The history of women’s fashion in a nutshell. How have trends changed over the years?

Standing woman styled to define women's fashion history

Women’s fashion in the 1920s.

Fashion in the 1920s was very diverse. On one hand, elegant evening dresses, on the other, comfortable and less feminine look for every day. Fashion in the 1920s is about richly embellished dresses with sparkles and bold, expressive make-up. In the 1920s, the emphasis was put on building modern and casual women’s wardrobe. Formal style was abandoned in favour of comfort and loose cuts. What was the everyday outfit like in those days? It was usually a cotton dress paired with a pastel sweater. Do you want to discover more about the style of those days? Read the short list of characteristic features, which influenced women’s style in the 20s:

tassels, crystals, sequins – flapper dresses with tassels were all the rage then, evening dresses were richly decorated;
evening dress– typical dress from the 1920s had a above knee-length, low-cut bodice, and H-shape;
loose clothes for every day– boyish style admired for comfort;
short cuts – in the 1920s short hair, especially the bob cut was very popular, for a big night out, women wore wavy hair.
suits– in the 1920s, women’s clothes were no longer feminine, loose and straight silhouettes became popular. The suits of the period tended to fall loosely from the shoulders, without emphasizing the waist.

Seated woman on a chair in a 1920s styled dress

Women’s fashion in the 1930s

Women’s fashion in the 1930s was at the same time functional and stylish. The development of pret-a-porter, women’s suits, costumes, and blazers, which represent functionality in the pure form, on the other hand, women’s evening fashion, which is about phenomenal feminine dresses. The difference between day and night, Europe and America is very visible.

Women’s fashion in the 1930s was also the period of Hollywood growth. In this decade, loose cuts characteristic for the 1920s fashion were replaced by more feminine shapes. Films and famous celebrities such as Greta Garbo and Marlene Dietrich had a huge impact on the fashion trends in those days.

The 1930s was marked by the comeback of maxi dresses, which was in contrast to the somewhat crazy 1920s. It was influenced by the economic crisis and stock market crash from 1929. Women wore simple clothes and synthetic fabrics. They opted for functionality and comfort. Sateen dresses with a revealed back, decorated with handmade embroideries, and laces dominated women’s closets. Flowers, polka dots and checkered prints were also very popular.

In the 1930s, sports fashion was becoming more and more important. Women started wearing elegant costumes, which consisted of a matching blazer and skirt. Costumes were the symbol of modern times and independence, they also served as an alternative to traditional dresses. Accessories also played a very important role in the women’s outfits worn in the 1930s. Sophisticated hats, long gloves, and trendy handbags were an integral part of an elegant look.

Women’s fashion in the 1930s was incredibly varied and represented the changings society and women’s aspirations.

Women’s fashion in the 1940s.

Women’s fashion in the 1940s reflected the difficult times of war and the prevailing mood in society. The beginning of the decade was the time of stagnation, also for designers - high quality fabrics were used by the army. Functionality, simplicity, and comfort were the most important. The fashion was masculinized, however women, who lived at that time were really creative. They sewed dresses and skirts from materials, which were available, mostly tablecloths and curtains. In the 1940s nylon was used to produce parachutes so women didn’t wear stockings. Obviously, they managed to find a solution, they drew stitches on thighs and put special creams on legs so they looked as if they wore nylons.

Characteristic features of women’s clothes from the 1940s:

trousers with wide legs,
straight knee-length skirts,
blazers with wide shoulders (they symbolized women’s strength and courage),
shirts with collars,
overalls,
shoes with round toes,
berets and hats.

Standing woman in white jumper and white trousers styled in the 1940s

Women’s fashion in the 1950s.

Fashion in the 1950s was quite… revolutionary. After pessimistic and difficult 1940s, fashion started to flourish. The iconic ‘’New Look” collection by Christian Dior started the history of modern fashion in 1947. In the 1950s, film became the main trendsetter, which popularized the famous trend known as pin up girl. Leather jacket and jeans marked the beginning of the revolution in fashion. Wide skirts, which emphasized waist were loved by women at that time. What distinguished the fashion of the 1950s? The variety that was mentioned by us earlier. Women wore both tight-fitting dresses, which enhanced feminine curves, and tulle skirts, which look classy in any form. Coco Chanel had a huge influence on the 1950s fashion. Characteristic short blazers with large buttons became her trademark. In the 1950s, trends in fashion were set by other stars e.g. Audrey Hepburn, who promoted the fashion for minimalism and trousers, and Marylin, who was the icon of pin up style. Women’s fashion in the 1950s was supposed to enhance femininity, women’s outfit ought to be always impeccable. The 1950s also saw the emergence of the preppy style, a combination of elegance and sporty wardrobe pieces. Polo shirts, which you will find in the Polo Ralph Lauren collection, are a characteristic element of this style.

Clothes characteristic of this style:

shirt dress,
bullet bra,
dresses with a sweetheart neckline,
pin up style, dresses inspired by the Dior collection, headscarves, and a bold make-up
cardigans with beads were a must-have in any wife’s or housewife’s wardrobe.

Seated woman in classic 1950s styled jumper

Women’s Fashion in the 60s.

Fashion from the 1960s can be described as provocative and full of contrasts. In the 1960s, the capital of fashion was moved from Paris to London, women started to show more body. Swinging London became a phenomenon and focused on young people. It was the time of the flourishing ready-to-wear fashion. Fashion from the 1960s became more available and free, which was certainly influenced by some important events such as the first flight into space in 1961.

In the 1960s, women"s emancipation was becoming increasingly apparent, and this was also evident in their hairstyles. An icon of the period was the model nicknamed Twiggy, who wore a short hairstyle and always had her eyelashes firmly trimmed. Women also began to wear three-piece women"s suits, usually designed by Saint Laurent.

The 1960s is the time of mini dresses made from cotton, women’s trousers (worn with blazers and coats), A-line dresses, and clothes with geometrical prints inspired by the main art styles of that time, which are pop-art and op-art. By the end of the decade, safari clothing launched by Saint Laurent also became very popular. We cannot fail to mention the one-piece swimsuit and the bust-revealing monokini launched by Rudi Gernreich.

Women’s clothes in the 1970s.

was the time of incredible creativity and freedom of expression. It’s the time of contrasts, when the trends were no longer present and practically anything was trendy. Women wore mini and maxi dresses, well-tailored suits, feminine skirts and dresses. The end of the 1960s was the time of the hippie style, which flourished in the 1970s. The fans of hippie style loved everything that was handmade. Patchwork and other types of embroideries became the main trends in the women’s fashion of that time. Women’s pace of life accelerated, they didn’t have time to buy tailor made clothes so they bought them in department shops. Women drew their inspirations from men’s fashion, trousers and suits were replacing dresses and skirts. The 1970s is the time of disco. It was full of shiny fabrics and jewelery.

At the end of the decade, athleisure style became popular thanks to Norma Kamala, who brought sportswear into everyday fashion. What items of clothing were most characteristic of this period?

envelope dresses were valued for their comfort and universality,
women’s suits with flared trousers and wide sleeves, which were a great alternative to dresses, suits in bold colours were worn for evenings out, later they became popular even in everyday situations.
platform shoes – the bigger the better,
clogs – wooden shoes were a hit,
bell bottoms - one of the most characteristic pieces of clothes from that time.

Standing woman in brown jacket styled in the 1970s

Women’s fashion in the 1980s.

Women’s fashion from the 1980s is one of the most varied in history. On one hand, it was the time of the economical development, on the other, the period of rebellion against capitalism. In the field of music, there was also a dissonance - rock music versus disco. So many things happened! At the time of communism, some types of clothes were difficult to get, but women were creative and sewed their own garments. How to shortly and simply characterize the 1980s? Disco, fitness and rock. An explosive mixture, isn’t it? The disco style was the king - shiny fabrics, leggings, tulle skirts, dresses with sequins. In contrast to this was the rock style popularised by the band Sex Pistols. Another important fashion trend of the 1980s was fitness. Women wanted to look as if they had just left the gym. Gaiters, terry headbands, lycra bodysuits with leggings were the signature pieces.

Women in the 1980s opted for individualism and tried to reflect their taste in clothes. Mom jeans were the base of the women’s outfit. It’s also the time of power dressing, meaning corporation stylings – blazers with puffy sleeves and women’s suits were the must-haves. Fashion fans also wore oversize sweaters with embroideries.

Women’s fashion in the 1990s.

Are you following fashion trends? If so, you will probably notice that the current fashion is inspired by this decade. The 1990s fashion gave up on glitter, bold colours, and masculine silhouette. Less is more – that was the women’s motto in that decade. People in the streets wore simple outfits: white T-shirts, jeans, and sneakers. Subdued colours, minimalistic look, animal prints, and Vichy check were very popular. Power dressing was revolutionized in the 1990s. Suits didn’t have padded shoulders and the waist was enhanced. Moreover, trousers were replaced by pencil skirts. What was the hottest trend? Slip dress with spaghetti straps. It was worn by Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell or Sarah Jessica Parker. Carrie Bradshaw from Sex and the City TV series (Sarah Jessica Parker) launched the baguette bag by Fendi. Shortly, it was worn by other celebrities, and later by women from all over the world. In the 1990, everything inspired by the military style was trendy. Bomber jackets, cargo trousers, and leather jackets were the must-haves. All elements can be found in the Aeronautica Militare collection – brand inspired by the Italian aviation.

Standing woman in black sweatshirt styled in the 1990s

Women’s fashion in the 2000s.

The 2000s was the most colourful and crazy decade in the history of fashion. Practically any fashionista knows the ‘’Y2K” meaning 2000, which was absolutely crazy. We weren’t surprised to see celebrities wearing tracksuits, cropped tops (baby tees) or trousers with low waist on… black carpet. The beginning of the new Millenium was the beginning of new fashion. Rebelliousness and expression in fashion were on top at that time. Girls wore glitter clothes and lip gloss. Who were the icons of this style? Britney Spears and Paris Hilton of course, who were ahead of their times and became the first it-girls. What are the most popular outfits of that time?

dresses worn over trousers – a couple of years ago this trend would makes us sick, now it’s on top again,
low waist trousers,
cargo trousers – interesting cargo trousers by Y-3,
baguette bags,
UGG boots – iconic trousers became popular in the 2000s and are still on top (we don’t have to remind about the Tazz boots, which were a real hit). Celebrities love them for comfort.

History of the women’s fashion: summary

The history of women’s fashion is incredibly rich and complex, and its development reflects the changing social, cultural, and economical trends. Fashion comes full circle and the clothes, which used to be fashionable in the past, shape the current trends now. We can still get inspired by the past decades and to draw handfuls from the wealth of trendsetters of the time.