Fashion Trends, What Infulences Them?

[Daisy Buchanan]

I was doing some searching online today to find information about a particular fashion that I really like, and that I thought would be nice to see come back. While watching a modern movie, a woman at a cocktail party was wearing a lovely skirt suit with a pencil skirt and a lovely tailored jacket with a great peplum. This got me thinking, and I realized that the majority of my favorite pieces of vintage clothing are ones that have peplums. I like the look of them, I think they are flattering for most all figures, especially us "curvier" gals. I realized that it had been quite some time since they had made a comeback. They made a brief one in the 80's, and now I'm seeing them a bit more, but for the most part there popularity has greatly waned since the 1950's.

This got me thinking of 2 things. What was the purpose of the peplum? I mean why did it seem to be such a popular style during the golden era, yet never truly made a comeback, as fas as I can see?
Then I got thinking about fashion trends in general and what causes then to occur and then reoccur.

One page that I think has some interesting information is Ladies of Reenacting. They have a brief but informative page on golden era fashion and how it was influenced by WWII.

So, lets take a look at fashion over time, how that fashion came to be and how it was influenced by the times, and changes in time. Also, what caused it to come back, if it did make a comeback?

I know fashion has been influenced by so many different things; music, royalty, war; so many different occurrences.

What are some of your favorite touches, or it could be an actual article of clothing not just the accents on it, in vintage fashion that really make you flip over a dress, or a suit, or any vintage or modern article?
For me it's a bias cut dress, or a suit with a graduated peplum, an A-line skirt, and glamor gowns

Also, do you know exactly why this particular thing that you really like came to be? What was the underlying influence that caused your favorite little, or big, touch to become so fashionable? What are the influences behind the trends?

 

[Kimberly]

I totally fall for detail. The more lines, buttons or other unique attributes draw me to particular garments. That is why I love the clothing of the 30's and 40's so much.

I actually think trends in women's clothing has a lot to do with the conditions of women in society in a certain era. I have always thought that the new look and the curvier figure that happened during the late 40's and 50's had a lot to do with the country yearning for comfort and healing after the depression and two world wars. The curvier figure celebrated how a woman should really look (I am thinking maternal here). Curves also showed society you were well fed which was very welcome after lack of food due to the events above.

Fast forward to the 60's and 70's when birth control became more available and see what happens to women's fashions. Mini skirts and other clothing that showed a lot more skin became the rage. We also got the twiggy look which was the complete opposite of the curves that were celebrated in the 50's (complete opposite of maternal).

Fashion trends were also very heavily influenced by Hollywood and it still holds true today. I don't care for the look now, but I marvel over the fashion magazines from the golden era.

This is an excellent topic and can't wait to read the other responses!

 

[JazzBaby]

I actually think trends in women's clothing has a lot to do with the conditions of women in society in a certain era.

I agree with you on that one, thinking of, for example, the boyish silhouettes of the emancipated women of the 20's & 60's. Social change is probably the greatest factor in influencing fashion, and the twenties is the best example of that, which is why I love them so much. I mean, they were just so radically different from anything that had gone before!

As for fashion preferences, I like good tailoring with strong clean lines, and I love the hourglass look so anything high waisted will always grab my attention.

 

[Amelie]

I did a paper on that last year. It was supposed to be something quite general and superficial, but yet I had the feeling that a general approach was not really the best thing to do, and also had to admit the sources of influences were way too numerous, complex, and deep to be treated within something quite concise

the ones I touched were politics (economy, diplomacy, etc), visual arts and architecture, general artistic and cultural interests, womens place in society and their role, frivolities made by some personality, morality and laws about fashion, technology, litterature and I think this was about it. But I was looking at fashion from mid 18th century till 1947 so today with all the mass media going on, the sources of influence are even more complex and varied and change so much faster than before, it would be really like suicide to think of making a whole list out of them

Anyway one of my dreams, when I was still studying fashion, was to work in a "bureau de style" one of those place where they put fashion think tanks together and have them predict the fashion two or three years in advance for the industry. Those people have to be very aware or every new center of interest that develops and travel a lot... what a dream

 

[Joie DeVive]

I have a number of favorite details in clothing. Like Daisy, I am also fond of peplums. I love princess seams, I think they flatter a feminine figure beautifully. I also have a weakness for embroidered arrows which are seen mainly in the clothing of the 1950s, though I sadly don't own any yet. I think those may have their origins in western wear, and the western craze in that time period.

I agree with you Amelie, that the influences on fashion stretch far and wide. To cover the entire topic would be a life's work, if not more. It is sometimes possible to identify the origins of individual elements though.

For example:
In the 20th century, hemlines tend to raise in economic prosperity.
And
In the 1920s there was a craze for Egyptian style things due to the discovery of King Tut's tomb.

I would sure love to learn more.

 

[ShooShooBaby]

I also have a weakness for embroidered arrows which are seen mainly in the clothing of the 1950s, though I sadly don't own any yet. I think those may have their origins in western wear, and the western craze in that time period.

i'm no expert on this stuff, but i know Deanna Durbin wears something with those arrows in "That Certain Age", which came out around 1938! i know because i've watched it a million times, just for the clothes!

i agree - arrows are such a cute detail.

 

[happyfilmluvguy]

I think it usually starts with a particular clothing line or style or a world renown person. People like to copy other people's clothes. Not exactly "copy" but imitate it. Since this so called famous person is wearing it, if it looks good on them, it looks good on anyone.

 

[Joie DeVive]

i'm no expert on this stuff, but i know Deanna Durbin wears something with those arrows in "That Certain Age", which came out around 1938! i know because i've watched it a million times, just for the clothes!

i agree - arrows are such a cute detail.

Good to know. I was just guessing on the origins of the arrows. I had mainly seen them on stuff from the 1950s, and know that they are still used in Western wear, I put 2 and 2 together and took a stab at it.

Anybody know the origin of the arrow detailing??

 

[Amelie]

I think it usually starts with a particular clothing line or style or a world renown person. People like to copy other people's clothes. Not exactly "copy" but imitate it. Since this so called famous person is wearing it, if it looks good on them, it looks good on anyone.

to a certain point you are right, haute couture is particularly copied, except we say its inspiration lol

but the fact is the ideas of the designers come from somewhere and must have some impact correspondance in the interests of society or nobody would find it right lol

 

[Son_of_Atropos]

What's up with men wearing women's jeans.

people have no taste anymore.

 

[ShooShooBaby]

What's up with men wearing women's jeans.

people have no taste anymore.

i think they look pretty good on some guys! guess tastes differ. [huh] anyway, i'm sure a lot of people said the same thing when women started wearing pants...

 

[Amelie]

i think they look pretty good on some guys! guess tastes differ. [huh] anyway, i'm sure a lot of people said the same thing when women started wearing pants...

yes except womens clothes are seen on a lower level as mens clothes [huh]
not as powerfull, because too feminine, not good for the testosterone :eusa_doh:

 

[goldwyn girl]

naughty but nice

For me it's the silhouette of the "new look". Tiny waist, curved hips and bust. I wear this look frequently. It's so femmine, yet naughty in a subdubed way. I think of the fifties like that. Just look at a Fredericks Catalogue. Kimberly hit the nail on the head when she said it was maternal. Think of the baby boom of the post war era. People were generally more affluent as well. I don't think the "new look" has or will make a comeback, to much effort has to be put in to dress like this, also it could be viewed as almost too femmine, a loss of power, just my two cents worth

I also love the sarong look 40's-50's hawaiian wear. It's hard for me to pass up a sarong dress.

 

[Amelie]

Thanks for those pictures! I also love New look! It's the look that made me have my first interest in vintage

 

[Elaina]

Technically the above became formal wear. (Not the bathing suits, but Mother of the Bride pantsuits, prom dresses, etc.)

 

[MrNewportCustom]

Somewhere in storage, I have a book containing the full photo in your avatar, Amelie. One of my favorite shots in the book. It's been a while, so I forget whose it is. I only remember it was a famous photographer. Do you have that book, Amelie? It's a very large soft cover book with soft-filter face shot on the cover. The model has a wrap covering her head.

Women's fashions was one reason I found the Fedora Lounge. I've always prefered fashions and hair styles from the thirties and forties, men's and women's, and when I was aspiring to be a fashion photographer, I had dreams of recreating the works of Hurrell and others (and a re-creation of the Mad Hatters Tea Party. lol)

Unfortunately, I studied the process more than the fashions. I shoudl ahve studied both equally. Daisy, could you supply a picture of a peplum? I would appreciate it.


Lee
_______________________

“I think they lease Rodeo Drive by the carat rather than front foot.” - Shell Scott

 

[Amelie]

Unfortunately a kind friend of mine gave me that picture, so I really don't know where it comes fromd [huh]