100 Years of Men’s Fashion

Fashion has changed a lot throughout the last 100 years. Men have adopted many styles and some styles are still alive simply because they are too good to let go of. Whether you like to dress in modern fashions or in an old fashioned way, you can agree that the past can still influence the style that you use. In this article you will be able to look at what was popular back then and what has become popular recently.  

1920s

During this decade men were not very concerned on style. The only thing that mattered was that the style should be smart and presentable. Also, Jazz music was influential to the styles because Jazz was becoming a part of American culture. Some of the key features that were in the style of this era included light colors, double-breasted suit jackets, wide legged trousers, straw boater hats (summer only), and dickie bow ties.

1930s

Men were still mostly wearing suits; it was very common to see most of them wearing a shirt and a tie, even if they did not work in an office. Clothing was becoming stricter because it reflected a man’s figure so many men started to honestly consider what to wear. Some of key features were darker colors, use of pinstripe, wingtip brogues, wide legged trousers (but slimmer than before), and wide brimmed trilby hats.

1940s

The war was making people less worry about what to wear but that did stop men to continue watching fashion and making choices based on that. The style of clothing was beginning to be less conservative so men were able to wear sweaters without having to use a suit jacket. One thing that play an important role was the fact that clothing became cheaper to buy and easier to access, so men were also trying new styles. Key features seen were even darker colors (mostly earth tones), greater use of texture, knitted vests, and trilby hats.

1950s

The younger generation was the one taking the hold in fashion. Here we see a classic that’s still worn these days and that is the ‘greaser’ style. The ‘greaser’ style consisted of wearing jeans with a tee of light color(s) and a leather biker jacket. Key features of this era were jeans, leather biker jackets, plimsolls, and more relaxed and color clothing.

1960s

During this time suits wear still something that men would wear to look presentable. However, this era changed a lot because men were now experimenting new styles in clothing, and styles were becoming even less strict for men. Most men were trying to express themselves with their clothing and, because of it, different looks were also being used which led to gender bending. Also, besides wearing suits, some men wore a more carefree look. Key features in this time were brighter (yet still earthy colors), tighter fitted clothes, slim line effect, heavy use of knits, and lot more pattern.

1970s

Men still were into suits but this time there were more patterns that were meant to serve as tool for self-expression. Many men started to have questionable haircuts and apparently the clothing styles seem to be dominated by high waistlines and platform shoes. There was a hippie style introduction and a disco fever as well. Key features seen were flared trousers, pastel tones, more bright and intricate patterns, high waistline, open collared shirts, and platform shoes.

1980s

This was a time for clothing art because men were getting into the style of rock and more. You would be seen men in a punk style, skinhead style, romantic style, and some were in between everything. This era also allowed men and women to share the same style and some styles would fit for both genders. Key features during this time included a more casual vibe, lighter colors, focus on basics, and oversized shapes.

1990s

This time, fashion was mostly for teenagers and everything completely changed. The fashion trends were things that were popular all over the world. Also, in business we were introduced into a more casual look. Some people consider this as the worst-dress era but in reality this era was what brought us into modern street fashion. Something that was very common in this time was the ‘don’t care’ attitude. Key features included were baggy jeans, a washed-out color pallet, plaid shirts, the emergence of grunge, and overall baggy shape.

2000s

This was also not liked by many because the styles were getting too deep into the over-expressive category. There was a feature of many over complicated designs which meant a lack of basic styles. Celebrities were very influential because many people paid attention to what they were wearing. Some men also started to wear T-shirts with some questionable designs. On the other side, suits became slimmer-fitting and some men started to use or try international styles. Key features included loud print, flared legs and sleeves, boxy shapes in the torso, and boot cut jeans.

2010s

Until recently we have seen that fashion has changed a lot and it is simply because there are a ton of tools that men can use to create their own style. The internet has made it possible for people to express their styles in blogs and, with that, we see that some get inspired by those styles. Online shopping has also made it easier to see what’s trending. The hipster style was the one that really became popular and many liked it because it was casual and presentable.

Fashion has been changing constantly and men are now freer to express themselves in clothing. In the past, men were expected to wear a suit or a very presentable outfit even at home. As the years have passed, however, some men started to wear new styles and many others were inspired to wear them. Nowadays we can see that some people still like to wear old-fashioned styles, such as the smart and presentable style of the 1920s, the classic ‘greaser’ style of the 1950s, or maybe the style from the 1940s. There are so many options out there that one can choose from and any of them would work because what matter is to express yourself through the art of fashion.

References:

Courcey, Tom . “Men’s Fashion Throughout the Years.” The Idle Man. February 24, 2016. Accessed March 13, 2018. https://theidleman.com/manual/advice/mens-fashion-throughout-the-years/.

“A Brief History of Men’s Style from the 1800s to 2010s.” Bagology by Serbags – Reviews, Fashion, History, How-to-Guildes. Accessed March 13, 2018. http://blog.serbags.com/a-brief-history-of-mens-style-from-the-1800s-to-2010s/.

Green, Dennis. “100 years of American men’s fashion, in pictures.” Business Insider Australia. July 13, 2015. Accessed March 13, 2018. https://www.businessinsider.com.au/100-years-of-american-mens-fashion-in-pictures-2015-7#the-2010s-have-ushered-in-a-menswear-renaissance-jeans-actually-fit-shirting-is-clearly-inspired-by-authentic-workwear-styles-and-of-course-beards-and-scruff-have-become-ubiquitous-11.