Casualization of Clothing

 I'm taking a break from talking about used clothing this week to focus a bit on history. I recently saw a photograph of women from the 1920s, and it occurred to me what an amazing transformation had happened for women's clothing in just 30 years.

Here's an image of what women wore in the 1890s. Note the long sleeves, high necklines and rear bustles. These outfits would also have required a corset underneath and petticoats.

I found this image at ThisVictorianLife.com. 

The couple who runs the site wears Victorian-era clothing

in their everyday lives.

Here is an image of what women wore in the 1920s. Note the (relatively) high hemlines, short sleeves and more contemporary necklines. Also note the low heel on the shoes.

I found this image on a Pinterest page.

While I personally prefer clothing that's a bit more figure-flattering, imagine the freedom these women from the 20s experienced compared to their 1890's sisters!

Have things changed as much 100 years later? Maybe. Take a look at the next two images, also approximately 30 years apart.

Here's an example of what professional women wore to work in the 1990s. Note the heavy emphasis on structure, with the blazer covering most of the front. Note also how tight and pointy the shoes look:

I found this image on a Pinterest page

And, finally, what we're all likely wearing to work (from home) these days. Note the relative lack of structure and heavy emphasis on comfort:

This image is from The Times, U.K., 03/31/2020

If history is a guide, we'll likely see the pendulum swing to more structured clothing post-pandemic, but I suspect the more casual approach to dressing for work is here to stay. And I say, Yay!