1940s Fads & Fashions
In popular dancing, the Jitterbug made its
appearance at the beginning of the decade. It was
the first dance in two centuries that allowed
individual expression. GI's took the dance overseas
when they to war, dancing with local girls, barmaids, or even each other if
necessary. Rosie the Riveter was the symbol of the working woman, as the men
went off to war and the women were needed to work in the factories. GIs,
however, preferred another symbol, the pin-up girl, such as Rita Hayworth or
Betty Grable. Pictures were mounted on lockers and inside helmets to remind the
men what they were fighting for. Wherever American soldiers went, even the first
to arrive would find a picture of eyes and a nose, with the message, Kilroy was
Here. After they returned, Kilroy began to mark his place on the walls and rocks
of public places. More than one pregnant woman came into the delivery room
with "Kilroy was here" painted on her belly.
Working mothers, combined with another new
phenomenon, the refrigerator, led to the invention
of frozen dinners. With the advent of television
later in the decade, they became known as TV
Dinners. Tupperware and aluminum foil eased the
postwar housewives' burden, and diners, originally
horse drawn carriages with a couple of barstools,
became a stationary, respectable staple of the
postwar culture. The Slinky was invented by a ship
inspector in 1945. Teenagers became a
recognized force in the forties. With the men off to war, teenagers - boys and
girls - found employment readily available, and so had money to spend.
Seventeen magazine was established in 1944. Advertisement began to be aimed
at teens. With fathers away and mothers at work, another new phenomenon
arose - the juvenile delinquent.
The Zoot Suit was the height of fashion among daring young men until the War
Production Department restricted the amount of fabric that could be used in
men's garments. The same restrictions led to the popularity of the women's
convertible suit, a jacket, short skirt, and blouse. The jacket could be shed for
more formal attire at night. Silk stockings were unavailable, so, to give the illusion
with stockings with their prominent seam, women would draw a line up the backs
of their legs with an eyeliner. At work, as "Rosie the Riveter" took on a man's
work, slacks became acceptable attire.
Kukla, Fran & Ollie kicked off children's television as Junior Jamboree in 1947,
followed by the Howdy Doody Show.
1950s FADS & FASHION - these were a few of our favorite things
Perhaps one of the things which most characterizes the 1950's was the strong
element of conservatism and anticommunist feeling which ran throughout much of
society. One of the best indicators of the conservative frame of mind was the
addition of the phrase "under God" to the Pledge of Allegiance. Religion was seen
as an indicator of anti-communism. Fifties clothing was conservative. Men wore
gray flannel suits and women wore dresses with pinched in waists and high heels.
French fashion designers such as Dior, Chanel and Givenchy were popular and
copied in America. Families worked together, played together and vacationed
together at family themed entertainment areas like national parks and the new
Disneyland. Gender roles were strongly held, girls played with Barbie dolls and
Dale Evans gear, boys with Roy Rogers and Davy Crockett paraphernalia. Drivein movies became popular for families and teens. Cars were seen as an indicator
of prosperity and cool-ness. Highways were built to take people quickly from one
place to another, by-passing small towns and helping to create central marketing
areas or shopping malls such as Sharpstown Mall, Gulfgate Mall and Meyerland
Plaza in Houston.
Fashion successes were Bill Blass and his blue jeans, poodle skirts made of felt and decorated
with sequins and poodle appliques, pony tails for girls, and flat tops and crew cuts for guys.
Saddle shoes and blue suede loafers were popular. Teenagers were defined as a separate
generation and were represented by James Dean who wore blue jeans in Rebel Without a Cause
and created a fashion and attitude sensation. Activities we liked were flying saucer watching , and
watching and dancing to Dick Clark's American Bandstand . Fad hits with kids were toys like hula
hoops and Hopalong Cassidy guns and western gear, Davy Crockett coon skin hats and silly
putty .
Perhaps the most far reaching change in communications worldwide was the advancement in the
area of television broadcasting. During the 1950's, television became the dominant mass media
as people brought television into their homes in greater numbers of hours per week than ever
before. In the early fifties, the number of hours young people watched TV steadily increased, a
trend which has not changed greatly since that time. What was portrayed on television became
accepted as normal. The ideal family, the ideal schools and neighborhoods, the world, were all
seen in a way which had only partial basis in reality. People began to accept what was heard and
seen on television because they were "eye witnesses" to events as never before. Programs such
as You Are There brought historical events into the living rooms of many Americans. The affect
on print news media and entertainment media was felt in lower attendance at movies and greater
reliance on TV news sources for information. And then, in 1954, black and white broadcasts
became color broadcasts. Shows called "sitcoms " like The Honeymooners , Lassie, Father
Knows Best, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet , and I Love Lucy featured popular characters
whose lives thousands of viewers watched and copied. Families enjoyed variety shows like
Disneyland and The Ed Sullivan Show on Sunday evenings. Daytime programs like Guiding
Light, a "soap opera" were popular and helped advertisers sell many products to the
homemakers of America. News broadcasting changed from newsmen simply reading the news
to shows which included videotaped pictures of events which had occurred anywhere in the
world, and then to more and more live broadcasts of events happening at the time of viewing.
This was made possible in 1951 with the development of coaxial cable and microwave relays
coast to coast. When Edward R. Murrow began offering his weekly radio program (called "Hear
It Now") on TV as "See It Now," the world of news broadcasting was irrevocably changed
(eyewitness recounts the change)
Youth predominated the culture of the 1960's. The post World War II Baby
Boom had created 70 million teenagers for the sixties, and these youth
swayed the fashion, the fads and the politics of the decade. California
surfers took to skateboards as a way to stay fit out of season, and by 1963,
the fad had spread across the country. Barbie dolls, introduced by Mattel
in 1959, became a huge success in the sixties, so much so that rival toy
manufacturer Hasbro came up with G. I. Joe, 12 inches tall and the first
action figure for boys. Another doll, the troll or Dammit doll (named for it's
creator, Thomas Dam) was a good luck symbol for all ages. Slot cars
overtook toy trains in popularity.
COSTUMES / FASHION
The 1960's began with crew cuts on men and
bouffant hairstyles on women. Men's casual shirts
were often plaid and buttoned down the front, while kneelength dresses were required wear for women in most public
places. By mid-decade, miniskirts or hot pants, often worn
with go-go boots, were revealing legs, bodywear was revealing
curves, and women's hair was either very short or long and
lanky. Men's hair became longer and wider, with beards and
moustaches. Men's wear had a renaissance. Bright colors,
double-breasted sports jackets, polyester pants suits with
Nehru jackets, and turtlenecks were in vogue. By the end of
the decade, ties, when worn, were up to 5" wide, patterned
even when worn with stripes. Women wore peasant skirts or
granny dresses and chunky shoes. Unisex dressing was
popular, featuring bell bottomed jeans, love beads, and
embellished t-shirts. Clothing was as likely to be purchased at
surplus stores as boutiques. Blacks of both genders wore their hair in an afro.
Television offered the second prime time cartoon show, the Flintstones , in 1960. (The
first was Rocky and his Friends in 1959.) It appealed to both children and adults and set
off a trend that included Alvin & the Chipmunks , the Jetsons , and Mr. Magoo. The
Andy Griffith Show was the epitome of prime time family television, and ran for most of
the decade. The Beverly Hillbillies heralded the rise of the sitcom. The supernatural
and science fiction blended in many of the popular shows, including Bewitched, The
Addams Family, My Favorite Martian , I Dream of Jeannie, Star Trek, the Outer Limits ,
and the Twilight Zone. In the late 60's, humor was revived in a show called Rowan and
Martin's Laugh In, where many regular performers and guests became part of a show biz
classic.
1970s brought Mood rings, lava lamps,
Rubik's cube, Sea Monkeys, smiley face stickers,
and pet rocks all captured the imagination of
Americans during this decade. Families vacationed
in station wagons and everyone wanted an RV.
The fashion influence of Sixties hippies was
mainstreamed in the Seventies, as men sported
shoulder length hair and non-traditional clothing
became the rage, including bellbottom pants, hip huggers, colorful patches, hot pants,
platform shoes, earth shoes, clogs, T-shirts, and gypsy dresses. Knits and denims were
the fabrics of choice. Leisure suits for men became commonplace, and women were
fashionable in everything from ankle-length grandmother dresses to hot pants and
micro-miniskirts. The movie Annie Hall (1977) even inspired a fashion trend with women
sporting traditional men's clothing such as derby hats, tweed jackets, and neckties worn
with baggy pants or skirts
By the 1970's, the term "rock & roll" had become nearly meaningless. This decade saw
the breakup of the Beatles and the death of Elvis Presley, robbing rock of two major
influences. Pop music splintered into a multitude of styles: soft rock, hard rock, country
rock, folk rock, punk rock, shock rock - and the dance craze of the decade, disco! But
whatever sub-genre(s) you preferred, rock music was big business.
Among the top names in popular music were Aerosmith, the Bee Gees, David
Bowie, Jackson Browne, Alice Cooper, Eagles, Electric Light Orchestra, Emerson,
Lake & Palmer, Fleetwood Mac, Billy Joel, Elton John, Led Zeppelin, John Lennon,
Pink Floyd, Bob Seger, Bruce Springsteen, Rod Stewart,Three Dog Night, and The
Who. "Easy listening" regained popularity with groups such as the Carpenters, and
Bob Marley gained a huge core of fans in the U.S. performing Jamaican reggae
music.
Television came of age in the Seventies as topics once considered taboo were
broached on the airwaves for the first time. Leading the way was the humorous
social satire of All in the Family, which had plots on many controversial issues such
as abortion, race, and homosexuality. Saturday Night Live also satirized topics and
people once thought of as off limits for such treatment, such as sex and religion.
Nothing was considered sacred. Television satellite news broadcasts from the frontlines
of the conflict in Vietnam continued to bring the horrors of war into the homes of millions
of Americans and intensified anti-war sentiment in the country. The immensely popular
TV miniseries Roots fostered an interest in genealogy, a greater appreciation of whites
for the plight of blacks, and an increased interest in African American history. Happy
Days, which followed the lives of a group of fifties-era teenagers, was TV's primary nod
to nostalgia, while The Brady Bunch comically presented the contemporary family. The
relatively new publicly funded Corporation for Public Broadcasting gained viewers and
stature with such fare as Sesame Street for children, and live broadcasts of the Senate
Watergate hearings.
Hot Movies: Staying Alive, Rocky, Star Wars, Exorcist, Jaws
1980s
Nerd's became a hot commodity in the 1980s. Wealthy and brainy computer wizards
like Stephen Wozniak helped. So did movies like Revenge of the Nerds, Lucas, Stand
by Me, and Peggy Sue Got Married. TV joined the nerd ranks with ABC's hit series
Head of the Class. Food of the 80s included the popular fast food places like Taco Bell
and McDonald's McDLT and McRib. Kids loved Sweetarts, Skittles, Nerds, Runts,
Hubba Bubba Chewing Gum, and Five Alive.
Collectibles were big in the 80s. Smurf and E.T. paraphernalia, Cabbage
Patch dolls, camcorders, video games (Nintendo, Pac Man, Game Boy),
Rubik's Cube, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Barbies (now Hispanic,
Black, Asian) were big. New were discount air fares, lite foods, aerobics,
minivans, talk shows, and Valley Girls (grody to the max).
The combination of Nancy Reagan's elegance and Princess Di's love of fashion,
stimulated a return to opulent clothing styles. Power dressing was in. Madonna was a
big influence on young fashion. The Flashdance look had young and old in tank tops,
tight-fitting pants or torn jeans, and leg-warmers. Shows like Dallas, Knots Landing, and
Dynasty also had an impact on the high society look. Teens not wearing
designer clothes opted for Michael Jackson's glove or Madonna’s fishnet
stockings, leather, and chains. Sneakers were so popular (and necessary)
and the price so high that the Los Angeles Police Department accused shoe
companies of cashing in on the easy drug money picked up by inner city
kids.
Cable was born and MTV, originally intended to be promos for albums, had
an enormous impact on music and young people. The digital compact disc
(cd) revolutionized the music industry. Dances learned on MTV included
slam dancing, lambada, and break dancing. Popular movies; ET, Platoon,
Dirty Dancing, Driving Miss Daisy, Tootsie, Arthur. Big run on broadway
theater: Les Mis, Phantom, West Side Story etc.
Pop, rock, new wave, punk, country, and especially rap or hip hop became popular in
the 80s. Rap was new in the late 80s and 90s. The early rap heard on ghetto streets
was abrasive and laced with hostility toward society. Early important groups are Milli
Vanilli, M. C. Hammer , Vanilla Ice, and L.L. Cool J.
TV innovations and trends included anti-family sitcoms like Roseanne and Married...with
Children; tabloid tv with Geraldo, Phil, Sally, and Oprah; stand-up comics included Gary
Shandling, Jane Curtin, George Carlin, Jackie Mason, Bill Cosby, Jerry Seinfeld, and
Tracy Ullman; info-tainment included Nightline with Ted Koppel, CNN Cable News,and
20/20 with Hugh Downs and Barbara Walters.
Cosby
Show
Cheers
Roseanne
A Different
World
America's Funniest
Home Videos
Golden
Girls
The Wonder
Years
Empty
Nest
60 Minutes
Unsolved Mysteries
1990s “For youth, the fashion of the decade began
with Grunge on one hand and preppie on the other. Hip
Hop style was popular. Boys' jeans have grown bigger
and bigger, worn low on the hips, and girls are wearing
bellbottoms and poor boy tops reminiscent of the 70's.
Over $6 billion was spent by fast food places on
uniforms. Designers included Liz Claiborne, DKNY, and
Tommy Hilfinger. Dress down Fridays became
commonplace and gradually developed into a more
casual work dress code altogether, with 53% of
companies allowing casual dress in 1998, up from 7 % in
1992. Khaki pants and polo shirts or denim shirts were the work-place norm.
New fabrics such as microfiber and tencel competed with the ever-popular cotton
and linen. Consumer spending on clothing dropped from 4.6% in 1990 to 1% in
1995. While interest in health and nutrition increased, obesity was at a record
high. Fads included Tae-bo, in-line skates, beanie babies, Furby, Tickle Me
Elmo, WWJD, Yo-yos, tattoos and body piercing, and the ubiquitous video
games.
There were more music choices available than ever, although radio stations
tended to find a niche and stick to it rather than playing a mix. Latino music grew
in popularity. Country became more mainstream, and Grunge and Gansta
appeared. R&B and hip-hop remained popular, as did movie soundtracks.
Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men led the charts with "One Sweet Day." Selena
was the top Latin singer until her untimely death in 1995. Other popular artists
included Hootie & the Blowfish, Alanis Morrisette, Janet Jackson, Garth Brooks,
Celine Dion Boy Bands and Madonna. The Spice Girls were a group created by
the music industry for their diversity and sex appeal.
Hot TV Shows: Seinfeld, Friends, ER, Home Improvement, Frasier, Touched By
An Angel, Dr. Quinn, Walker Texas Ranger,
Hot Movies: Dances With Wolves, Silence of the Lambs, Schindlers List, Titanic,
Braveheart, American Beauty, Forrest Gump