1910s Fashion

1920s Fashion

1930s fashion

1940s fashion

1950s fashion

1960s fashion

1970s fashion

1980s fashion

1990s Fashion

Vintage Clothing | Fashion Show | 1960s Fashions	1960s fashion favourite Biba returns to London Fashion Week	Twiggy-1960S Fashion Icon Gallery
Yves Saint Laurent tribute	Sixties fashion Carnaby Street London	The Sixties Girls

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Throughout the years, women's fashion and design has always been influenced by history, politics, and location. A woman's status and station in society also affected the types of clothing choices deemed acceptable or expected of her. When taking a look at history, the role of the woman unfolds through popular clothing styles, as revealed through hemlines, layers of clothing, shoes, and overall fashion. Below you will find a collection of significant changes in women's fashion trends starting with the 1900s. During the 1900s, legs and feet of the woman were rarely seen (unless in the sitting position). This meant that stockings, shoes, and other footwear didn't gain much attention. Clothing and shoes of the time highlighted silk bows, small buckles, and dark colors. Pointed toes and a moderate high heel were in fashion. Women's skirts became narrower after the Civil War and displayed more of a cone-shape rather than a bell. Clothing was heavily starched and "shirtwaists" became the latest style, which were fashioned after men's shirts. In the 1920s, legs became an asset and showed through the kind of clothing worn during this time period. Hemlines rose and women began to take great interest in flesh-colored stockings and shoes. The expensive silk stocking accompanied eveningwear, while ribbed and patterned selections (diamond-cut) became the rage. "Flapper" fashion took over with the Roaring 20s, highlighting floating fabrics, handkerchief hemlines, and girdles. When the 1930s arrived, women's fashion took a turn back to portraying a more "ladylike" appearance. The clothes were feminine in style - crisp and clean during the day and glamorous by night. More sophisticated shoes emerged, including the strappy open-toed sandal. Additional features of the decade included short-fitted suits and jackets, the "little black dress," and the introduction of nylon. In the 1940s, World War II took a toll on women's fashion, as leather shoes lessened and certain fabrics were limited. Heavy wooden soles and wedge heels became commonplace. A host of clothing items were rationed - bought using a "coupon" system. Some of the non-rationed items included mending wool, ribbons, lace, suspenders, and clogs. Women began painting their shoes with bright colors or decorating the sides of the soles with small shells or studs to elevate their sense of style. During the 1950s, glamour took over and it showed in the latest women's fashion designs. Full skirts with petticoats, swoop-line empire dresses, and fancy suits became popular. Many women now wore a stiletto heel and Italian shoes (known for ultra-elegance and refinement). Seamless stockings and beehive hairdos accompanied the clothing of the 50's. The 1960s brought more freethinking attitudes of the world, including fashion. Skirts became much shorter - leading to the creation of the "mini." Stockings were tossed to the side and pantyhose made an impression on the women of the 60's. Flat boots were worn with very short dresses. Additional fashion introductions of the 60s included psychedelic fabric prints, denim jeans, and the pill box hat. Shoes became chunkier, displaying thicker low heels with rounded or squared toes. Buckle shoes were quite "in" with matching gold or silver heels to match the buckles. The 1960s were a time of change, for throwing out the past and creating a bold new future. The music became progressively more psychedelic, societal norms turned upside down, and fashion was no exception with bold new colours and shapes replacing those of earlier eras. The first part of the decade was characterized by ladylike fashions with clean shapes and bright colours a la Jackie O's iconic fashion. As the decade continued, the mod look with its short hemlines and pop art influenced patterns became widely popular. Britain, and most especially London, was the unarguable leader of the 1960s fashion revolution. If there is a quintessential 1960s look, it might possibly be Mary Quant and the daring miniskirt which revolutionized fashion. Quant popularized the look by hiking the hemlines up 6-7 inches and pairing them with simple accessories that only emphasized their youthful attitude. Quant's design became known as the Chelsea Look and was widely worn by "it" girls throughout Britain and eventually all over the world. The popularity of miniskirts meant that women needed leg wear that would help cover their legs as well as keep them warm. Tights or pantyhose were invented in the 1960s and quickly took the place of stockings as the leg wear of choice for fashionable women across the globe. Mod often paired pop art colours and patterns with simple shift dresses or pinafores to make a new statement. They often chose go-go boots in vinyl and other modern materials to accompany their short hemlines. Eventually, boots went above the knee and hemlines rose even higher. The British Invasion was twofold, taking the world by storm via their music and fashion. By the late 1960s fashion trends changed again towards a more natural “hippy” look. The women’s liberation movement took flight and encouraged the burning of bras and girdles which seemed to represent women’s previous oppression. Peasant skirts, granny dresses, love beads, halter tops, and blue jeans became de rigueur for college students as well as burgeoning fashionistas. For the first time in fashion history women began to wear blue jeans and trousers on a regular basis. Giorgio Armani was born in Piacenza, Italy. He originally trained in medicine and then went to train in photography. Unfortunately Giorgio in 1957 was called up to do National Service with the Italian army as was compulsory for all Italian nationals at the time. After 3 years of national service Giorgio started his career in the fashion industry by joining well known Italian fashion house called Nino Cerrati. He worked at Nino for just under 9 years until 1970 and left to work as a designer for himself. However, it wasn't until 1974 that he set up the Armani brand. Since then a number of alternative Armani labels have been conceived, each with a difference. Armani Exchange was intially created in 1991 to be Armani's inexpensive range and was soon very popular with the masses due to how cheap the products were. Interests grew at such a rate there is now 63 boutiques in the USA and 47 internationally. Prices for Armani Exchange have rose steadily over the years since 1991 and it is no longer as popular as it initially was. Armani Casa is a collection of furniture and home furshings which shows how successful the Armani brand is. Recently an Armani arm chair sold for over $1950 in New York! Armani Jeans is the by far the most popular brand in the UK with sales extremely high in both London and the North West (particularly Manchester & Liverpool). The most poplular styles are the J16 and J31 range which retail for over �120 in boutiues across the UK. Emporio Armani was introduced as part of the brand as a youthful inspired line that markets to young adults. The success of this brand in the USA has been exceptional and continues to be the best seller in the USA. Nowdays this is the least expensive of the Armani range. Armani Collezioni is aimed at young high fliers and professionals. Popular within the city of London as the collection is workwear such as tailored suits, it is the most expensive of all the brands. Along with all the other designer fashion houses Armani now has a cosmetics collection which forms a significant part of the turnover of the Armani brand. This includes the skin care range and fragrance range including male and female range. Finally Armani has made a massive diversification into the bar/cafe market and now has over 14 bar/cafes in the Europe/Asia area with the Armani bar in Hong Konk being the most popular. In March 2007 Giorgio Armani informed the media that he was willing to sell the famous trademarks to the Armani Brand and this will surely spark a bidding war. Patricia Anne "Pattie" Boyd (born 17 March 1944) is an English model and photographer, and the former wife of both George Harrison and Eric Clapton. She was the inspiration for love songs written by both musicians, Harrison's, "Something" and "For You Blue", and Clapton's "Layla", "Wonderful Tonight," and "Bell Bottom Blues." Boyd started her modelling career in 1962, but was rejected by many photographers owing to her unconventional looks, including rather prominent front teeth; one stated, "models don't look like rabbits". She modelled in London, New York and Paris (for Mary Quant and others), and was photographed by David Bailey and Terence Donovan. An exhibition of photographs taken by Boyd during her days with Harrison and Clapton opened at the San Francisco Art Exchange on February 14, 2005, titled Through the Eye of a Muse. The exhibition also ran again in San Francisco in February 2006, and for six weeks between June and July 2006, in London. Boyd was born in Taunton, Somerset, to Colin Ian Langdon Boyd and Diana Frances Drysdale (married 14 September 1942). She was the eldest child, before Colin (1946), Helen Mary (later known as Jenny, 1947, later married to Mick Fleetwood), and Paula (1951). Boyd nicknamed Helen "Jenny", after one of her favourite dolls.  The Boyds moved to Nairobi, Kenya, from 1948 to 1953, after her father's discharge from the Royal Air Force following a severe injury as a pilot during WWII. Diana and Colin divorced in 1952, and Diana returned to England with her four children following her remarriage to Robert Gaymer-Jones in February 1953 in Tanganyika (now Tanzania). They had two sons named David J.B. (1954) and Robert, Jr. (1955), Pattie's half-brothers. Boyd attended convent boarding schools until 1961, and moved to London in 1962, first working at Elizabeth Arden's as a shampoo girl. A client who worked for a fashion magazine asked her if she had thought of a modelling as a career. Boyd modelled in London, New York, and Paris (for Mary Quant), and was photographed by David Bailey and Terence Donovan.She appeared on covers of the UK and Italian editions of Vogue in 1969. After becoming George Harrison's girlfriend, Boyd was asked by Gloria Stavers to write a regular column for 16 Magazine. Twiggy, the popular 1960s model, commented that she based her own look on Boyd when starting her modelling career in 1966 Linda Morand Lisa Fonssagrives is credited as the first supermodel. Her image appeared on the cover of many magazines during the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s from Town & Country, Life and the original Vanity Fair. She moved from Sweden to Paris to train for ballet. Fonssagrives once described herself as a "good clothes hanger". She worked with fashion photographers which included George Hoyningen-Huene, Man Ray, Horst, Erwin Blumenfeld, George Platt Lynes, Richard Avedon, and Edgar de Evia. She married Parisian photographer Fernand Fonssagrives in 1935; they divorced. She later married photographer Irving Penn in 1950. Lisa Fonssagrives died at the age of 80, survived by her second husband, Irving Penn and her two children, daughter, Mia Fonssagrives-Solow, a costume designer and her son, Tom Penn, a designer. Men of the 60s were either a Rocker or a Mod, and they were notorious rivals. Consider the characters of the classic beach blanket movies. Mods preferred classic fashions and British bands like The Beatles. However, the Rockers were often found on big Harley Davidson bikes with their hair slicked back while wearing leather jackets, listening to the swinging rock-and-roll 50s favorites. The trendiest of Mods were listening to the Beatles while riding along in their Vespers, while wearing the latest fashion inspired by Italian and French designers. Most often their wardrobes consisted of pants, tailored suits with slim shirts and skinny ties trimmed to just an inch. Mods most often wore their trademark fashion statement, the anorak jacket. In 1966 men began embracing the Edwardian social graces and fashions. For instance, Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones created a trend in wearing double-breasted suits of velvet. Longer hairstyles for men became popular at this time, while they wore such apparel as frill collar shirts and brocade waistcoats. The patterns, prints, colours and textures of the fashion era were astounding. Men and women were both searching for or wearing the long Nehru jacket with its luxurious stand-up collar. Near the end of the decade fashions became more bizarre as individuals began personalizing and altering their own clothing. Getting in touch with your feminine nature became easier for men while allowing their hair to grow longer. The Hippie influence brought about the popularity of florescent colours, paisley patterned shirts and polka dot neckties. Wide took first place again with a 5" wide tie trend as well as the wearing of bell-bottomed pants. Almost everything was tie-dyed or featured paisley prints, pop art, or floral prints. Commonly neckties and shirts were sold as a package deal as fashion designers continued creating with rich bold colours. Micheline Bernardini modelling one of the first modern bikinis. The modern bikini was invented by French engineer Louis Réard and fashion designer Jacques Heim in Paris in 1946 and introduced on July 5 at a fashion show at Piscine Molitor in Paris. It was a string bikini with a g-string back. It was named after Bikini Atoll, the site of a nuclear weapon test called Operation Crossroads on July 1 in the Marshall Islands, on the reasoning that the burst of excitement it would cause would be like the nuclear device. Monokini, a bikini variant, derives its name, as a back formation, from bikini, interpreting the first syllable as the Latin prefix bi- "two" and substituting for it mono- "one", on the (perhaps intentionally) mistaken notion that the bi- element was the Greek prefix meaning "two". Réard's suit was a refinement of the work of Jacques Heim who, two months earlier, had introduced the "Atome" (named for its size) and advertised it as the world's "smallest bathing suit". Réard "split the 'atom'" even smaller, but could not find a model who would dare to wear his design. He ended up hiring Micheline Bernardini, a nude dancer from the Casino de Paris as his model. Catholic countries like Spain, Portugal and Italy banned the bikini. Decency leagues pressured Hollywood to keep bikinis from being featured in Hollywood movies. One writer described it as a "two piece bathing suit which reveals everything about a girl except for her mother's maiden name." Movie star Esther Williams once said: "A bikini is a thoughtless act." Brigitte Bardot helped popularize the bikini in Europe in the 1950s, but the United States took longer to adopt it. Modern Girl magazine wrote in 1957, "It is hardly necessary to waste words over the so-called bikini since it is inconceivable that any girl with tact and decency would ever wear such a thing." Head coverings changed dramatically towards the end of the decade as men's hats went out of style, replaced by the bandanna if anything at all. As men let their hair grow long, the Afro became the hairstyle of choice for African Americans, while mop-top hairstyles were most popular for white and Hispanic men, beginning as a short version around 1963 through 1964, developing into a longer style worn during 1965-66, eventually evolving into an unkempt hippie version worn during the 1967-69 period, which gradually faded in popularity as the 1960s became the 1970s. Women's hair styles ranged from beehive hairdos in the early part of the decade to very short styles popularized by Twiggy just five years later. Between these extremes, the chin-length contour cut was also popular. The pillbox hat was fashionable due almost entirely to the influence of Jacqueline Kennedy who was a style-setter throughout the decade. Also, the 60s gave birth to the skinny jean, (slim-fit pants), worn by Audrey Hepburn; which are still popular with young women today. A little black dress is an evening or cocktail dress, cut simply and often with a short skirt, originally made popular in the 1920s by the fashion designer Coco Chanel. Intended by Chanel to be long-lasting, versatile, affordable, accessible to the widest market possible and in a neutral color, its continued ubiquity is such that many refer to it by its abbreviation, LBD. The "little black dress" is considered essential to a complete wardrobe by many women and fashion observers, who believe it a "rule of fashion" that every woman should own a simple, elegant black dress that can be dressed up or down depending on the occasion: for example, worn with a jacket and pumps for daytime business wear or with more ornate jewelry and accessories for evening. Because it is meant to be a staple of the wardrobe for a number of years, the style of the little black dress ideally should be as simple as possible: a short black dress that is too clearly part of a trend would not qualify because it would soon appear dated. Pallenberg is known for her romantic involvement with Rolling Stones band members Brian Jones, whom she met in 1965, and Keith Richards, for whom she left Jones in 1967. There were rumours that she also had a brief affair with Mick Jagger during the filming of Performance, a movie in which she acted and co-wrote the script. Pallenberg strongly denied the affair in March 2007 when Performance was released on DVD. Pallenberg and Richards had three children, a son born in 1969 named Marlon, a daughter, Angela (nee Dandelion) born in 1972 and another boy, Tara, who was born in 1976, but died of health complications soon after birth. Pallenberg's influence over the development and presentation of the Rolling Stones from the late sixties throughout the seventies was significant and has been documented in many publications on the band during this period and afterwards. Fashion changed relatively slowly in the period c.1500 to 1700, and the finest clothing was a valuable commodity, finding its way into inventories and wills, being remade and, not infrequently, stolen. The limited terminology of dress began to expand from the late seventeenth century onwards, with a proliferation of new terms indicating an increased rate of change in fashionable dress. This acceleration was underpinned by a more sophisticated process of manufacture and further improved skills but, of course, the speed of change also maintained the status quo. To be dressed in the height of fashion meant being rich or heavily in debt. Mary Quant OBE FCSD (born 11 February 1934 in Kent, England) is an English fashion designer, one of the many designers who took credit for inventing the miniskirt and hot pants. Born to Welsh parents, Quant studied illustration at Goldsmiths College before taking a job with a couture milliner. She is also famed for her work on pop art in fashion.Skirts had been getting shorter since about 1958 a development Quant considered to be practical and liberating, allowing women the ability to run for a bus. The miniskirt, for which she is arguably most famous, became one of the defining fashions of the 1960s. The miniskirt was developed separately by André Courrèges, and there is disagreement as to who came up with the idea first. Mary Quant named the miniskirt after her favourite make of car, the Mini. In addition to the miniskirt, Mary Quant is often credited with inventing the colored and patterned tights that tended to accompany the garment, although these are also attributed to Cristobal Balenciaga. Lesley Hornby (popularly known as Twiggy, born 19 September 1949) is an English supermodel, actress, and singer, now also known by her married name of Twiggy Lawson. A 1960s pop icon known for her large eyes, long eyelashes, and thin build, she is regarded as one of the most famous models of all time. In the 1950s, Lucille Ball was the first woman to show her pregnancy on TV. The I Love Lucy show brought new attention to maternity wear. Most of the maternity dresses were two pieces with loose tops and narrow skirts. Stretch panels accommodated for the woman's growing figure. The baby boom of the 1940s to the 1950s also caused focus on maternity wear. Even international designers such as Miguel Dorian, Givenchy, and Norman Hartnell created maternity wear clothing lines. Despite the new emphasis on maternity wear in the 1950s maternity wear fashions were still being photographed on non-pregnant women for advertisements. On September 29th, 1959, the maternity panty was patented which provided expansion in the vertical direction of the abdomen. The front panel of this maternity undergarment was composed of a high degree of elasticity so in extreme stretched conditions, the woman could still feel comfortable. Big hair is a term that can refer to hairstyles that emphasize large volume or largely styled hair. Big hair was popular in the late 1970s, as popularized by Dolly Parton and Farrah Fawcett, a development from earlier bouffant styles. The term is also used in the punk, goth and alternative cultures and is particularly associated with alternative fashion of the 1980s, or inspired by the period. In either usage, big hair in modern times generally suggests an eye-catching, untidy, tangled, voluminous hairstyle, worn by conformist women in the 1970s and non-conformists of all sexes into the early and mid-1990s. In London, home of the groovy, girls with means could go to Bazaar, the shop started by the brilliant and creatively innovative Mary Quant (in 1955, unbelievably). Although Quant exploded 1960s fashion, and worked like a maniac not only to create it but to brand it, showcase it, mass-market it, advertise it, spearhead it internationally and expand it beyond clothing into own-brand make-up, shoes and lingerie, she didn't just pop up from nowhere with a thigh-high miniskirt and a PVC raincoat. The clothes she made for Bazaar were youthful and daringly unconventional, but built on a framework of English fashion history. They weren't cheap, either. She used traditional fabrics - wool flannel, men's suiting, schoolchildren's ribbed jerseys - but subversively. The wildly cut-away pinafore dress Brylcreem (pronounced brill-cream) is a brand name of a men's hair grooming product. It was created in 1928 by County Chemicals at the Chemico Works in Bradford Street, Birmingham, England. County Chemicals is also noted for 'Chemico' a very popular abrasive kitchen cleaner. Brylcreem's purpose is to keep combed hair in place while giving it a deep shine or gloss. It is essentially an emulsion of water and mineral oil stabilised with beeswax. Other ingredients are fragrance, calcium hydroxide, BHT, dimethyl oxazolidine, magnesium sulfate, and stearic acid. Brylcreem is sold in a tube in the US, and both tube and pot in Europe and Canada. The two formulations are slightly different. It is marketed in the US by Combe Incorporated; in Europe, by the Sara Lee Corporation. The shiny "wet" look it gave to the hair was de rigueur for men's hair styles for many years in the 20th century. Other substances, including macassar oil and petroleum jelly, had been in use for this purpose earlier and made popular by such figures as Rudolph Valentino of silent film fame. Brylcreem's use declined during the 1960s as men's hair fashions changed to favor the "dry look" over the "wet look". However, it has seen a comeback since the late 1990s. It is remarketed in Europe under a Ministry of Hair banner alongside companion gel and wax products in squeeze bottles, rarely sold directly alongside the traditional Brylcreem. No big fashion wave inundated 1966, but there were plenty of currents to keep followers of the sport, both professional and amateur, keenly interested. Some stars rose; others fell. Some questions, like the one about waistlines, were settled. Others, particularly the burning question of hemlines, seemed answered in the spring but doubtful again in the fall. The year had its share of surprises and paradox. In January a man from Dior was welcomed in Moscow, while New Yorkers, hit by a transportation strike, walked the cold streets bundled up like wanderers in the steppes.The short skirt became shorter this year and left more room for imaginative legware. The leather miniskirt is offset by textured stockings and lace-up shoes with the new lower heel. The skirt at left is shetland wool with a side buckle. The mod-inspired plastic hat is enhanced by bright "pop" earrings. Mrs. John F. Kennedy moved into the Valhalla of the Best-Dressed List (as a permanent member of the Fashion Hall of Fame) and was replaced by 22-year-old Mrs. S. Carter Burden, whose mother, Mrs. William S. Paley, was already among the immortals. Barbra Partisans, the singer who popularized the thrift-shop look, made The List for the first time. The Waist. By early 1966 the waistline was lost forever. The fight to do away with it, begun by Givenchy in 1957, was finally won. The tent falling loosely from the shoulders was the silhouette of the year. In New York designer Norman Norell, forgetting his brief fling with the low-set belt of the 1930's, showed loose dresses with equally loose sleeves. California's James Galanos cut chiffons into kite shapes and sent them drifting in the breeze. In Paris, Alix Gres's bone-less chiffons and tentlike brocades suddenly looked very new. Yves Saint Laurent's most popular dress scarcely touched the body, although it revealed it. His short, loose dress was transparent, with bands of beading coyly placed to cover strategic areas. Hemlines. Generally the hemline crept up and up: a conservative hemline revealed the knee, but many went several inches above. Even when they reached the upper thigh, no one raised an eyebrow—until the wearer tried to sit down gracefully. Jacques Tiffeau, of New York's Tiffeau and Busch, plunged several suit hemlines down to the calf and covered the rest of the leg with gaiters. The proportions seemed clumsy, however, and the long skirt didn't get off the ground. But a compromise version turned up in the European fall openings when the houses of Fabiani and Dior showed long coats over short dresses and high-heeled boots. By the end of the year the attitude was wait-and-see but watchful. Nudity. Outside of the girlie magazines, the feminine body never had so much exposure. Led by Paris couturier Pierre Cardin, designers began cutting holes everywhere. What wasn't cutout was see-through. Dresses were cages of lace, chiffon, or even plastic, and the body stocking (a flesh-colored garment similar to a leotard) became common-place in lingerie wardrobes. Rudi Gernreich, the enfant terrible of American design, made dresses that were both cutout and transparent and supplied circles of colored plastic to be glued to the body.Haphazard slacks graduated this year into the pants suit. This one is a houndstooth check made of wool and adorned with brass buttons. Sailor hat, buckled shoes, and ruffled shirt soften the look. Pants Suits. Women wore more pants and wore them in the streets of big cities. Partisans of the pants suit argued that women were wearing pants anyway and the suit was neater than haphazard tops and slacks. The boss still didn't let his secretary wear pants to the office, and elegant restaurants still barred them, but defenses were rapidly crumbling. American college students had discovered the army-navy store long before 1966. Pea jackets, bell-bottomed pants, and khaki shirts were cheap, and the young liked them. The word got to Yves Saint Laurent in Paris, and when he came to the United States late in 1965 he particularly wanted to visit an army-navy store. Obviously he liked what he saw, because his spring collection resembled a military parade. Pea jackets and bell-bottoms were raised to haute couture, and fitted coats, bristling with brass buttons and gold braid, were the hits of the collection. The showings of Dior's Marc Bohan also featured military coats, although his had a distinctly Russian flavor. The young, chagrined that their territory had been invaded, repaired to the used clothing stores and emerged with doughboy jackets of World War I vintage. American sportswear designers promptly bought up khaki fabrics and began putting standup collars and brass buttons on everything. The Contenders. No creator of impressive silhouettes rose to replace Andre Courreges. However, several new names were talked about in the fashion press. Tzaims Luksus, a fabric designer who had received a Coty fashion award in 1965 for his startling prints, left his Vermont studio to show his first dress collection in New York. Luksus proved to be a devotee of the tent and the kite, which set off his prints to perfection. Another fabric designer, Ken Scott, who is from the Midwest but designs in Italy, challenged the reigning Emilio Pucci in the realm of the printed jersey dress. Scott's prints, described as gayer and softer than the geometric Puccis, were well received. The most talked about and amusing of the new contenders was a Spanish-born jewelry designer named Paco Rabanne, who became a Paris couturier in the spring. Rabanne's "sewing" was done with wire and pliers, as he assembled disks of multicolored plastic into dresses that clanked when the wearer moved. Rabanne's fall collection used leather pieces instead of plastic ones.

Fashion-trends are cyclic in nature, the history of women's fashion has witnessed many trends coming in and fading away eventually. But there are some trends which not only survived beyond a certain time frame but reinvented themselves thereby becoming immortal. These classics are not mere designs but visions drafted with utmost purity and clarity in terms of design processes. The little black dress is a semi-formal evening wear outfit with simple cuts and short length originally made popular in the 1920s by veteran designer called Coco-Chanel. Projected by Chanel to be a long-lasting, versatile, affordable, and accessible to the widest market possible and in a neutral colour. Wearing the colour black and mourning used to be occasions going hand in hand, black a neutral among other colours was always offered a step treatment, a subject of detest, something which everyone would like to avoid coming across. With painters painting black as evil, authors writing about the negativity associated with, it was nothing more then a symbol of fatality and casualty. For example the painting called Portrait of Madame X, by John Singer Sargent. First the world war-1 and next the deadly Spanish flu knocking the doors, many lifes were lost in Europe, as a result women appearing in black in public became a common site. To add to that since during the Victorian and the Edwardian ages, a widow was expected to wear several stages of mourning dress for at least two years. Deep or full mourning would require them to conceal themselves in complete black clothing with no decoration being encouraged at all for the first year. Even the fabric chosen used to be coarser and of most inferior quality possible. During the next year however they could afford wearing silk in black. You cannot have a discussion about 1960's fashion without mentioning one name: Mary Quant. This innovative designer has been credited with helping to bring the miniskirt, hot pants, and patterned tights into the mainstream. Her influence was far reaching, and her "mod" look is still being worn by some of the most fashion conscious women walking the streets today. Mary Quant was born February 11, 1934 in Blackheath. She originally studied illustration in college, and was drawn to fashion when she began work as a couture milliner. In 1955, Mary Quant and her husband opened their first clothing store, Bazaar. She made a name for herself selling funky dresses, and colourful tights. She soon became disenchanted with what was being offered by her manufacturers, so she hired a dressmaker, and began designing clothing in her London apartment. Her original line offered Mary Quant little critical or financial success. This was until 1963, when the American based department store J.C. Penney offered her the opportunity to design a line in an attempt to revitalize their image. Her popularity sky rocketed in mid 60's with her introduction of the micro mini and plastic raincoats. This boom lasted throughout the rest of the decade, when her hot pants flew off the shelves, and onto the hips of young women across England and the United States. Mary Quant helped bring about a revolution in woman's clothing not seen since the era of the flappers during the 1920's. Fashion became about youth and vitality, not what was being presented in the stuffy couture houses of Paris and Milan. Women of all ages and social standing could walk down the streets of London, New York, or Cleveland, wearing designer pieces that were considered the height of fashion. Her unique influence was even seen in the world of music. Singer Donovan Leitch mentioned the name Mary Quant in his 1967 song "Sunny South Kensington". In the 1970's, Mary Quant's main focus shifted from fashion to household goods, make up, home furnishings, and even her own brand of wine. Her role had become one of consultant during the past three decades, and in 2000, she resigned from her cosmetic's company Mary Quant, Ltd. Celebrity fashion. Why are we so fascinated by the subject? Whether we admit it or not, there's no denying the fact that we like to see how famous people dress. As the summer movie season gets in to full gear, it's as great a time as any to look at one of most-requested topics I get: celebrity fashion. Moving pictures first made their appearance in the 1890's. While Thomas Edison is generally credited with inventing the medium, several men were instrumental in giving birth to this process, including the brothers Lumire, who invented the first portable movie camera, and George Eastman, who created film for motion pictures. The first movies lasted only minutes and had no sound. Nonetheless, they created a sensation. By 1910, the Eastman Company had perfected the technology of fashioning and developing vast lengths of film. Within a matter of years, going to the movies on Saturday was a part of our culture. 1916 marked the emergence of costume design in cinema. Up until that time, film actors usually supplied their own clothes, if the story was contemporary, or directors rented outfits from costume companies, if the film was a period piece. But Parisian-born director Louis J. Gasnier had a particular "look" in mind when he was working on a movie with serial queen Pearl White. He summoned a tailor and had him assemble an outfit for the actress consisting of a black suit, white blouse, loose tie, and velour beret. The result? Secretaries of the day made this ensemble standard business dress-which it still is, in varying degrees. It was the first emergence of Hollywood celebrity fashion. Gilbert Adrian. Orry Kelly. Edith Head. If you were alive in the 40's, 50's and 60's, you probably recognize those names. If you weren't, you've no doubt see their work. For each made an indelible impression on celebrity fashion history. Gilbert Adrian, known simply as Adrian, began designing clothes for Broadway and had worked his way to MGM in Hollywood by the grand old age of 20. His ideas were fresh, innovative, and very dramatic, and helped establish MGM as the "glamour" studio, where audiences could watch and dream about a jet-set life. His first muse was Greta Garbo, whose "Mata Hari" costumes caused a sensation in 1931. He later poured Jean Harlow into those slinky gowns that became her signature, and gave Joan Crawford the shoulder pads that started a revolution. For "Letty Lynton" (1942), he put Joan in a ruffled white organdy gown to highlight her broad shoulders, conceal her hips, and make her look taller. The result? Macy's in New York sold 500,000 copies of the gown! Adrian opened his own atelier in Los Angeles later that same year, and won the Coty award for fashion just two years later. He retired to Brazil in 1952 to paint landscapes. Orry Kelly was perhaps the least likely person one would expect to design costumes. Rough-looking and overweight with a penchant for booze and foul language, he nonetheless helped established Warner Brothers as the "average man's" studio. He felt that the characters should dictate the clothes-and not the other way around. You can see his work in The Maltese Falcon (1941), Casablanca (1942) and Auntie Mame (1958). Linda Morand. She was one of the top models of the Sixties. Now she is a noted fashion historian and beauty expert. Lots of retro pictures of Mod fashions and beauty.  Tribute to the Beautiful Models of the Sixties" These models were my friends, my peers, my inspiration and my associates in that grand adventure, modeling in the Sixties. Even the models  who had dozens of  covers and were the toast of two continents have been mostly forgotten and unheard of by current generations. I want to see their work enjoyed and honored as it once was and assure that historical accuracy is maintained.  Nowadays if you are not found on the Internet you are not really that relevant." Dorothy Virginia Margaret Juba (December 11, 1927 – May 3, 1990), later known as Dorothy Horan, best known as Dovima, was one of the supermodels of the 1950s. Born in New York City, Dovima was discovered by an editor at Vogue on the sidewalk of New York, and had a photo shoot with Irving Penn the following day. She worked closely with Richard Avedon, whose photograph of her in a floor-length black evening gown with circus elephants—"Dovima with the Elephants"—taken at the Cirque d'hiver, Paris, in August 1955, has become an icon. The dress was the first evening dress designed for Christian Dior by his new assistant, Yves Saint-Laurent. A supermodel before the term became widely known, Dovima was reputed to be the highest-paid model of her time. She had a cameo role as an empty-headed fashion model with a Jackson Heights whine in Funny Face (Paramount, 1957). She died of liver cancer on May 3, 1990 (aged 62). After her death, Richard Avedon said, "She was the last of the great elegant, aristocratic beauties... the most remarkable and unconventional beauty of her time." 'From A to Biba' 'Wherever the girls went there was silence. Elly was completely blue: blue make-up, blue clothes, blue cap and blue curls. Eva was all green, Del all violet. Some girls were all in black...  in their full regalia looking as if they had just left a Fellini set.'   Barbara Hulanicki, describing the impact of the Biba look in 'From A to Biba'. The beehive is a woman's hairstyle that resembles a beehive. It is also known as the B-52, for its similarity to the bulbous nose of the B-52 Stratofortress bomber. It originated in the USA in 1958 as one of a variety of elaborately teased and lacquered versions of "big hair" that developed from earlier pageboy and bouffant styles. The peak of its popularity was in the 1960s, and it was especially popular in the United States and other Western countries. By the late 1960s and the early 1970s, the beehive had become unfashionable. However, the beehive remains an enduring symbol of 1960s kitsch. In stark contrast to their mature, ultra-feminine mothers, the women of the 1960s adopted a girlish, childlike style, with short skirts and straightened curves, reminiscent of the look of the 1920s. At the start of the decade skirts were knee-length, but steadily became shorter and shorter until the mini-skirt emerged in 1965. By the end of the decade they had shot well above the stocking top, making the transition to tights inevitable. Many of the radical changes in fashion developed in the streets of London, with such gifted designers as Mary Quant (known for launching the mini skirt) and Barbara Hulanicki (the founder of the legendary boutique Biba). Paris also had its share of new and revolutionary designers, including Pierre Cardin (known for his visionary and skillfully-cut designs), André Courrèges (known for his futuristic outfits and for launching the mini skirt along with Mary Quant), Yves Saint Laurent (known for his revolutionary yet elegant fashions), and Emanuel Ungaro (known for his imaginative use of color and bold baroque contrasts). In the United States, Rudi Gernreich (known for his avant-garde and futuristic designs) and James Galanos (known for his luxurious read-to-wear) were also reaching a young audience. The main outlets for these new young fashion designers were small boutiques, selling outfits that were not exactly 'one-offs', but were made in small quantities in a limited range of sizes and colors. However, not all designers took well to the new style and mood. In 1965, Coco Chanel mounted a rearguard action against the exposure of the knee and Balenciaga resolutely continued to produce feminine and conservative designs. The basic shape and style of the time was simple, neat, clean cut, and young. Synthetic fabrics were very widely-used during the Sixties. They took dyes easily and well, giving rise to colors that were both clear and bright, very much mirroring the mood of the period. Hats suffered a great decline and by the end of the decade they were relegated to special occasions only. Lower kitten heels were a pretty substitute to stilettos. Pointed toes gave way to chisel shaped toes in 1961 and to an almond toe in 1963. Flat boots also became popular with very short dresses in 1965 and eventually they rose up the leg and reached the knee. Fashion design is the applied art dedicated to the design of clothing and lifestyle accessories created within the cultural and social influences of a specific time. Fashion design differs from costume design due to its core product having a built in obsolescence usually of one to two seasons. A season is defined as either autumn/winter or spring/summer. Fashion design is generally considered to have started in the 19th century with Charles Frederick Worth who was the first person to sew their label into the garments that they created. While all articles of clothing from any time period are studied by academics as costume design, only clothing created after 1858 could be considered as fashion design. Fashion designers design clothing and accessories also for women. Some high-fashion designers are self-employed and design for individual clients. Other high-fashion designers cater to specialty stores or high-fashion department stores. These designers create original garments, as well as those that follow established fashion trends. Most fashion designers, however, work for apparel manufacturers, creating designs of mens, womens, and childrens fashions for the mass market. Designer brands which have a 'name' as their brand such as Calvin Klein or Ralph Lauren are likely to be designed by a team of individual designers under the direction of a designer director. Linda Morand (May 26, 1946-) was a very successful fashion model, cover-girl and haute couture mannequin during the 1960s and 1970s. Known as Superchick Linda Morand was a modern fashion pioneer, a beacon of revolutionary style, avant-garde beauty trends and a major face in the Mod Sixties. She appeared in national ads, TV commercials and national catalogs. She was discovered by Eileen Ford in 1966 and appeared in Vogue, Glamour, Mademoiselle, Teen, Elle and many more international magazines. As was one of Vidal Sassoons house models, Christophe created her signature style, a closely cropped asymmetric cut which hugged her head, elegantly set atop her long slim neck. Her favorite designer was Betsey Johnson, whose clothes she wore for many fashion layouts. She also modeled for Lilly Pulitzer. With cut glass cheekbones, a wide-eyed gamine look and a "show stopping smile", she was a favorite of Mademoiselle magazine editors and photographers George Barkentin, David McCabe and Gosta Petersen. In 1967, the Human Be-In in San Francisco popularized hippie culture, leading to the legendary Summer of Love on the West Coast of the United States, and the 1969 Woodstock Festival on the East Coast. In Mexico, the jipitecas formed La Onda Chicana and gathered at "Avándaro", while in New Zealand, nomadic housetruckers practiced alternative lifestyles and promoted sustainable energy at Nambassa. In the United Kingdom, mobile "peace convoys" of New age travellers made summer pilgrimages to free music festivals at Stonehenge. The hippie subculture was originally a youth movement that began in the United States during the early 1960s and spread around the world. The word hippie derives from hipster, and was initially used to describe beatniks who had moved into San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury district. These people inherited the countercultural values of the Beat generation, created their own communities, listened to psychedelic rock, embraced the sexual revolution, and used drugs like cannabis and LSD to explore alternative states of consciousness. There is general agreement amongst costume historians that the origins of what we understand as fashion are to be found in the late fourteenth century. The flowing, unemphatic full-length lines which had characterized the dress of both sexes since late antiquity were gradually abandoned. Men's dress changed faster than women's, with the adoption of short tunics and closely-fitted garments. This coincided with the newly formed guilds of tailors developing skills in cutting and fitting fabric to the figure, thus allowing a much wider repertoire of stylistic effects to be achieved, with fabric and padding emphasizing or exaggerating the contours of the body. Better trading links with the Near and Middle East had introduced wider ranges of fabric, new techniques for their manufacture, and fresh ideas about colour and decoration. Inevitably, fashion, even in this early phase, was the prerogative of the wealthy who could afford the rich silks and fine linens which supplemented the staple Western European woollen fabrics. Over the next two centuries the emergence of a wealthy merchant class with international interests in trade and banking widened demand for luxurious possessions. Sumptuary laws were introduced, prohibiting the wearing of certain fabrics and colours, and meting out punishment to those who dared to presume that mere wealth could ensure equality of choice with the ruling class. This reinforcement of the notion that fashion was the prerogative of the few recurred throughout the succeeding centuries. Go-go Boots Go-go boots changed the history of shoes fashion. Until the 60’s, boots were not usual in women as they were considered to be masculine. You could only see a woman wearing boots when they were horse riding and on the street when it was very rainy. After the introduction of the skirt, go-go boots became an icon of 1960 clothing, which was also intended to accentuate women’s legs. These boots were generally knee-high and had flat or low heels. Today, this kind of boots is a hit, and a very sexy item that goes with everything. Bikini The bikini is probably the most important invention of the 60’s. It is the sexiest item of clothing that has been created in history. Although it has existed for years, it was in the 60’s that the bikini came into fashion. This item of 1960 clothing has changed the world in many aspects of life and fashion. Since its inception, the way we see the world is different: people have opened up and started to feel free to wear comfortable clothing without being judged. In earlier times, a bikini would have been a symbol of obscenity, but it becoming fashionable brought about a change in fashion standards and daring clothes were no more considered to be obscene. In fact, 1960 clothing is characterized by its daring look. The Hippie Era Bell-bottom Pants Bell-bottom pants got groovy during the 60’s. They were worn by both men and women and were a symbol of the hippie movement. This piece of 1960 clothing has remained popular in time and is still in vogue today. At present, however, they have undergone some modifications: for example, the width of the hem has been reduced. Peasant Blouses Peasant blouses came into fashion with the hippie movement. They are a piece of 1960 clothing very characteristic of the era that is still used today, especially in warm weather. At present, they are associated with summer and beach, and with a peaceful character. Tie-Dyed Clothing Tie-dyed clothing is a symbol of the hippie era. Today, this style is still in vogue and it's not necessarily connected with hippie ideas. There are many more pieces of clothing that are characteristic of the 60’s. Although today we consider these designs very usual, they were all highly revolutionary at that time. They have changed the course of fashion and are today an influence in our modern styles. So, it may be that everything in fashion comes around full circle in thirty years or so. Who would have thought that when hippies and flower children were experimenting with their clothing they were actually making fashion history. In retrospect it only makes sense, because there really was a lot of thought that went into what they were doing with their clothes when they were doing it. There are two ways to make the 60s a part of your look and they are to buy what you are going to wear and the other is to do it yourself or have your “old lady” do the needle work which is what a lot of hippies did. Some of what they did, such as the custom work on faded denim jeans is rather labor intensive, so if it is bought and it is good work it is going to cost you. One thing that was done to jeans during the hippie era that is quick and easy to do, that most people have forgotten, is to take the stitching out of the seam at the bottom of the leg on a pair of Levis. It has to be done after the pants have been worn and washed several times to get the full effect. Fashion in 1962 was notable for the wide untie of color, silhouette, and fabric presented by American designers. For every type, from the avantgarde to the ultrafashionable, a new free movement and femininity were expressed. Consciousness of the figure was noticeable; clothes were molded and frankly clinging. Spring ushered in a little-girl look that was daringly provocative. Waists were tiny, sleeves long and tight, hiplines curved, and necklines plunging. Waistlines, the main theme in all collections, were high and gentle, sashed lightly, or cinched with wide hilts jackets were short and clipped, while skirts whirled beneath in full circles, extravagantly gathered or gored to near circles, minimizing the center the figure. Deep cowl necklines, ruffled edges, fringes, and welt seamings were also featured.1962 Fashion. By fall, three silhouettes emerged: a skinned-down, sleek, and tailored look; a bloused and mapped look; and a new natural outline, achieved by a bias cut. Bloused or unbelted, the bias cut looked soft and ample, often constructed in an "A" line. Skirts were of every shape---slim, gathered, paneled, pleated, gored, flared, draped, circular, ad yoked---and were even worn over other skirts. :rarest was on the silhouette, with little trim ex-apt fur, self-detail, and braid. Lines were clean, although cut was sometimes complex. The dolman sleeve of spring was replaced by tailored or peaked set-in sleeves. Coats and jackets had tight, rather squared backs, with a fitted line at e front. Dress with slashed neckline and folded skirt, from a design by St. Laurent, and "A"-line coat with large cape collar, adapted from Simonetta-Fabiani, are American copies of European fashions. A gold-embroidered skirt created by Anne Fogarty, with a double-knit molded leotard top, illustrates the trend to separates for at-home evening wear.Color.  Like silhouette, color was feminine and mellow. Sugary pinks, salad greens, yellows, and candy colors were popular. For daytime wear, mellow neutrals were worn with flashes of blue, from marine to ice. Red, white, and blue punctuated combinations for morning, afternoon, and evening wear. Prints appeared predominantly in bold black and white and in tones of green. Silk prints appeared throughout the year, in "pretty'' rather than bizarre designs. Resist prints were :Also popular. Black, particularly in silk, returned as the loading basic. Fall prints were rich, vivid, and strange; Picasso blurs and greens, rids and oranges, odd browns, and black and white appeared in every fabric and most types of costume. Cashmere wool colors were bright, and spring and summer colors tinted winter-weight town-and-country clothes, Prominent were such out-of-season colors as pale green, sky blur, white, oyster, cream, dandelion yellow, and peppermint pink. Fabrics. ---American designers used fabric in new, exciting, and extravagant ways. Materials ranged from flat formal surfaces to lush piled yarns in a wild array of colors and patterns. Coats and suits for spring featured nubby textures, along with a variety of smooth-faced wools. Silk and wool Alaskine, usually a dressy fabric, was a daytime favorite. Four-ply black silk became as basic as black crepe or sheer wool for round-the-clock wear. The use of two patterns in one ensemble was featured in many collections; plaids were shown with prints and polka dots with stripes. The same pattern was often superimposed on printed silk chiffon over printed silk. Cotton, wool, and synthetic knits, both domestic and imported, were available in every fashion category and price range. Synthetic stretch fabrics portended a new era in knit dresses and sportswear. Fall flannels and printed wools entered a growing circle of evening fabrics, designed in short and long lengths in evening and cocktail dresses, coats, and suits. A bulky look, light as air, flourished the year round, in mohairs, tweeds, brushed wools, boucles, and puffy silk matelasse. Wide-ribbed silk ottomans, ribbonzine lace, fringed silk faille, ribbon knits, rich embroideries, and many other fabrics created surface values that became more important than texture. Velvet made a strong comeback in fall. Thick, lacy mohair appeared in bare top dresses. Brocades, satins, and metallic knit clothes, luminous rather than shiny, were often dramatically combined with tweed or flannel. Plaids, checks, paisleys, and myriad gigantic flowers created the most patterned fall and winter fashions in years. Sportswear---In 1962, sportswear attained new influence and diversity. A new fashion category was at-home clothes, from lounging garments to extravagant boutique separates. The two-piece look of skirt and top flourished in both casual clothes and evening wear. Even sweaters were appropriate for evening dress when combined with long, luxurious skirts. Shirts were designed in lush, evening fabrics, as were slacks. Suede was used in every kind of coordinate, and stretch slacks and tops made their appearance in moderate priced markets. The short-short decreased in popularity, as the Jamaica length became popular. The bikini bathing suit was more popular than ever before, as was the one-piece bathing suit. Accessories. In 1962, accessories were as colorful as other apparel. This was especially true of shoes. The trend started in spring with a complete range of rainbow colors in patent, kid, suede, and fabric. Fall shoes featured lizard and snake skins in every color, including gold and silver. Heels were generally low and stacked, although the tiny slim heel of the previous year was still seen. There was a bare look in many shoes, with sides and backs exposed, and there was a new rounded shape to the toe. Boots, from knee to ankle length, made fashion news. Most were lined for warmth, and many were fitted and heeled like a shoe. In bright red, shiny black, or white, and in fur, zebra, pony, and lizard, they were as colorful as shoes. Gloves tended most often to be in six- or eight-button lengths. Bags were diminutive, as compared with previous seasons, and more compact and trim. Colorful snake and lizard bags were designed to match shoes. Tapestry prints and bright colored kid were available at every price. In jewelry, too, color was promoted. Beads hung around the neck in exciting color combinations and huge stones or long, narrow strands fell from the ears. The tasseled sautoir, with matching earrings, became fashionable, along with bangles, in many colors for summer and in gold and silver for fall and winter. Hats were larger, and hair was piled higher. Big brimmed leghorns, bouffant berets, wide-brimmed rollers, and tall, deep cloches were important throughout the year. Men's Fashion.---The trim, easy two-button suit was the important item in men's fashions for 1962. The look established by President Kennedy was as immediately popular as the Ivy League three-button suit was 10 years earlier. The two-button suit allowed more shoulder, more lapel, and more chest room, and exposed more shirt and tie. There was also a small, growing interest in the one-button suit jacket. Classic suiting fabrics continued to be featured, such as worsteds, cotton and synthetic cords, sharkskins, mohairs, and iridescent blends. Camel became important for fall, while shetlands and rugged tweeds dominated the leisure-wear market. Gray flannel, out of fashion for five years, returned in more durable blends. The ski-look in country clothes was as outstanding in men's sportswear as in women's. Fur-trimmed collars and fur-lined semi casual coats, as well as suede and suede-trimmed jackets, were also popular in leisure clothes. Odd jackets continued in casual wear, with more prominent patterns. Brown for town made a surprising comeback, often with subtle stripings of black, blue, or green. High-rising slip-on shoes with square toes and new wing tips were shown for casual as well as evening wear. Stripes were popular in shirts and ties. Hats with preshaped crowns or triangular convex forms and semicasual town hats in silk and velour made fashion news. These wide-legged pants were derived from Navy styled uniforms and became very popular with the young society in the 1960's. Elvis Presley, Sonny and Cher helped make bellbottoms a fashion statement for the hippies and counter-culture audience. They were typically made of denim until they were produced with corduroy and polyester so they could be worn in any situation. Bellbottoms were still popular in the 1970's during the disco years and even in the 1990's when the Gen X crowd was wearing them to be cool too. Bell-bottoms became very fashionable for women in the mid 1960's in Europe and in North America by the late 1960s and much of the 1970s, both for men and women.  By 1967, they went from high-fashion to become part of the hippie counter-culture movement in the late 1960s, together with love beads, granny glasses, and tie-dye  shirts, even getting mentioned in popular music, such as Bell Bottom Blues" by Blues-Rock super-group Derek and the Dominos in the 1970s, they moved into the mainstream.  Sonny and Cher helped popularize bell-bottoms in the USA by wearing them on their popular television show. However, they can be seen as early as 1964, in the concert film The T.A.M.I. Show, worn (white "flares" with a baby-doll top) by a young Toni Basil, who at the time was a go-go dancer. Today, the original men's bell bottom pants and flares from the 1970s are collectible vintage clothing items. Worn by men to attend retro theme disco parties, worn in retro revival bands, and to wear clubbing - men's bell bottom pants are a popular fashion item from the 1970s

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