Revolving Door: The Fashion Trends of Every 20's Decade
Fashion always repeats itself. It seems every twenty years, an old trend resurfaces to popularity. But what if we look further back? When comparing fashion trends every century, it is clear that fashion is in a constant state of evolution.
In honor of STITCH’s 20-year anniversary, we’re going to take a look back at the past ’20’s decades, starting with the 17th century and finishing with the 21st.
The 1620s saw an increase in the volume of sleeves, a fervor for lace and the dramatic, fan-shaped Medici collar. Voluminous sleeves became popular in both men’s and women’s fashion, specifically with the popularity of the Virago Sleeve. This part of the garment was full and puffy, gathered at intervals with ribbons accompanied by rising waistlines. Throughout the 1620s, the amounts of lace covering collars, sleeves, cuffs and dresses in their entirety were increased. This was the main characteristic of the popular Medici collar, a high-standing collar that fanned around the face, supported by wire and adorned with white lace.
By the 1700s, trends began emerging more rapidly in women’s gowns, roughly every 10-20 years. In the 1720s, the most popular style of gown was the Robe Volante, aptly known as the “sack gown.” As the name suggests, the piece was extremely loose-fitting and comfortable with wide box pleats at the neckline draping down to the floor. For aristocratic, formal occasions, the grand habit continued to be the dominant style at court, characterized by its comically wide hoops on the sides of the skirt. This style of gown was extremely restrictive due to its rigid, whaleboned corsets, posing an issue for both navigating through doorways and sitting down, neglecting women’s comfort. As for men, the three-piece suit was the dominant style, with increased volume in the coat skirt arising as the primary menswear trend of the 1720s.
The 1820s were characterized by a full return to traditional gowns after the brief stint of the neoclassical, casual dresses of the previous decades. Following the French Revolution in the 1790s, women tossed aside their corsets and weighty gowns in favor of airy, high-waisted dresses. However, by 1825, waistlines descended back down to their traditional place as the empire style disappeared. Skirts grew wider and the corset became more important than ever, as the ideal waist became increasingly smaller. Women’s brief flirtation with fashion freedom was over. These increasingly strict body standards also translated to menswear, with some men even adopting corsets too. Expansive chests and calves were sought after, boosting the popularity of padded coats and even padded stockings.
The Roaring Twenties is in part characterized for its revolutionary fashion: flapper dresses, fringe, elegant bobs, glamorous little black dresses and scandalous rising hemlines. When one thinks of the 1920s, typically the first thing that comes to mind is flappers, meaning women who dressed on trend. The defining trend was flapper dresses: sleeveless, mid-length dresses with a boyish silhouette and a low waistline. Dancers wore the more stereotypical flapper dress adorned with sequined fringe. Throughout the decade, hemlines consistently rose, moving from the ankles to just below the knee. The 1920s also saw the invention of the Little Black Dress by Coco Chanel in 1926, a simple, calf-length dress that exploded in popularity. This dress completely altered the fashion landscape, as prior to this, black clothing was reserved for mourning. As for menswear, suits were decreased from three pieces to two pieces while pinstripes, tweeds and flannels rose in popularity. Overall, the Roaring Twenties showcase a dramatic shift from the weighty gowns and stiff corsets of the prior century to comfortable, versatile and scandalously short dresses.
We have now arrived at the unfinished, chaotic, rapidly-changing landscape of the 2020s. The dominant trend of the past five years is constant change. With social media, fast fashion and overnight shipping, gone are the days of lasting, stable trends. In the past five years, we have seen cottagecore, tie-dye, ‘90s nostalgia, coastal grandmother, Barbiecore, balletcore, quiet luxury, mob wife, coquette, clean girl and many more quickly shifting aesthetics. Technological developments allowing for quick trend cycles rose alongside increasingly casual clothing. Sweatpants and hoodies are a common occurrence and hemlines have risen all the way up to the thighs.
As for the latter half of the decade, it is difficult to pinpoint exactly where fashion is headed, as each time a new trend emerges, it is gone within months. Hopefully by the next ‘20s decade, the fashion industry will have returned to slow fashion with both ethics and style at the forefront.