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Throughout the 20th century, fashion has influenced and been influenced by contemporary cultures and social movements across global and hyperlocal spaces. For example, today we still associate the flapper dress with the era of Prohibition and the kangol hat with the birth of hip-hop.
Fashion has always broken boundaries and captured the zeitgeist. But at the same time, it has evolved from being an indicator of social status to a tool of self-expression. This list of some of the most famous style icons of the 20th century shows the extent of that transformation and how major figures in popular culture have literally changed the way we dress—and the way we wear them.
A fashion icon is someone who creates a recognizable style that is unique to them and the environment in which they live. A fashion icon deviates from or embodies the status quo, taking risks to establish her own visual identity, initiating and perpetuating subsequent trends. Define mainstream culture.
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Portrait of actress Camille Clifford, circa 1906.
In the early 1900s, the “Gibson Girl” represented the modern independent American woman. Originally conceptualized and illustrated by artist Charles Dana Gibson, the Gibson Girl was tall, elegant, and had an hourglass figure. Belgian-born actress Camille Clifford embodied this aesthetic, taking women’s fashion by storm with intricate updos and long, form-fitting dresses that complemented her exaggerated S-shaped silhouette. became famous.
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Photograph of designer Paul Poiret draping a bias-cut silk dress on a fitted model.
The war efforts of the 1910s required more women to join the workforce in the Western world. Later, the hem of this 10’s of hers was shortened to allow more movement, the dress was looser, and the need for a corset was eliminated. Known as the “King of Fashion” at the time, designer Paul Poiret is widely credited with causing the demise of the corset. Poiret, who introduced “lampshade” tunics and chemise dresses into women’s fashion, drew inspiration from his wife Denis Poiret, endorsing his harem pants and even modeled. At the time, pants were a controversial piece of clothing, as they were worn almost exclusively by men.
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Portrait of Josephine Baker, circa 1920s.
The iconic flapper fashion of the Roaring Twenties famously included dresses with dropped waists, short hemlines, sequins and lots of fringing. Womenswear embraced a more androgynous style with simple lines and loose fits. Some women even chose to wear underwear called step-ins that minimized the appearance of their natural curves to better match the “boyish” flapper aesthetic.
One of the most famous figures of the Jazz Age, singer and dancer Josephine Baker embodied the flapper look. French designer Coco Chanel also contributed to popularizing the style, with her wardrobe staples still standing today. in vogue, like the classic little black dress. Chanel was often inspired by menswear, and she used to present her two-piece tweed suit that later became one of her namesake brands. most iconic designs. Her work has established that clothes can be both fashionable and functional for working women.
1930s: Marlene Dietrich and Katharine Hepburn
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Actress Marlene Dietrich poses for a 1932 photo.
In the 1930s, the hemline was lowered and the waistline was raised to emphasize a more feminine silhouette. However, in the aftermath of the Great Depression, Western fashion reverted to a more conservative style. Smart suits, dresses designed to look like suits, became popular along with padded shoulders and patterned day dresses.
Marlene Dietrich was one of those who started rebelling against gender norms in fashion at this moment. The German actress, who normalized her androgyny through her film work, wore masculine clothing on and off screen, challenging the era’s stereotypical notions of femininity.
Actress Katharine Hepburn was also known for her understated and radical style. Off-screen, she regularly wore blue jeans or high-waisted slacks and button-down shirts, modeling what would later become known as the quintessential “American look.”
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Cab Calloway plays in the 1943 film Stormy Weather.
Suits and formalwear dominated men’s fashion in the 20th century, but the 1940s “zoot suit” may be the most iconic. Combining a long, oversized coat with padded shoulders and wide, high-waisted trousers, the zoot suit originated in urban areas across the United States and was popularized by African-American performers in her jazz scene. As swing dancing became mainstream, the zoot suit became something of a uniform for trendsetters such as Louis His Armstrong, Sammy Davis His Jr., and Harlem’s Cotton Cab His Callaway, famous for his club performances. Ta.
1950s: James Dean and Marilyn Monroe
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Stills of James Dean from the 1955 film Rebel Without a Cause
In the 1950s, a new vision of teenage life emerged as young people distanced themselves from outdated habits and parental expectations and created their own generational culture. Many working-class teenagers were drawn to the rebellious style represented by actors like James Dean. famous for wearing A plain white t-shirt, red nylon jacket, and jeans from the 1995 film Rebel Without a Cause.
The Dean look came to symbolize a generation grappling with anxiety and boredom after World War II ended in the aftermath and a new Cold War began. The counterculture style popularized by actors such as Dean and Marlon Brando rejected the more formal fashion worn by the GI generation.
Marilyn Monroe presented young women of this decade with a radically different, albeit iconoclastic, new ideal. She wore sporty wiggle dresses, one-shoulder gowns, and halter tops, and her figure-flattering blonde bombshell body was a symbol of sexual freedom and body positivity.
1960s: Audrey Hepburn and Jackie Kennedy
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A still photo of Audrey Hepburn from the movie “Love in the Afternoon”.
The 1960s was marked by a variety of fashion trends, including “space age” style, hippie fashion and the mod movement. Each of these subcultures had its own characteristics. British model Leslie Hornby, better known as Twiggy, was seen as a daring dresser who wore futuristic styles with shift dresses, miniskirts and braless outfits. Rock star Jimi Hendrix embraced the hippie aesthetic in her bell-bottomed jeans, embellished vests, vintage military jackets and fringes.
Her style is famous for being simple and elegant, but movie star Audrey Hepburn subtly incorporated elements of these trends into her wardrobe. Hubert de Givenchy’s muse, Hepburn accented her custom-tailored outfit with oversized sunglasses, ballet flats and statement earrings. First Lady Jackie Kennedy was also known to usually accessorize with her signature pillbox hat and elbow-length white gloves. Kennedy’s style was chic yet approachable, allowing her to connect with the masses through fashion in a way previous first ladies have struggled. Her personality shines through in her wardrobe, setting trends in womenswear such as her dresses her suits, trenches her coats and capris her pants.
1970s: Diana Ross and David Bowie
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Image of a Diana Ross performance circa 1970s.
America’s 70s was known as the “Decade of Me,” a term coined by author Tom Wolfe in an essay predicting the country’s “Third Great Awakening.” People were looking for new ways to express their individuality, sexuality and confidence on their bodies. Tube tops, flared jeans, and hot pants have become wardrobe staples. And when it came to dressing up for a night out, Motown royalty Diana Ross was the blueprint. Ross perfectly captured her ’70s glamor, often performing in a sparkly, form-fitting jumpsuit paired with her iconic big hairstyle.
David Bowie is also known for his eye-catching performance costumes. Adopting multiple alter egos throughout his career, including the iconic Ziggy Stardust who debuted in 1972 (and was retired by Bowie just a year later), Bowie embraced an eccentric style that included platform shoes, one-legged jumpsuits, He challenged traditional notions of masculinity by wearing a dress.
1980s: Princess Diana and the Prince
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Princess Diana at the Guards Polo Club in Windsor, England, May 2, 1988.
What we know today as “athleisure” began in the 80’s. With the release of “Flashdance” in 1983 and the Jazzercise fitness craze popularized by bodysuits and legwarmers, dancewear and sportswear became more accepted in everyday life. One of her early champions of athleisure was Princess Diana, a simple biker who managed to look classy in her shorts and sweatshirt combination. While other members of the British royal family followed a strict dress code, Princess Di took risks by following and spreading her mainstream fashion trends during and after her marriage to then-Prince Charles. was known to offend.
Meanwhile, the artist known as Prince followed in Bowie’s footsteps and made his mark on the fashion world. A maximalist who uses fashion as a tool for self-expression, Prince also incorporated womenswear into his wardrobe to combat gender stereotypes. Some of his most memorable style choices include monochrome outfits, ruffled shirts and feather boas.
1990s: Michael Jordan and Aaliyah
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Michael Jordan in an oversized power suit, circa 1996.
Michael Jordan is best known for his basketball career, but his approach to fashion on and off the court had a huge impact on menswear in the ’90s. After the launch of Air His Jordan sneakers in the mid-’80s, everyone from athletes to rappers to grade schoolers wanted to “be like Mike,” to borrow a famous ’90s commercial. Combining sportswear with formalwear, Jordan explores how to dress down the era’s oversized power suits by substituting formal shirts for his shirts and crewnecks and substituting loafers for sneakers. showed.
Streetwear was also influenced by the style of R&B singer Aaliyah. Her chic tomboy style featured baggy jeans paired with crop tops and bandeaus, blending her hip-hop fashion with her own femininity.
And the list goes on…
From Anna May Wong’s dragon dress to Grace Jones’ tuxedo blazer. Little Richard eyeliner, Madonna cone bra, Kurt Cobain grunge knit. In the frenzied (and ambiguous) cycles of fashion, we continue to draw inspiration from the wardrobes of fashion icons from the past century, and modern looks dare to take risks and defy restrictive social norms. I believe it’s all thanks to the people who took on the challenge. After all, a trend-setting attitude never goes out of fashion.