Grunge-Late 1980s-1990s

Like punk, grunge also was a subculture of rock music that grew into a lifestyle.  Hailing from the Northwest grunge also valued a D-I-Y attitude in both music and dress. Unlike punks or hippies though, those who belonged to the grunge sub-culture did not self-identify. Self-identification was often associated with posers.

Grunge cites a mix of heavy metal, punk, and rock as influences. D-I-Y labels were able to record up and coming bands inexpensively causing their “garage” sound.  Most grunge bands were anti-capitalist and refused to sign to major labels but a few bands such as The Melvins, Soundgarden and Nirvana reached international acclaim. While its followers saw grunge as the voice of the generation, artist like Kurt Cobain were reluctant to be called as such.

Kurt Cobain, lead singer for the U.S. band Nirvana, ca. 1990. Cobain established the grunge look of worn jeans, out-of-date cardigans, and uncombed hair. Kevin Mazur Archive 1/WireImage

While punk style was described as anti-fashion, grunge would be considered non-fashion. Raised on hippie and punk, grunge took this, mixed with its own West Coast aesthetic to create their own thoughtless style. Ripped, faded jeans, old tees, combat boots and flannel button ups were the typical uniform. Flannels were the uniform of the Northwest’s lumberjack industry but soon became appropriated by grunge. In the Northwest, the tempature can drop about 20 degrees from day to night, so clothing that could keep the wearer warm but also be tied around the waist were a must.

In August 1992, grunge came in from Seattle to New York and was featured in Women’s Wear Daily as street style. Soon the fashion industry became obsessed with the mix of patterns and textures and old and new in grunge style.  A few months later Vogue did an eight page spread on grunge fashion with the help of Sub Pop Records owner Jonathan Poneman. Like Hippie, grunge failed as high fashion because it was out of the price range for those who belonged to the sub-culture and higher end consumers did not see the appeal.

Grunge became over-saturated and died out by the late 90s. Grunge’s impact did stay around though. Grunge helped promote vintage shopping as trendy and the layered look as chic. With so much freedom in fashion nowadays, the D-I-Y aesthetic allows consumers to be create confidence with their own personal look and not be a slave to one particular style. Elements of grunge have stayed in fashion such as chunky sweaters, flannels, ripped jeans, military jackets and combat boots. Recently grunge has made a full-fledged return to fashion. Yves Saint Laurent’s S/S ’17 runway featured flannel, oversized jackets and knits and even Cobain inspired sunglasses.

Source:

Price, Shannon Bell. “Grunge.” The Berg Companion to Fashion. Ed. Valerie Steele. Oxford: Bloomsbury Academic, 2010. Bloomsbury Fashion Central. Web. 18 Nov. 2017. <https://www.bloomsburyfashioncentral.com/products/berg-fashion-library/encyclopedia/the-berg-companion-to-fashion/grunge&gt;.

Designer Spotlight- Vivienne Westwood

While punk’s origins are in the states, British designer Vivienne Westwood is often credited with giving punk its signature look. Westwood’s boyfriend, Malcolm McClaren became interested in the punk scene while in New York and wanted to bring it over to London. McClaren soon became the manager of the Sex Pistols and opened SEX (later called Seditionaries and now World’s End) and sold Westwood’s own designs inspired by fetish wear, bondage and other sexual taboos. 

London punk was described as “raw, working class and deliberately anti-establishment” in a 1978 TV documentary called “The Year of Punk”. Punk’s  motive was to shock a society that became accustomed to “blue jeans and long hair”.  Punk valued originality and a D-I-Y aesthetic. “I don’t go to Hong Kong” said Westwood, “or go somewhere to have something made up cheaply. I rely on English craftsmen to make things for me and I think people do appreciate what they are actually paying for. If I were the Prime Minster one of thing thing I would do to help the economy in this country is to take more care of English craftsmen.” 

Once punk died out in the 1980s, Westwood began to experiment with other types of fashion. Her first runway collection was called “Pirates” and debuted in 1981. To this day Westwood is known for her commentary on gender roles and other social issues. She’s credited for reviving the corset, introducing bustiers as outerwear and even creating the “mini-crini”, a garment that emphasized the bottom during a time when the fashion industry was obsessed with breast. Westwood is also an advocate for social justice and the environment. In 2011  she created an ethical fashion collection working with artisans in Africa and making sure they are paid far wages for their labor.

Sources:

Boyes, Megan. “Vivienne Westwood.” Vogue.co.uk. British Vogue, 20 Aug. 2016. Web. 26 Apr. 2017.

“Living Icons – Vivienne Westwood.” BBC News. BBC, 2 Sept. 2014. Web. 26 Apr. 2017.

Price, Shannon. “Vivienne Westwood.” The Met’s Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, n.d. Web. 26 Apr. 2017.

“The Year of Punk.” Performance by Janet S. Porter, YouTube.com, London Weekend Television, 1978, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jal1D_7NaQ.

“Vivienne Westwood Biography.” Biography.com. A&E Networks Television, 30 Mar. 2016. Web. 26 Apr. 2017.

Punk-1970s

There is no exact place of origin for punk, cities like Detroit, Cleveland, and Los Angeles all have roots in the early punk scene. For many people though, New York considered the epicenter of  the movement. Punk was the result booming consumerism following World War II. Youth were trying to find their own identity separate from their parents and the more conservative ideals that were popular at the time. This brought a chasm between high and low culture.

The 1960s brought us Andy Warhol, a pop artist who wanted to bring art to the masses through recognizable imagery such as Campbell’s soup cans and Marilyn Monroe. Punk was not a fashion movement at the time. Punk’s aesthetic was very D-I-Y, staple pieces like straight leg jeans, denim and leather jackets that were decorated with patches, safety pins and chains. Vintage items were also popular, mixing secondhand suits with plain white tees and black work boots. Punk had many different looks from the Ramones’ classic leather jacket, white tee and straight leg jeans to New York Dolls’ glam rock to Patti Smith’s Beat inspired androgyny.

By the late 70s punk went from anti-fashion to commercialized. Music publications began advertising punk patches and t-shirts and making punk more approachable for the everyday consumer. In the early 1980s punk and another dark subculture, goth, began to cross over. Although it had become commercialized, punk is one subculture that has consistently stood the test of time.  In the 1990s grunge and riot grrl helped reawaken punk and the early 2000s introduced radio-friendly pop-punk with bands like Green Day and Blink-182. While not as mainstream as it once was, the punk community still has a following spanning from hardcore to surf-punk and even pop-punk.

 

Source:

Cartledge, Frank. “Punk.” The Berg Companion to Fashion. Ed. Valerie Steele. Oxford: Bloomsbury Academic, 2010. Bloomsbury Fashion Central. Web. 18 Nov. 2017. <https://www.bloomsburyfashioncentral.com/products/berg-fashion-library/encyclopedia/the-berg-companion-to-fashion/punk&gt;

Hippies- 1960s

Following the politically charged Youthquake movement, outcasts from the Haight-Ashbury community of San Francisco, also known as hippies came onto the scene in the mid 1960s, eventually spreading to cities like Los Angeles and New York. Inspired by the Beats, Hippies abandoned the homogeneity in fashion throwing together whatever they wanted as an anti-capitalist protest. Hippies also appropriated work wear, including military uniforms to confuse others of their roles in society.  However, unlike the Beats who stuck to neutral color palettes, Hippies simulated their drug induced  bacchanalia with bright colors.

Hippies in Los Angeles, 1967. The hippie experimentation with a “natural” look was represented by, among other styles, long hair on males and females alike and blue jeans. Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images.

Piggybacking off the Youthquake silhouettes such as the pantsuit and miniskirt, Hippie style’s  choice of fabrics and accessories is what set them apart. Hippie style became even more loose and flowy than its predecessor. Some inspiration for hippies were the shapes of mideastern tents and Native American style, which showed appreciation for their rich culture. Hippies also created an eco-consciousness by recycling and repurposing vintage clothing and fabrics.

During the late 60s into the early 1970s Hippie style ironically found its way into the mainstream fashion industry.  Called “Rich Hippies”. This upscale take on anti-capitalist fashion was far out of the average Hippie’s price range. By the end of the 70s, Hippie fashion was exhausted but made a small resurrection in mid-1980s and again in the 1990s through the mid 2000s.

Sources:

Lobenthal, Joel. “Hippie Style.” The Berg Companion to Fashion. Ed. Valerie Steele. Oxford: Bloomsbury Academic, 2010. Bloomsbury Fashion Central. Web. 17 Nov. 2017. <https://www.bloomsburyfashioncentral.com/products/berg-fashion-library/encyclopedia/the-berg-companion-to-fashion/hippie-style&gt;.

Kaiser, Susan B., and Ryan Looysen. “Antifashion.” Berg Encyclopedia of World Dress and Fashion: The United States and Canada. Ed. Phyllis G. Tortora. Oxford: Bloomsbury Academic, 2010. 160–170. Bloomsbury Fashion Central. Web. 17 Nov. 2017. <http://dx.doi.org/10.2752/BEWDF/EDch3023&gt;.

 

Youthquake- Early 1960s

During women’s liberation movement in the 1960s, fashion was going through a revolution as well.  Women had more economic, social and sexual freedom and this showed. Fashion was moving away from the uppity Parisian fashion houses to local British designers and like most things during the 60s, Youthquake quickly made it’s way across the pond.  While the 1950s coined the term “teenager”, the 60s gave teens and young adults (especially women) autonomy. Mary Quant, the inventor of the miniskirt made a statement about the Youthquake movement in 1988.

“Women had been building to this for a long time, but before the pill there couldn’t be a true emancipation. It’s very clear in the look, in the exuberance of the time—a rather childlike exuberance. “Wow—look at me!—isn’t it lovely? At last, at last!’”

 

Paraphernalia. Evening dress. c. 1967. The Museum at FIT, New York. Bloomsbury Fashion Central. Web. 17 Nov. 2017. <https://www.bloomsburyfashioncentral.com/products/berg-fashion-library/museum/the-museum-at-fit/evening-dress-29917&gt;.

Youthquake fashion embraced being young and full of life. Mini and micromini skirts were popularized and the style featured other young, childlike details such as babydoll silhouettes, patterned tights, colorful makeup and huge doe eyes.

While  Youthquake style faded out by the 1970s, it still continued to thrive in more eccentric and active communities. Youthquake’s impact on the fashion industry and young adults’ shopping habits stuck around. Even today with various political climates we see pockets of Youthquake bubble up from time to time.

Source:

Lobenthal, Joel. “Youthquake Fashions.” The Berg Companion to Fashion. Ed. Valerie Steele. Oxford: Bloomsbury Academic, 2010. Bloomsbury Fashion Central. Web. 17 Nov. 2017. <https://www.bloomsburyfashioncentral.com/products/berg-fashion-library/encyclopedia/the-berg-companion-to-fashion/youthquake-fashions&gt;.

The Beat Generation -1940s-1960s

In the 1940s through the 1960s a group of young men, including authors such as Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, William Burroughs and Neal Cassady questioned the ideals of the America dream. They rebelled against America’s buttoned up attitude in favor of something more relaxed.

Beat style was anti-gray-flannel-suit. Beats claimed they didn’t care about appearance, because doing so would support the establishment.  Stereotypical described as wearing all black, however the beat look was also achieved by looking rugged. Items such as khakis, unpressed corduroy jackets , white tees, flannel shirts, leather jackets and heavy workboots.

Beatniks outside a coffeehouse in California, 1960. Beatniks adopted styles of dress that symbolized a rebellion against the norms of American society. Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images.

Beat style went through waves over the course of about 20 years, 1944-49, 1950-56, and 1957-63. In 44-49, jazz was a major influence in beat style, in 50-56 Beat spread to San Francisco. Hipster suits popular in 44-49 were replaced by grungier styles inspired by movies like Rebel Without a Cause. By the last wave of Beat style there was no general consensus on what was or wasn’t Beat style. Elements from each wave were incorporated such as black slacks from early Beats and shabby tees from the 1950-56 era.

Sources:

Kaiser, Susan B., and Ryan Looysen. “Antifashion.” Berg Encyclopedia of World Dress and Fashion: The United States and Canada. Ed. Phyllis G. Tortora. Oxford: Bloomsbury Academic, 2010. 160–170. Bloomsbury Fashion Central. Web. 10 Nov. 2017. <http://dx.doi.org/10.2752/BEWDF/EDch3023&gt;.

Welters, Linda. “The Beat Generation: Subcultural Style.” Twentieth-Century American Fashion. Ed. Linda Welters and Patricia A. Cunningham. Oxford: Berg, 2008. 145–168. Dress, Body, Culture. Bloomsbury Fashion Central. Web. 10 Nov. 2017. <http://dx.doi.org/10.2752/9781847882837/TCAF0012&gt;.

 

The Bikini- 1940s

During the early 20th century, sportswear, especially for women, was transforming. The rise of the middle class allowed for more leisure  time, so activities like sports were starting to become more popular.  The current athletic attire wasn’t cutting it. For example swimsuits consisted of modest, woolen garments that were heavy and hard to move around in.

In the late 1920s through the 1930s, the precursor to the bikini came on the scene. These swimsuits were two pieces, but were considered modest, showing only a sliver of midriff. Then in 1946, the bikini exploded on the scene. The bikini got it’s name from Bikini Atoll, a bomb test site where experiments were conducted that same year. This garment made just as much as an impact.

Unknown. Bikini. 1950s. St Fagans: National History Museum, Wales. Bloomsbury Fashion Central. Web. 06 Nov. 2017. <https://www.bloomsburyfashioncentral.com/products/berg-fashion-library/museum/st-fagans-national-history-museum/bikini&gt;.

The first bikini was shown on a french runway and consisted of  two fabric triangles for the bra with string to tie it around the neck and back, and two triangles of fabric for the bottom which were held together by strings on the sides. Harper’s Bazaar was the first publication to feature the bikini in 1947, where editor-in-chief Diana Vreeland said it revealed  “everything about a girl except her mother’s maiden name.” The bikini was banned for “religious”  reasons in countries such as Spain, Portugal and Italy. Americans even shunned the garment for lacking decency.

Although it became more commonplace in the 50s with stars such as Marilyn Monroe, Brigitte Bardot, and Jayne Mansfield sporting the swimwear, they were still controversial. It wasn’t until the sexual revolution of the 60s that the bikini became acceptable swim attire.

 

Source:

Webber-Hanchett, Tiffany. “Bikini.” The Berg Companion to Fashion. Ed. Valerie Steele. Oxford: Bloomsbury Academic, 2010. Bloomsbury Fashion Central. Web. 06 Nov. 2017. <https://www.bloomsburyfashioncentral.com/products/berg-fashion-library/encyclopedia/the-berg-companion-to-fashion/bikini&gt;.

The Flapper- 1920s

Hatpin Panic died out by the end of World War I and was replaced by another “social menace”, the flapper. While many believe the term flapper came from the sound that unfastened galoshes made, it was actually derived from the 16th century British slang “flap” which meant a young female prostitute. By the late 19th century the word lost it’s sexual context and in the 20s, flapper was used to describe a modern young woman who broke the rules on appearance and behavior.

Flappers ignored what was fashionable during the time and instead opted for trendy new styles that designers like Coco Chanel and Jean Patou were creating. Flapper style was sporty and favored slim bodies, short skirts, drop waist and sleeveless dresses. The overall look was flashy and complimented by elaborate accessories such as jeweled compacts and cigarette holders.

Unknown. Dress. c.1928. Kerry Taylor, Bermondsey, London, SE1 4PR. Bloomsbury Fashion Central. Web. 30 Oct. 2017. <https://www.bloomsburyfashioncentral.com/products/berg-fashion-library/museum/kerry-taylor/dress-10015&gt;.

The flappers were also challenging the expected behavior of women at the time. While men were off fighting in WWI, women were out in the workforce and driving cars. The limited number of eligible bachelors caused some women to be more upfront and aggressive when it came to dating.

As time went on flapper style became a part of mainstream life. There were three levels of flapper, the semi-flapper, the flapper and the super-flapper. By the mid-1920s almost all women could be labeled a semi-flapper. The Stock Market Crash of 1929, lead to the demise of the flapper. Excess and frivolity were replaced with frugality and the return of traditional feminine gender roles.

Source: Sauro, Clare. “Flappers.” The Berg Companion to Fashion. Ed. Valerie Steele. Oxford: Bloomsbury Academic, 2010. Bloomsbury Fashion Central. Web. 30 Oct. 2017. <https://www.bloomsburyfashioncentral.com/products/berg-fashion-library/encyclopedia/the-berg-companion-to-fashion/flappers&gt;.

Hatpin Panic- 1900s

During the turn of the century an epidemic was sweeping the country. Newspapers everywhere were reporting similar instances where “mashers” (period slang for predatory men) were getting stabbed with hatpins. This became so frequent that this phenomenon was given the name “Hatpin Panic” or “Hatpin Peril”

Hatpins could be up to a foot long and were used by women to secure their elaborate hats to their hair. The suffragette movement at the time was allowing more women to be independent and travel freely. It also encouraged girls to fight back and speak up about harassment.

Image from the San Francisco Sunday Call, 1904

Eventually hatpins became a real threat to not just men but women as well. For example one woman thought she was just being playful, but accidentally stabbed her boyfriend in the heart, killing him. In another instance a woman and her husband’s mistress drew hatpins as if they were swords. To combat this, regulations started to get put into place regarding the length of hatpins. In Chicago an ordnance was passed banning hatpins over 9 inches in length. However, most women would rather go to jail than let mashers get away with harassment.

By the end of World War I, Hatpin Panic was soon overshadowed by another “social menace”, the flapper.

Source:

Abbott, Karen. “‘The Hatpin Peril’ Terrorized Men Who Couldn’t Handle the 20th-Century Woman.” Smithsonian.com, Smithsonian Institution, 24 Apr. 2014, http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/hatpin-peril-terrorized-men-who-couldnt-handle-20th-century-woman-180951219/.