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Ladies curling in the early years - look at the brooms and the fashions.
Mid 1900's
Bentley, Alberta


Credits:
Bentley Museum Society

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Fashions through the Years

Fashions seem to follow different events and times in our history. As the country became more prosperous and families had more money, their clothes became more in tune with worldly styles.
The 1920’s brought in many changes, women voting, automobiles, electrical appliances and a change in women’s fashions. Short skirts, seven to ten inches below the knee, dropped waistlines and flapper dresses appeared on the scene. We will always remember the" Flapper Dresses" of the "Roaring Twenties.
Hats became very popular in the 1930’s. They were back to stay. Ladies applied more makeup to their faces. Men wore spats above their oxfords, to keep their ankles warm.
During and after WW 11 people were only allowed to use a minimum of material. Accessories and trimmings were limited also. During these war years and the Depression, sometimes a nightgown would be turned into a wedding dress or a sheet may have been turned into a skirt or shirt. During this time clothes were mended and one new outfit was made from two old outfits. New clothes were made from drapes, sheets, pillow cases, and other household materials. The mottos of these years were, "make do with what you have" or "wear and mend". Pants were never worn by girls in public until war time. Women replaced men in the factories and manufacturing outlets. They couldn’t work and replace men in these places without wearing pants. Hence, the women started wearing pants in public. The ladies kind-of liked these pants and were soon wearing them for dress and shocking the world.
Now for the 50’s-girdles, nylon stockings, swimsuits, saddle oxfords, plaid pleated skirts, bell bottom pants, empire waist dresses and pullover sweaters. Men could buy and wear pink shirts, plaid and stripped pants.
From the late 1950’s to the late 1960’s youth were thought of as the main influence of the fashions, hemlines varied from mini-dresses to maxi-length skirts. The following years produced the "yuppie" fashions which related to dress in business or office clothing. Space fashions were also popular in the 60’s. During this time numerous types of clothing were made out of leather and plastics. History repeats itself; we saw the same types of clothing again in the eighties.
The fashions of the 80’s were influenced by changes in political power. High ideals were presented by our country’s leaders. People "dressed for success", wearing suits and office clothing that would help them move up the ladder and as a result obtain a better job.
The 1980’s was the time period when "punk" or rock n’ roll dress became more accepted. Ripped jeans and T-shirts, unusual colored hair, multiple earrings, and neon clothing were often worn by celebrities and copied by the common people.
The styles in the 90’s have become more down to earth again. However, generally most people living from 1990 to present day are likely to dress in whatever they most feel comfortable in just like in the 1960’s and throughout the 1970’s. The practice of body piercing (navels, eyebrows, noses, and even private areas of the body) and tattooing has certainly got carried away from this time to present.
Some fashions are classic, they will stand the test of time and may never go out of style. However, other clothing are just "fads" and will only last a short period of time.
We wonder what the fashions will be like when people start travelling to other planets. If the experts are right and our planet, the earth is getting warmer our fashions are sure to change. Maybe we will be back to wearing flowing robes as the people of the deserts do today. It is going to be interesting to see what is coming in the future.