish court wore black)  and time-lag delays in one country's awareness of changes in another's fashion. Italy, Spain and France each set the mark for others in Europe as their respective kingdoms grew or faded. Eventually Britain joined the club of powerful states and "victorian" become a global style. Changes in fashion were litteraly "statements" of ascendancy of power among countries. As naval and air travel (and power) improved, fashion leadership changed with the fortunes of nations.

Within countries, fashion reflected power. Laws restricted the ability of lower classes (peasants, servants, etc.) to wear the attire of nobility or even use the materials in those garmets (e.g, the sale of silk was controlled). By the late 1700's enough wealth had been accumulated by the upper middle classes in many countries that they began to generate their own fashion as a demonstration of their increasing power. Think Beau Brummel.

By the 20th century, especially after WWII,  the consumer was king and American-inspired fashion and the corresponding culture was ascendent: Tee shirts, jeans, burgers, fries and rock'n roll pierced and toppled the iron curtain.

At this point it is not clear what 21st century fashion will look like, either globally or within the U.S. What may be certain is that it will be made from recycled material and be taken home in an environmentally correct container.

Comments

[Zoe]

Yes to the this!