1920's
Women's Makeup and Hair:
- Dark eyes- round shadow on top and bottom lid.
- Thin eyebrows- rounded but slanted downwards
- 'Rosebud' lips- deep reds/purple.
- Marcel waved hair/Eton crop- hair was long and pinned up at the start of the decade but over the years women started cutting their hair short.
Fashion for Women-
- Shirts got shorter- just below knee by mid 20s for easier movement.
- 'Boyish figure' dresses.
- No more corsets.
- Coco Chanel started wearing trousers and it slowly became more normal.
Fashion for Men:
- Black leather shoes were worn formally, but two toned brogues were popular
- Thin lapels.
- Cuffed trousers.
- Shorter trousers became popular with sweaters
- Although top hats became less popular, hats were still very common. Fedoras, panama hats or flat tweed caps came into fashion.
Social and Political influences:
- After the end of ww1 just before the 20s, women became more independent and since working in the war, were determined to keep the work ethic which often called for more practical clothing.
- Women (age 30 +) got the vote in 1918, and in 1928 this changed to women aged 21+, so this decade really was the turning point for women and their independency. This suffragette movement gave the women of the younger generation more scope to break out of the stereotypical female styles that had been set down before them.
- In December 1919, the Sex Disqualification Removal act came into play, meaning that it was now illegal to remove women from jobs based on sex, so women became workers.
- Even though they had been able to attend courses previously, it was not until 1920 that women were allowed to obtain degrees.
- In 1924, the first Labour Prime Minister was elected, then elected again in 1929. These surges in voices for the working class along with post-war mentality ultimately played a big role in relaxing the social lines that were previously enforced, which was reflected in fashion.
1930's
Women's Makeup and Hair:
- Very thin, rounded eyebrows.
- Pink blush.
- Lipstick- mostly reds, wide cupids bow.
- Lighter eyeshadows.
- Longer, softer waves/curls, evolving from 1920's Marcel waves.
- Everything got more feminine again- it had been more than a decade since the war ended and with the influence of Hollywood Glam, women aspired again for more traditional means of beauty.
Women's Fashion:
- Fur was popular.
- Mid-calf length dresses with fairly streamlined silhouettes.
- Strappy heels.
- Hats covering one eye.
Men's Fashion:
- Both men and women wore side partings.
- Hair was short and natural.
- Suspenders.
- Waistcoats.
Social and Political influences:
- Development of makeup and TV meant it was easier to set trend, but also change them.
- With the BBC and 'Talkie' films emerging late 20s, bringing media to more and more people.
1940's
Women's Makeup and Hair:
- Red lips, no cupid's bow, elongated lips.
- Eyebrows got a bit fuller, still rounded.
- Eyeliner became popular in late 40's.
- Watered down coffee and gravy was used to add colour to legs.
- 'Victory Rolls'- with curls. Snoods were used in wartime to keep curls in tact whilst women were working in factories.
Women's Fashion:
- Cinched in waists with square shoulder pads, peplum style jackets/dresses.
- Midi length skirts
- Long, wide legged trousers.
Men's Fashion:
- Trench coats, pea coats.
- Muted colours.
- Tweed and rough wool were popular materials.
- Suspenders got replaced by belts.
- Tucked in dress shirt.
- Shorter, thicker ties, often patterned.
- 'Pocket square'- a handkerchief for show, kept in front jacket pocket.
- V neck shirts.
- Fedoras.
- Two-toned brogues.
- Side parted, slicked back hair.
Social and Political influences:
- Because of war restrictions, clothes couldn't be made in the styles that were popular, e.g. cuffed trouser legs, because it would waste fabric. This meant many men wore their pre-war clothes up until mid 40s, meaning fashion for men was much the same as 30s.
- After the war, many military uniforms influenced men's fashion, so things like trench coats and chinos were popular.
- The war further broke down social expectations- people couldn't hold onto the previous fashion traditions because of clothing restrictions.
Social and Political Influences:
- War declared 3rd September 1939. Wartime rations really impacted fashion and cosmetics- many had to find creative ways of making do with what was offered.
- Burnt cork for mascara- beetroot juice or cochineal (carmine) for lipstick with petroleum jelly to add gloss. Watered down coffee and gravy was used to add colour to legs.
- Adverts encouraged women wearing makeup.
1950's
Women's Makeup and Hair:
- Very short, curly hair was popular, as well as long ponytails and short fringes.
- Black hair was usually straightened, then styled, though towards the end of the 50's, a lot of black women left their hair natural.
- Bleach became popular, along with hair colourants like henna.
- Fuller, more arched eyebrows.
- Eye makeup was pretty natural, some eyeliner and soft shadows.
- Red lips, more or less following the natural line.
- Fair skin was desirable.
Women's Fashion:
- Similar to 40s, softer silhouette & shoulders.
- Hat, gloves, scarves and handbags became necessities.
- Sheath dresses.
- Short jackets.
Men's Fashion:
- Skinny 'drainpipe' trousers.
- Edwardian influenced.
- Long jackets with thin lapels.
- Waistcoats.
- D.A hairstyle- short sides with long on top, quiffed.
Social and Political Influences:
- Hair revolutions- rollers and hairspray, paved the way for hairstyles n this decade and the next.
- TV was back in full swing after being stopped during the war.
- Rock 'n' Roll became a big thing mid 50s, creating a divide between the younger and older generations, splitting fashion and the way things were marketed.
- Pants suits were still not socially acceptable for most women out in public, but the post war years created a split between woman that had missed the opportunity to dress up during the war and those who thought it was too much fuss and preferred the practicality of the war fashions.
1960's
Women's Makeup and Hair:
- Beehive hair or very short.
- Pale lips.
- Monochromatic eyeshadow- sharp cut crease- dark.
- Dramatic eyelashes, often drawn on.
- Neat, arched brows.
Women's Fashion:
- Mini Skirt.
- Trousers became acceptable- high waisted culottes or high waisted skinny trousers.
- Afros became popular, even for white people.
- Gogo boots.
Men's Fashion:
- Long hair became unisex.
- Men's fashion in general became more feminine- accessories like dainty scarves were worn and clothes became tighter, with flares coming into style.
- There was a lot of disregard for previous fashion rules; men started to not wear ties, or jackets and pair up casual wear with smarter dress.
Social and Political influences:
- The hippie movement influenced a lot of 60's fashion without becoming a major trend until the following decade.
- Stonewall riots.
- Fight for civil rights.
1970s
Women's makeup and hair:
- More natural makeup; feminists wanted to feel liberated and not be seen as sex objects but still wanted to wear makeup.
- On the flip side, punk was in- strong, dark makeup worn by both men and women.
- Eyeshadow was mostly just worn as one colour, with some brow bone highlight.
- Eyebrows were pretty thin.
- Red, glossy lips made a comeback.
- Bronzer and blush worn but quite natural.
- Piercings and tattoos became popular in the punk scene.
- Sun tans were desirable- fake tan was popular.
- Hair ranged from long and feathered to harshly spiked and shaved. Short, androgynous hairstyles were also common. Bright hair colours also came into fashion, mostly worn by punks.
Women's Fashion:
- Loose, bohemian style clothes.
- Brightly coloured clothes- blazers, shoulder pads, hot pants, boots.
Men's Fashion:
- Long, shaggy hair became popular, as well as facial hair.
- Lots of hairstyles were unisex, like 'the shag', which was short choppy layers getting longer towards the bottom.
- Punk/skinheads wore shaved hair, messy spikes and mohawks, sometimes dyed black or bright colours.
- 'Retro dressing'- wearing secondhand clothes from previous eras.
- Punks wore tartan, safety pins and rivets in clothes, boots, worn looking jeans and t shirts.
- Flares were popular in the beginning of the 70s.
Social and Political Influences:
- Women's Liberation- workplace equality.
- Five all-male colleges at Oxford University opened their doors to women (1972).
- Britain passed the Equal Pay Act and Sex Discrimination Act (1975).
- 1979 Margaret Thatcher was the first woman to be British Prime Minister.
- Unemployment- people wore lots of secondhand clothes.
1980s
Women's Hair and Makeup:
- Bright, strong, colourful makeup.
- Blush was heavy and strong from temples to cheekbones.
- Eyeliner and mascara was commonly worn in bright shades to go with the bright eyeshadows.
- Hair was big- perms, crimping and back combing were used to achieve the big hair.
Women's fashion:
- Big, colourful jewellery.
- Sportswear was popular, as well as disco pants, parachute pants.
- Menswear was commonly worn by women.
- Shoulder pads.
Men's Fashion:
- Denim was popular, as well as sportswear.
- Facial hair became less common towards the end of the decade.
- Turtle neck jumpers.
- Mullets, mohawks and shaved heads were just some of the 80s hair trends.
Social and Political Influences
- Margaret Thatcher was prime minister for the 80s.
- Rise of unemployment.
1990s
Women's Hair and Makeup:
- Braids.
- Glossy lips with dark lip liner.
- Light, sparkly eyeshadow.
- Thin eyebrows.
- Spiky updos.
- Blonde highlights.
Women's fashion:
- Halter necks, crop tops and boob tubes came back into fashion.
- Stonewash jeans.
- Chokers.
- Gold hoop earrings.
- Supermodels were looked up to- very thin became desirable.
- Ripped jeans, band t shirts.
- Piercings and tattoos gained popularity.
Men's fashion:
- Band tees, oversized flannel shirts.
- Loose jeans.
- Hip hop became popular and with it came baggy shorts, trackies, jeans, basketball tops.
- Floppy middle parted hair.
- Short spiky hair, blonde highlights or stripes.
2000's
Women's Hair and Makeup:
- Natural makeup, some lip gloss, some shimmery eyeshadow.
- Smokey eyes.
- Late 2000s lots of women cut hair short or sported an 'undercut', shaving a section on the side of their hair.
Women's Fashion
- Low waisted, skinny jeans.
- Crop tops.
- Denim Skirts.
- Dolly shoes.
- 'Tramp stamps'- tattoos on the lower back.
- Ugg boots.
- Leggings.
Men's Fashion
- Polo shirts with popped collars.
- Ripped jeans.
- Converse shoes or other trainers.
- One pierced ear.
- Faux hawks and other spiky variations.
Modern Day
Women's hair and makeup:
- Thick, sculpted eyebrows.
- Very dark or nude lipstick, lips drawn on fuller than natural.
- Fake tan is popular.
- Long, straight or wavy hair, hair extensions are common, unnatural colours are popular.
Women's Fashion:
- Skinny jeans still popular, ripped knees are in at the moment.
- Burgundy, khaki and black and nudes are popular colours.
- Chunky black boots or vans are popular footwear.
- Piercings and tattoos are very common, as are stretched ears.
Men's Fashion:
- Beards are in, with pompadour hairstyles nostalgic of 50's rockabilly times.
- Skinny jeans are worn by men too.
- Again, tattoos, piercings and stretches ears are common.
- Baseball caps worn backwards.
- Band t shirts.
- Bomber Jackets, denim jackets, pea coats.
