111Formel-Kapitel 1 Abschnitt 1

Österreichisches

St. Georgs-Kolleg
Realgymnasium und Handelsakademie
Kart Çınar Sok. 2 TR-34420
Karaköy-Istanbul, Türkei

History of Women’s Fashion from the

1900’s until Today
Student: Elif Lal Eroğluer Class: 10-D
BetreuungslehrerIn: ____________________________
Submission date: ____________
Contents

1 Introduction...........................................................................................................4

2 Fashion in the Past...............................................................................................4

2.1 Fashion 101...................................................................................................4

2.2 Fashion in Different Regions.........................................................................4

2.3 Common Fashion throughout the 20th Century..............................................5

2.3.1 Subculture of the 1990’s.........................................................................5

2.3.2 1990's Fashion Trends...........................................................................5

3 1900-2020 Fashion Sense....................................................................................6

3.1 Fashion Trends in the 1900’s: Causes and Effects.......................................6

3.1.1 Edwardian Era........................................................................................6

3.1.2 World War I............................................................................................ 7

3.2 Trends in the Timeline between 1900-2000..................................................8

3.3 Trends in the Timeline between 2000-2020..................................................8

4 Schluss................................................................................................................. 9

5 List of Figures.....................................................................................................10

6 Sources.............................................................................................................. 10

7 Attachment: Vocabulary List...............................................................................11

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1 Introduction
Fashion is most often thought of as a global industry that is invested in anticipating what we
wear and how we wish to appear to others. But fashion is not just a business. It is also a
cultural and social phenomenon, driven by the desire for the new. Fashion is a type of art
that helps people to express themselves. The clothes we wear reflect us in a way. But the
fashion sense of humankind has evolved a lot through time.

2 Fashion in the Past

This chapter is about the fashion in the 90’s and the differences in different regions and its
influences that affected that.

2.1 Fashion 101

Fashion is the art of expressing one’s identity and creativity through clothing and
accessories, reflecting current cultural, social, and personal influences. Fashion is
multifaceted realm where aesthetics, culture, and commerce converge. Designers weave
together fabric, color, and form to create not just clothing but wearable art. It is a language
without words, allowing individuals to communicate aspects of their personality, beliefs, and
aspirations.

Beyond self-expression, fashion serves as a mirror reflecting and spirit of an era. From haute
couture runways to street style, fashion captures the pulse of contemporary life. The
industry itself is a complex network of creativity and business, from ateliers crafting bespoke
pieces to mass production for the global market. In essence, fashion is a living breathing
entity, embodying the ever-changing tapestry of human identity and societal dynamics.

2.2 Fashion in Different Regions

When it comes to ethnic styles in fashion, they hail from all around the world. Designers
often venture to exotic regions, seeking inspiration for their collections. A good amount of
fashion that is sported in the western world and has now become a staple in some sense
stems from many different parts of the world. Cultural styles belonging to different parts of
the world will always continue to permeate the sphere of fashion and influence how clothes
are designed. At the end of the day people will always find a way to make their style their

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own. Clothing and style are ultimately nothing but a way to assert one’s individuality and
creativity without vocalizing the same.

2.3 Common Fashion throughout the 20 th

Century
1900’s fashion evolved throughout the decade. As
early 1900’s style showcased bright colors and
athletic wear from the 80’s, late 1900’s fashion
transitioned to sophisticated slip dresses and
preppy prints. The music and film industry
influenced popular trends that came out of the
decade, styling grunge looks, denim overalls,
miniskirts, and cropped cardigans. Trends from the
1990s continue to influence fashion today, as
athletic wear and streetwear remain popular. While there were consistent themes under the
umbrella of ‘90s fashion, there were also key
Anonymous,1957
subcultures of the 1990s that each had its own
unique look.

2.3.1 Subculture of the 1990’s

There were three main subcultures in the 1990’s fashion. The first one is grunge subculture:
Dark flannel shirts and ripped jeans became a signature outfit of the ‘90s grunge style. As
bands such as Nirvana and Pearl Jam grew in popularity, this casual, laid-back look became a
mainstream part of ‘90s fashion. Another one is preppy subculture: The preppy subculture of
‘90s fashion pulled inspiration from hip-hop culture. Oversized shirts, high-waist jeans, and
Sperry boat shoes were common pieces associated with ‘90s preppy culture. Plaid miniskirts
paired with a tank top and matching blazer were also a classic ‘90s preppy look. The last one
is punk subculture: Inspired by skate wear, the punk trend associated with ‘90s fashion
incorporated bold patterns, bright spiky hair, and black leather jackets. Ripped jeans and
choker necklaces also became signature pieces worn throughout the punk era of the 1990s.

2.3.2 1990's Fashion Trends

The decade’s fashion trends encompassed glam and grunge looks, with casual streetwear-
inspired outfits and chic, high-fashion looks. Slip dresses were a big hit in the 1900’s. This

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simple, spaghetti strap embodied the minimalist approach that dominated the 1900’s
fashion. The mini silk slip dress also played a big role in defining the underwear as outwear
trend. Another trend was the chain belts, which was inspired by hip-hop. It is a type of belt
made from linked metal. Rather than fitting through the belt loops of a pair of pants like a
traditional buckle belt, a chain-link belt typically loops around the mid-waist or hips and
hangs down. During the ‘90s, chain belts appeared on the runway in couture shows for
ready-to-wear collections. Athletic wear—such as oversized jerseys, cropped T-shirts, and
tracksuits—became a staple in ‘90s fashion. Performers often wore baggy sports jerseys on
stage while other figureheads brought sportswear into everyday fashion. Graphic T-shirts
were also a common trend. Baggy T-shirts with colorful and patterned designs were a laid-
back way to make a fashion statement. For instance, a typical grunge outfit included a band
T-shirt, pair of jeans, and a beanie hat. Graphic T-shirts are still worn by a lot of people
today. The next fashion trend is overalls. Actors on popular 90’s sitcoms often wore denim
overalls with one strap down. This casual outfit became another hit trend. People wore a
bold, patterned long sleeve shirt or a simple white turtleneck under the overalls.

3 1900-2020 Fashion Sense

Every style and trend in fashion is inevitably recalled from a certain time or era. That’s why
it’s quite important and valuable to understand the history of this evolution.

As the 20th century began, fashion and styles evolved under the influence of two
consecutive major periods: the Edwardian era and World War I.

3.1 Fashion Trends in the 1900’s: Causes and Effects

3.1.1 Edwardian Era

“The 20th century brought major transformations in Western fashion, but these changes
didn’t appear immediately. Trends of the late 19 th century lingered through the decade of
1900-1909; in fact, these 1900s fashion trends lasted up until about the Great War (World
War I).” (Morton, 2021)

Edwardian era is also called La Belle Epoque. The most outstanding trend of this period was
the corsets with an S form and generally S shaped curves in the clothes. The S curved corsets
forced the hips back and the chest forward, which was the ideal female figure (narrow-waist

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and protruding-bosomed) at the time. In the
beginning of the 20th century women’s fashion
was mostly about status. Woman at the time
wore custom made dresses.

With the death of Queen Victoria in 1901, her

son Edward ascended the throne. Edward,
who was the Wales Prince for 59 years, was
mostly known for his outrageous spending’s
and his lifestyle. The trendsetters of the period
were the British royal family. While the British
high society reigned as the cultural elites,
Edward’s extravagant lifestyle set the tone of
behavior and fashion. Middle-class woman
Paquin,1909
looked to the elites for inspiration and hoped
to emulate the best they could.

With the 1890’s coming to an end and the new technologies brought by the industrial
revolution, people’s lifestyles started to change, and a new middle class was set. Women of
this new middle class started to read and inform their selves. Sewing machines allowed for
the mass production of ready-to-wear clothing and made it easier for women to sew their
own garments. Facing this educated, active, and outgoing middle-class woman was the
culture of luxury and hedonism created by the Edwardian era.

3.1.2 World War I

During 1914-1920 women’s fashion was heavily influenced not only by World War I but also
by the suffrage movement for women’s voting rights. Since men were in the war, women
started work in the positions that men used to work. Such as drivers, factory workers,
nurses, farmers, etc. With this new image traditional gender roles began to shift away. As an
example, the popularization of long pants for women began not through haute couture or
everyday fashion mostly through women borrowing from men’s work wear. The military
look infiltrated fashion design, and military-style tunics, belts, and epaulets gained
prominence. People adopted a simpler lifestyle during the war. Women wore fewer jewels,
and the extravagant dressing style of the Edwardian era was set aside.

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 3.2 Trends in the Timeline between 1900-2000
Before the WWI fashion was in the influence of Orientalism with soft drapes and flashy
patterns. The attire worn by Russian peasants, with hip-length tunics, became prominent,
and this style persisted until the wartime. The year 1914 started with a strong Edwardian
influence. Women wore shirts with lace-embellished chests and long, narrow skirts that fell
to the ankles. Tunics were blended with military style during the war period. Jeanne Paquin,
the first women to gain international fame in the fashion world, designed clothes for the
new, more active women. By adding pleats to skirts that narrowed at the knee, making it
difficult for women to walk, she made movement possible. Her designs were like a
combination of good tailoring and feminine draperies.

Active women in social life wore sporty outfits while driving cars, riding bikes, playing golf,
going for walks, etc. With women embracing a more active lifestyle, gender-defined clothing
also relaxed, giving rise to what we now call sportswear styles.

For example, swimsuits were designed to be less flashy but truly functional for swimming.
One-piece swimsuits, which gave women great freedom in the water, were born during this
period.

3.3 Trends in the Timeline between 2000-2020

[The early 2000s were marked by bold and flashy fashion trends, with many people opting
for oversized clothing, baggy jeans, and bold prints. The rise of hip-hop and rap music
influenced fashion, with many people wearing tracksuits, sweatpants, and sneakers. This
was also the era of the low-rise jeans, which became a controversial trend due to their
revealing nature.] (https://mynestup.com/evolution-of-fashion-trends-how-styles-from-
2000-to-the-2020s-are-reshaping-lifestyles/)

Fashion trends became more refined during this decade with skinny jeans, stiletto heels, and
oversized sunglasses. Especially skinny jeans a wardrobe staple and revolutionized people’s
outfits. Bohemian and vintage-inspired clothing made a comeback. Since beginning of the
2000s women wore denim miniskirts, Burberry, flipflops, ponchos, denim jackets. Baby blue,
yellow, and pink were the most popular colors.

The 2010s mostly prioritized comfort and over flashy, bold clothing. So naturally leggings,
yoga pants, sneakers, basically comfortable clothes, became popular. [Sustainability also

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became a buzzword in the fashion industry, with people embracing eco-friendly and ethical
clothing. The rise of fast fashion resulted in a backlash, with people becoming more
conscious of the environmental impact of their clothing choices.]

Fashion took a huge turn in the 2020s because of COVID-19. People started to prioritize
comfort over bold clothing, which made oversize clothing a huge hit. Gender-neutral fashion
has also become increasingly popular, with people blurring the lines between men’s and
women’s clothing.

4 Schluss
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amet. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consetetur sadipscing elitr, sed diam nonumy eirmod
tempor invidunt ut labore et dolore magna aliquyam erat, sed diam voluptua. At vero eos et
accusam et justo duo dolores et ea rebum. Stet clita kasd gubergren, no sea takimata
sanctus est Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet.

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5 List of Figures
Paquin, Jeanne. Felix, Les Modes. From the Bygone, June 1909,
https://fromthebygone.wordpress.com/2014/09/26/jeanne-paquin-vintage-fashion-photos/

Anonymous. 1950 Fashion. Fashion Bomb daily, 1957, https://fashionbombdaily.com/7-tips-

for-buying-vintage-clothing-and-accessories-youll-actually-wear/

6 Sources

Brennicke, Axel: Wollen Sie wirklich Wissenschaftler werden? … dann los! Heidelberg:
Spektrum Akademischer Verlag, 2011.

Schaetzlein, Frank: Die schriftliche Seminararbeit/Hausarbeit. Grundlagen. 2011.

http://www.frank-schaetzlein.de/didaktik/seminararbeit.htm #Zitieren [Zugriff: 15.09.2019]

Schellmann, Bernhard; Gaida, Peter; Gläser, Martin [u.a.]: Medien verstehen – gestalten –
produzieren. Eine Einführung in die Praxis. 3. erweiterte und verbesserte Auflage. Haan-
Gruiten: Verl. Europa-Lehrmittel, Nourney, Vollmer, 2005.

Tolkien, John R. R.: Der Herr der Ringe. 6.Auflage. Stuttgart: Klett-Cotta, 2014.

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7 Attachment: Vocabulary List

English Turkish
realm alan, alem, diyar

commerce ticaret

converge yakınlaşmak, birleşmek

bespoke siparişle yapılmış

tapestry goblen, duvara asılan el işi örtü

protrude çıkıntı yapmak

epicenter merkez üstü

epaulets omuzluk

hedonism hedonizim,hazcılık

encompass kapsamak

inevitably kaçınılmaz olarak

infiltrate sızmak

persist ısrar etmek, sürdürmek

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Page 12 of 13
 Selbstständigkeitserklärung VwA

Name:

Selbstständigkeitserklärung

Ich erkläre, dass ich diese vorwissenschaftliche Arbeit eigenständig angefertigt und nur die
im Literaturverzeichnis angeführten Quellen und Hilfsmittel benutzt habe.

__________________ ___________________

Ort, Datum Unterschrift

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