Changes in Dresses and Skirt Styles: 1920s to the Present

Changes in skirt and dress fashion not only changed quite a bit over the past seven and three-quarters decades (over 77 years), but also during each decade as well. For instance, only two years after the end of World War I (in 1920) skirt and dress hem lines rose. Along with that women’s waist lines lowered to the hip.

During 1926 and 1928 is said to be when skirt hem lines were the highest. Then, after the stock market crash in the year 1929 (major event leading to the Great Depression) hem lines returned to a more conservative length (below the knee or lower).

In the 1930s the boyish look of the 1920s was slowly receding in popularity. Again was the return of femininity. It was during the 1930s that the movie star image was very much envied and copied by women who were physically fit to model Hollywood-style clothing.

One of the signature fashion pieces of the 1930s was the bias cut evening gown made of materials such as chiffon or velvet. These dresses were often accented with items such as diamante clips and gold chokers.

Day wear in the 1930s consisted of items such as a slim-cut dress made with wide shoulders. This dress was usually worn with a belt around the waist. A sharp tailored suit with the hem line of the skirt below the knee may have also been worn during this time.

“Real” fur wraps and floral print dresses were also very popular in the 1930s. This glamorous look lost its luster after 1939, when World War II broke out.

A couple of years After World War II started, the use of luxurious fabrics such as wool, silk, and nylon were highly regulated. Most clothes during this time were instead made from viscose and rayon-including women’s skirts.

Sometimes both women’s and girl’s skirts or dresses were made out of anything that could be found within a home. For instance, sometimes a nightgown would be turned into a wedding dress or a sheet may be turned into a skirt.

Moreover, it was highly illegal during this time-especially after 1942-to use excess fabric, accessories, or trimmings to accent an outfit. This restriction lasted about until about 1947, which well over a year after this World War has been recorded as officially ending.

In the 1950s, A-line skirts as well as pencil skirts were very popular. These are both more form-fitting pieces of clothing than are the longer skirts that were more popular in the mid to late 1970s (hippie rayon skirts most likely made from linen or rayon).

From the late 1950s to the late 1960s a variety of different mini-dresses and maxi-length skirt outfits were being introduced to the market. It was during this time that the youth were thought of as the main influence of fashion.

Then, in the 1980s another shift in fashion occurred. The push for more “responsible dress” took place during this decade, and the term “yuppie” was used to describe those who dress in business or office clothing.

The 1980s also was the time period during which “punk” or rock n’ roll dress became more and more acceptable. Ripped jeans and T-shirts, unusually colored hair, multiple earrings, and neon clothing were often worn by celebrities and copied by common people.

In the 1990s, dress became simpler, yet more provocative. Shirts were lower-cut during this decade and skirts were short again, unlike in the 1980s (for the most part). However, generally speaking most people living from 1990 to the present day are likely to dress in whatever they most feel comfortable in-just like during the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Following on from the 90's to today, fashions have now evolved yet again to offer both casual and formal clothing that makes present-day fashion both elegant and chic.
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