Zoot Suits:
“The Zoot Suit, popularized by African-American and Mexican-American teens during the late 1930s and early 1940s, didn’t look like your average workday attire. It had broad shoulders, a tapered waist, and baggy pants that ended in neat, pegged cuffs. All that tailoring (and all that fabric) made the ensemble a kind of defiant luxury item – a sign that the wearer wasn’t affected by Depression-era poverty, World War II fabric rationing, or disapproving looks from Mom.” (http://www.neatorama.com/2007/01/16/37-fads-that-swept-the-nation/).
Zoot Suit inspiration in today’s fashion:
Teddy Boys:
“Teddy Boys’s style was a reaction against the austerity of the post-war years. A new generation attempted to scandalise their parents with wasteful fashions that were far too camp for working class sensibilities. Velvet collars on long jackets harked back to Edwardian style (which was only 40 years previous). Edward was shortened to Ted – hence Teddy Boy. Big quiffs and bright colours as typified by Showaddywaddy would come later – in the 1970’s. The jackets were in grey or blue, usually in plain material.
Teds wore high-waisted drainpipe trousers with brightly coloured socks, narrow ties with horizontal stripes or American style bootlace ties. Loose drape jackets and cutaway collar shirts. Gibson Brothel Creepers were favoured by Teddy Boys, with a thick crepe-sole and suede finish or chunky brogues sufficed. Expensive brocade waistcoats were much coveted.” (http://www.popular-nostalgia.com/teddy-boys-903/)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/6683883.stm
Teddy Boy inspiration on the runway today:
(style.com)
“Watanabe's signature tailcoats, nip-waist dandy jackets, lean boy-cut pants, and shirts were switched this season into baroque-splendid fabrics instead of ripped-up army fatigues. Or so it might have appeared. On close inspection, the first several looks were cut in denim, followed by narrow, vaguely fifties Teddy Boy drainpipes—a touch of street swagger to undercut the poshness, and a flash of Watanabe's jean genius.” “There was nothing profound about the love-heart prints, jumpsuits, parachute-silk batwing tops, and reruns of teddy boy and new wave tailoring, and it was a relief.” Style.com
Beatniks:
“In the late 40s and early 50s, the literary and social movement known as the Beat Movement began to grow in response to the postwar culture and middle-class values in America. Those involved in the Beat Movement were known as Beatniks. The Beatnik counterculture was anti-materialistic, and focused on the importance of improving one's inner self over the importance of improving one's material standing in the world. Through new forms of poetry, music, style, drug usage, and less popular spiritual pursuits, the Beatniks challenged conformism and brought more attention to the “questioning of traditional values." (http://central.hcrhs.k12.nj.us/sl142/)
(http://central.hcrhs.k12.nj.us/sl142/)
Beatnik Inspiration from the runway:
Betsey Johnson Fall 2008 RTW from style.com
"This collection is a real flip for me, in that I'm going very dark, beatnik, black, bold, slim-lined, and leotardic," the ever-bumptious designer said. "It's kick-ass with a harder hard edge, in a Joan Jett kind of way." ( Bestey Johnson style.com)
Mods:
“The 1960s featured a number of diverse trends. It was a decade that broke many fashion traditions, mirroring social movements during the period. In the middle of the decade, culottes, box-shaped PVC dresses and go-go boots were in style. The widely popular bikini came into fashion in 1963 after being featured in the musical Beach Party… In the early to mid-1960s, the London Modernists known as the Mods were shaping and defining popular fashion for young British men while the trends for both sexes changed more frequently than ever before in the history of fashion and would continue to do so throughout the decade.” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1960s_in_fashion)
http://runawaydinosaur.wordpress.com/
Mod inspiration from the runway today:
Moschino Cheap and Chic SP 10 RTW:
style.com
“Rosella Jardini's Moschino Cheap & Chic collection took its inspiration from that era in the sixties when the mods were mixing with the flower children. To start with, there were floral prints: little daisies on a short ruffle-neck dress and big ones on ruched chiffon numbers; a couple of straw hats even came with petal brims. Inspired by the American artist Jim Dine, Jardini added patchworks of bright Pop colors—orange, blue, red, and yellow—to the story line, as seen on an A-line double-breasted jacket as well as a wrap blouse worn with black-and-white checked bloomers.” (style.com)
Hippies:
“The 1960s was revolutionary. It highlighted an era of change and post war citizen awareness. People, especially the youth, dressed in a way to express rebellion at fixed and commonly accepted notions and social norms…The fashion naturally displayed the innermost recesses of the human psyche that was going through much change. The changes associated with women empowerment, various issues relating to human rights and racial equality were reflected in the acceptance of casual, comfortable attire.” (http://www.buzzle.com/articles/1960s-hippies-fashion.html).
(http://www.buzzle.com/articles/1960s-hippies-fashion.html)
Hippie inspiration on the runway:
Dries Van Noten SP 08 RTW :
(style.com)
"It takes a particular talent to mix color and print without making things too busy to deal with. Always essentially a reality-based designer, Van Noten made it all seem simple—and even, for him, a touch chic. He dealt out a kaleidoscope of painterly and fifties-derived florals and abstract leafy strokes in greens, blues, yellows, and saffrons. Deep bands of contrasting color turned up in the hems and yokes of dresses, classic scarf prints were transformed into silk pants, and little cuffed linen shorts came printed with tiny fifties flowers.” (style.com)
Disco:
“1970s fashion, which began with a continuation of the mini skirts, bell-bottoms and the androgynoushippie look from the late 1960s, was soon sharply characterised by several distinct fashion trends that have left an indelible image of the decade commemorated in popular culture. These include platform shoes which appeared on the fashion scene in 1971 and often had soles 2-4 inches thick. These were worn by both men and women. Wide-legged, flared jeans and trousers were another fashion mainstay for both sexes throughout most of the decade, and this style has been immortalised in the 1977 film Saturday Night Fever which starred John Travolta. The "disco look", complete with three-piece suits for men and wrap-around rayon or jersey dresses for women” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1970s_in_fashion)
http://plaidstallions.blogspot.com/2007/05/i-love-dress-alike-disco-people.html
Disco inspiration on the runway today:
Balmain Spring 2010 RTW
(style.com)
Balmain Sprin 2010 RTW disco inspired fabrics “For Spring, Decarnin brought out another whammy of a no-brainer blockbuster: disco cavewoman goes to the front. His army of sizzling, sleek-limbed supergirls strode out with huge-shouldered, metal-epauletted military tailcoats. Their T-shirts were tattered; bullet belts were slung around artfully "destroyed," stained, and holed jeans or, yet more sensationally, minute, hypersexed, raggedy suede and leather loincloths (the term "skirt" hardly covers it). Patching together seventies M*A*S*H and early Versace chain-mailed goddess-dressing, the show moved from camouflage to sequined camouflage to patchworked gold-sequined camouflage without a flicker of irony or the slightest fear of treading on politically sensitive ground.” (style.com).
Punk:
“When punk underwent its 1980s hardcore, Oi!/streetpunk, and UK82 renaissance, new fashion styles developed as parallel resurgences occurred in the United States and United Kingdom. The US scene was exemplified by bands such as Black Flag, Minor Threat, and Fear. The 1980s American scene spawned a utilitarian anti-fashion that was nonetheless raw, angry, and intimidating. In the UK, much of the punk music and fashion in the 1980s was influenced by heavy metal and the Oi! scene.” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punk_fashion).
http://www.museumofcostume.co.uk/exhibitions/past_displays/1977.aspx
Punk inspiration on the runway today:
Versace 04 RTW from style.com:
“Donatella Versace can relate to the cross-generational appeal of punk. Her brother Gianni frequently referenced it (remember that famous safety-pin dress), and for fall, she revisited the 30-year-old style as a kind of house classic. Strangely enough, it worked as a perfect medium for dressing the chic modern mom. As proved by the soundtrack—Chrissie Hynde at her gritty best—age cannot dim the spirit of the hardcore rock chick, and this show translated that attitude into some great daywear. “ (style.com)
Hip-Hop:
“Hip-hop fashion is a distinctive style of dress originating with African-American youth on the scene of Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, The San Francisco Bay Area, Detroit, Atlanta and Miami among others. Each city contributed various elements to its overall style seen worldwide today. Hip hop fashion complements the expressions and attitudes of hip hop culture in general. Hip hop fashion has changed significantly during its history, and today it is a prominent part of popular fashion as a whole across the world and for all ethnicities…During the 1980s, hip-hop icons wore clothing items such as brightly colored name-brand tracksuits, sheepskin and leather bomber jackets,[1] Clarks shoes[1], Britishers AKA British Walkers and sneakers (usually Pro-Keds, Puma, and Adidas-brand shelltoes and often with "phat" or oversized shoelaces)”. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hip_hop_fashion).
http://eightiesblog.com/2008/11/17/a-new-era-for-the-retro-kidz/
Hip-Hop inspiration on the runway today:
Lacoste Fall 06 RTW:
(style.com)
“For Lacoste's fall runway presentation, creative director Christophe Lemaire was intent on showing a more "urban, street" side to the iconic preppy label. At times, his take on the hip-hop theme was too literal—the retro-looking zip-up tracksuits and styling touches emulated the trendsetters in Jamel Shabazz's book Back in the Days without adding anything fresh—but Lemaire also offered his share of covetable separates.” (style.com)
PART 3:
Extra street trend 1: The Flapper from the 1920's
The Great Depression took place during the 1920’s, hence the “The Depression Chic” trend that we are currently seeing inspiration from on the runway. It could very likely be because we are in a current state of recession that has not been fully uplifted yet. “The Depression Chic” look consisted of dark, mostly black, colors, hats on women, and resembled “The Flapper” in many ways. “The Flapper” was also known as “The Garconne” and women wore shorter than average dresses baring their arms, short hair, and a reckless spirit for dancing.
http://mrhureausclass/ushistory.com
Flapper inspiration on the runway today:
PRADA pre-fall 09 RTW Hussein Chalayan SP 07 RTW
Extra street trend 2: "Power Dressing"
“Power Dressing” will be one of the next big trends. AS the recession very slowly starts to make its way toward better days, people will be entering the growing job market and purchasing suits they can make use of for days to come. The trend started in the 1980’s when the power suit was seen as “dressing for success”. “One of the strongest looks of the 1980s was power dressing. After John Molloy wrote his book Women Dress For Success in 1975, corporate America took it to heart and women began to abandon the incomplete look of mismatched skirt, sweater or blouse for a full jacketed sober suit. The aim of female devotees was to rise the corporate ladder. John Molloy promoted the idea that the simple tailored wool suit in neutral navy or slate blue grey, worn with non sexual blouses, imitated uniform of rank, which by design was authoritative.
From research he did with specific social groupings, he maintained that inferiors and clients accepted the word of a female dressed in a suit with better grace than if she were wearing a fashion outfit in an exotic fashion color that highlighted her sexual allure. In other words sober dressing enabled a woman to be taken seriously like a suited man might be and helped her shine in the workplace enough to get promotion rapidly. This led to the concept of power dressing and its influence on all forms of fashion when the shoulder pad dominated every female top garment, from power suits to knitwear, to T-shirts to bed attire.”. (http://www.fashion-era.com/1980s_lifestyle_and_fashion.htm).
http://firstscene.com
Power dressing on the runway today:
Balenciaga Resort 09 Michael Kors SP 10 RTW
(style.com)
