The 7 Biggest Fashion Trends of the Past 70 Years
There are reasons some era-defining fashion trends become great Halloween costumes (poodle skirts, anyone?) while others become classics. Here, seven style hits that have withstood the test of time.
The ’30s trend: LBDs
When Coco Chanel debuted the little black dress in 1926, it wasn’t (shock!) an instant hit—black had previously been reserved for clergy or people in mourning. It wasn’t until the Great Depression in the ’30s that women saw the genius of a simple dress you could get cheap and that would never go out of style. The rest is fashion-emergency history.
The ’40s trend: menswear
We can thank Katherine Hepburn for working sleek pants into the Hollywood-approved wardrobe. In masculine trousers and shirts, she proved it was possible to look glamorous and be comfortable at the same time. The newest way to wear Hepburn-esque trousers? Mix in girly stuff, like ruffled blouses, big necklaces or cocktail rings.
The ’50s: pencil skirts
The best reason to adore Dior: The French designer created the pencil skirts popularized by the era’s stylish First Lady, Jackie Kennedy. The silhouette still flatters all shapes—it sleek-ifies hips! it elongates legs!—making it a fashion no-brainer.
The ’60s: minis
British designer Mary Quant’s shorter-than-ever-before skirts captured the rebellious spirit of the decade—and quickly became a favorite of stylish young women on both sides of the pond. Though fashionable hemlines have been on a roller coaster ever since (midthigh to ankle to knee-length), a cute mini with a pair of black tights will be forever chic.
The ’70s trend: platform shoes
First introduced in the ’40s, the style exploded in the’70s when even men’s soles soared to airy, disco-ready heights. The best of today’s styles have none of that decade’s unwieldy chunkiness but all the height-giving sexiness that made us love them in the first place.
The ’80s trend: sexy jeans
When the hot model of the decade Brooke Shields breathily declared, “Nothing comes between me and my Calvins,” jeans suddenly went from sporty weekend wear to glam wardrobe staple.
The ’90s trend: minimalism
Sensory overload from the neon and Lycra of the’80s had designers in the early’90s offering sleek, neutral-tone fashions. Though other trends made a splash throughout the decade—grunge, Goth, hip-hop—it’s this less-is-more vibe that’s lasted.
