Throughout history, women’s fashion has changed drastically, signifying much more than just clothing choices. Starting with the restricting, painful corset, which symbolized the inequality between genders, to today’s more inclusive, empowering choices; the evolution of women’s fashion has told a story of success for women’s rights. However, the road to equality and empowerment was a long one. With the help of this article, we can explore how the fashion choices of our predecessors held cultural significance and helped bring about a more balanced society. Let’s take a look at the remarkable journey of women’s fashion through time.
1. Women’s Revolution in Fashion: From Struggling for Comfort to Expressing Identity
The last century of fashion has seen a dramatic change among women, with each passing decade bringing about a seismic shift in attitude, shape and style. In a short space of time women went from shrouded and shapeless, to boldly expressive. Here we trace the transformation from understated and useful to outrageous and inspirational.
- 1900’s: Comfort and Simplicity
In the beginning of the 20th century, clothing had much more practical roots. With the onset of the Industrial Revolution redefining the working conditions of women, clothes had to provide comfort and ease of movement to ensure success in the workplace. Skirts became slimmer and drop, waistlines dropped, and corsets released their iron grip. Women had finally started to enjoy the same kind of freedom and movement that men had been cradled in for centuries.
- 1920’s: Emancipation and Fun
The post-war years of the twenties brought a new attitude towards women’s fashion. The line of thought was that women should be liberated from traditional gender roles and allowed to express themselves fully. With this in mind, fashion designers began creating clothes that allowed women to break away from the restrictive norms of the time. The era of the flapper was born. With advances in technology, fabrics became lighter, flowy and more easily decorated with sequins, beads, and fringe. The result was a fun and vivacious fashion that celebrated women’s individuality and readiness to have a good time.
- 1940’s: Utility and Practicality
With the onset of WWII, women assumed responsibility for running factories, managing businesses and military roles. Practicality took precedence over frivolity with wartime rationing introducing fabric restrictions and limiting the variety of colors and material access. Hardier than ever before, women rejectned frills and instead focussed on sturdiness and functionality, wearing tailored trousers, loose-fitting shirts and straightforward lines as a mark of modernity. Largely free of ornament, clothing of the forties was utilitarian in origin but heavily reflective of women’s role in protecting society.
- 1960’s: Revolution, Rebellion and Expressive Style
Youth culture broke free of their parental bonds and celebrated the sexual revolution of the sixties with their own vibrant fashion repertoire. Hemlines rose up, giving life to mini-skirts, bold colors graced the shelves and androgynous and exotic styles mingled on the streets. Everywhere the call was to make a statement and celebrate personal identity. In the spectrum of women’s fashion, the decade was truly revolutionary.
2. Refining the Design and Impact of Women’s Clothing: Moving Beyond Corsets
The garments that make up women’s clothing have long been prescribed, limited, and confined to corsets and other restrictive garments. However, as modern society moves beyond this traditional, and often oppressive, view, the impact of clothing is increasingly being tested. Looking at the development of women’s clothing over time shows that the potential for creating greater freedom and comfort is more tangible than ever before.
Increased availability of materials and technology has enabled more diverse, sustainable options for clothing. Traditionally the impact of women’s clothing has been based around grand gestures and conforming to societal standards. The 21st century is seeing the boundaries of design increasingly being pushed and old notions of propriety being redefined.
Women’s clothing radiates power and diversity and now there are clothing items designed with cut ergonomically to facial structure and body alignment. These advances enable the selection of clothing to be tailored to fit individual taste and style.
- This brings a level of freedom to women’s clothing that has previously been neglected.
- Gender neutral, unconventional, avant-garde, and couture fashion statements are now possible.
- A diversity of materials and layering of fabrics and patterns now feature in seasonally.
Fabrics used in stand-alone pieces and when mixed and matched to create ensembles that provide the wearer with a camouflage against the ambience of the environment. Tech-savvy fabric-types are enabling experimentation with innovative design shapes and structures to create clothing imbued with a certain je ne sais quoi–like a wearable work of art.
It is now possible to make informed choices in women’s clothing. In a broader sense this creates a much more meaningful and inspired range of clothing that has relevance beyond certain societal norms. Have greater choice, comfort, and freedom when it comes to fashion.
3. Captivating Women’s Expression and Style: Beauty with Political Significance
In the world of fashion, captivating women’s expression and style is more than just a reflection of beauty; it is a powerful symbol of feminism that speaks volumes through its history and essence.
A Fashion Expression of Strength: Clothing is the armor with which women express their strength. As they adorn themselves with sleeves and skirts, cross-ties and pockets, they’re articulating a powerful sense of resilience that comes not only from within, but also from those that surround them and have historically fought for women’s rights all over the world. Throughout the ages, clothing has not only shaped the perception of women and how they interact with the world, but it has also helped dynamic individuals create positive social and political changes.
Leading Global Movements: Women have been the leaders of numerous global movements that have shaped history in both the East and West. Their style and expression in post-independence eras showed an eagerness to build on the successes of their predecessors and create a sense of national identity through the power of fashion. Examples range from the rise of traditional garments in India, to the rise of the saree in Sri Lanka, to the Gele headtie in Nigeria, and to the Pelone dress in Mexico.
Preservation of Wisdom & Beauty: Many of these traditional garments have become integral parts of global fashion trends, highlighting the timelessness of beauty and wisdom that is shared and passed on for generations. From intricate print details to sartorial finishes, to modest silhouettes with modern interpretations, the traditions of these garments are skillfully highlighted to celebrate the strength and beauty of every culture.
Fashion Revolution: As the world continues to move ever closer towards a more socially and environmentally aware society, women’s expression and style via fashion has become a huge tool for cultural reform and social change. With this revolution, activists have used fashion as a platform to influence protests and marches, and to create sensitivity and awareness around topics such as gender equality and female empowerment.
A Trilemma: At present, captivating women’s expression and style is a trilemma: beauty, power and politics. It serves as a reminder of the strength of feminist movements, the preservation of traditional garment culture, and how fashion can be an active and powerful form of expression.
4. Fashion as an Emblem for Women’s Empowerment: Breaking Gender Barriers and Redefining Social Norms
With its steady rise in popularity, fashion isn’t just about creating trends – it’s about breaking gender barriers and redefining social norms. Far from being limited to magazines, digital media and traditional outlets, fashion has become an important platform for women to push for change and demand representation in the public space.
Fashion as a symbol of women’s empowerment is nothing new and has been shaping our ideas of female identity and gender roles since ancient times. For instance, the regal costume of the Egyptian queen Hatshepsut, more than 3,000 years ago, was a visible manifestation of her power and authority. Flowing robes and elaborate dresses have often been used to highlight the presence and power of women in culture, and to express their standing in the wider social structure.
In a similar vein, today’s fashion industry is playing a crucial role in advancing the cause of female empowerment. We are seeing a vibrant and stylish celebration of diversity, an embrace of different body shapes and sizes, and ever greater visibility for minorities and socially marginalised groups. From the ramp to Instagram, women are using fashion as a tool for self-expression and visibility at every level – from changing the way we dress to changing the way society perceives us.
Fashion is now an established platform for challenging gender norms and biases, and encouraging social inclusion and equality. Women are taking greater control of their lives and redefining beauty standards through gender-neutral clothing and unconstrained styles. We are also seeing women-led initiatives across the industry rallying around the cause of equality – pushing for better representation, more diversity and a greater focus on body positivity.
What’s more, fashion is about peer-to-peer engagement and giving voices to the unheard. From clothing lines to events, women are seizing the opportunity to come together in a spirit of solidarity and shared purpose. In an age of increasing polarisation, fashion is creating the space we need for meaningful dialogue and open-mindedness. It is no doubt an era of unprecedented firsts, where women’s liberation and empowerment is no longer just expected, but a reality.
The evolution of what we considered to be “women’s fashion” is an interesting and ever-evolving concept. From the oppressive corset of eras past, to the modern movement towards women’s empowerment and a wider range of fashion choices, it is clear that we have come a long way from where we started. Now is our chance to shape the future, and push further for a new definition of what it means to be fashionable.
