The History of Fashion: Most Important Style Moments of the 20th Century (PART 2)

1950s: Saddle Shoes

The saddle shoe was initially created for sporting purposes in the early 1900s, but with the onset of dances like the Lindy Hop and the Jitterbug in the '50s, they became the choice footwear. These shoes, much like oxfords, were acceptable for both sexes to wear and came in a variety of colours.

1950s: Chansonette Bra

After being deprived from materials for so long, women looked for clothing that accentuated the female silhouette and the Chansonette bra did just that. These bras were made popular by female sex icons of the '50s, and were quickly given the nickname "bullet bra" because of their shape. The bra did not have any wires or padding, but had a pocket of air at the tip of each cup which was said to help the breasts breathe comfortably.

1950s: Cat-Eye Glasses

These Hollywood glam glasses were made popular by Marilyn Monroe in the 1953 film How to Marry a Millionaire. These specs became more of an accessory than a necessity for women in America.

1960s: Go-Go Boots

These social movements of each decade generated their own fashions with help from international celebrities. From England’s Twiggy and The Beatles and France’s Brigitte Bardot, women in America began trying new trends, one of which was the boot. Before this decade, the idea of wearing boots for style was unheard of--they were simply worn to overcome the elements. The go-go boot, named after the French word "la gogue" for happiness, was a calf high plastic boot and can be credited to designer André Courrèges. As the hemlines of the decade were hiked, the height of the go-go boot rose to meet it. By the end of the decade, the focus of the boot became more about the height and shape of the heel than the height of the boot itself.

1960s: Pearls

While pearls had been popular among upper classes since the Middle Ages, the '60s brought about fashion pearls that were much less expensive, usually made out of plastic. These pearls were supposed to convey social status, while also promoting femininity and class.

1960s: Pillbox Hats

While hats had been worn as a necessity in previous years, in the '60s they became an accessory. According to Vintage Fashion Guild, even the Catholic Church ended its requirement of hat wearing to mass in 1967. Small pillbox hats were worn on neatly teased hair to add extra volume, while floppy hats were mostly worn by the freedom-searching youth.

1960s: Fringe

While fringe had been on the scene for many years-- think of Olivia Borden and even Elvis-- Cher became iconic for sporting fringe on almost all of her clothing in the '60s. She was largely influenced by American Indian clothing and while there is some controversy behind it, Cher also claimed to be 1/16 Cherokee. We don't know for sure if she is or isn't, but we do know that her fashions spawned an entire generation of fringe-wearing women and men.

1970s: The Crop Top

While crop tops and tummy tops are popular today, they have to be credited back to the '40s. Female celebrities dared to be different and sported these tiny tops but they never seemed to catch on. Finally, in the '70s, Catherine Bach played Daisy Duke in the ever-so-popular filmDukes of Hazzard and wowed the world with her sexy cut off denim shorts and a plaid cropped top. At the time, she was one of the first women to ever show her stomach on television! In the decade of social change and freedom, people saw something that they had never seen before and wanted to be part of it. Thus, the crop top was born.

1970s: Wide-Brimmed Hats

It should come as no surprise that the wide-brimmed hat came out of the '70s--a decade charged by youth going against the grain. Bombshell Brigitte Bardot was photographed many times wearing these hats, on set and in leisure.

1970s: Bell Bottoms

One of the most popular fashion items in the '70s was bell-bottom pants (for both men and women). While bell-bottom pants had started their rise in the '60s with non-conformist youth, the '70s welcomed an era of mass-produced flared pants in a plethora of different fabrics.

1980s: Shoulder Pads

The 1980s was a decade of self indulgence. Women looked for fashion inspiration from television shows, movies, and music videos and the fashions were over the top. Women were now becoming a large part of the workplace and were told that they needed to look the part. The "power suit" emerged as a woman’s go-to outfit for the corporate world, complete with immensely padded shoulders and a straight jacket cut. The thought was that the wider the shoulders were, the smaller the waist looked.

to be continued