The Many Origins of Modern Fashion
Image Courtesy: SSI Life
Since last year's lockdown, artists across the globe seem reinspired, from introspective TV specials to solo albums, and fashion is no exception. Fashion by nature is hard to define, hard to contain, and hard to erase. Even the most minute of trends can come back because fashion is never stagnant. Rather, it is ever-flowing and freshly renewed. Although at times it can seem ugly, at the end of the day, all clothing is fashion. Post lockdown, more diversity, and inclusivity can be found across the industry — it isn’t that everybody is dressed better than before, but more independently and true to themselves.
Throughout history, clothing has been used to identify one’s class, subculture, or social group. Greasers, rock stars, hippies, and punks have all dressed a certain way for others to recognize. Today, there is a tangible difference since people dress however they want without belonging or committing to a singular group or aesthetic.
A college campus, for example, has an incredible amount of visible fashion diversity. A variety of factors contribute to this newfound diversification, including free time and self–inspection during the lockdown, increased fashion media consumption found on TikTok or YouTube, and a large bandwagon movement, which shows more and more people being open to riskier clothing trends.
One such trend that has been steadily rising is commonly referred to as “cottage core". Cottage core differs from other recent 21st century movements due to its soft aesthetic and focus on rural life. Staple pieces of the cottage core wardrobe may include corsets, long linen dresses, hair scarves, small floral patterns, and pastels. While modern cottage core as we know it began to take off as early as 2019, the look has a historic and romantic feel reminiscent of medieval Europe. Even in a huge city, this aesthetic embodies the lifestyle of the old English countryside and allows people to look and feel calm and nature-oriented.
Image Courtesy: Vogue Rodarte Spring Collection
Another notable trend that has been on the rise again is the alternative scene, in the particular vein of punk rock. Emerging in the mid-’70s, punk has been a taboo subculture full of societal outcasts and miscreants of all backgrounds. It has inspired countless outlets in music, film, and fashion.
The word "punk" conjures distinct images: neon mohawks, hair spikes, black clothing, chains, pierced faces, split tongues. While this extreme look is the origin of punk fashion — and many still claim this style — low-level punk has become the new “basic” among teens and young adults. Colored hairstreaks, dramatic eyeliner, ripped leggings, loud plaid, and chunky boots are all trends with origins in the punk scene. The look is undeniably cool and can be styled by people who don’t listen to or produce punk music at all. For instance, Willow Smith and Olivia Rodrigo still dip their toes into this crazy cool aesthetic.
Image Courtesy: Japanese Street Fashion
If cottage core is the new bohemian and alternative is the new punk, 70’s inspired retro is the new hippie (and the old hippie, too). Bell-bottoms, suede jackets, roller skates, brown florals - you name it, it’s back. Fashion from the ’70s is unique in that, since its inception, it never fully left the mainstream. Celebrities such as Stevie Nicks, Cher, and Elton John have managed to stay relevant and stay their respective selves, thus consistently inspiring the tastes of others. However, in the past five years, this aesthetic has grown exponentially.
While the retro flower child look is one of the best to come back around, the ’70s were not all about hippies. A sleek, high-fashion scene also emerged in this decade and included casually elegant pieces such as gold hoops, women’s blazers, satin blouses, tall boots, and long, slimming pants. It was a powerful look, one that is exemplified today in the 2019 Tommy Hilfiger x Zendaya line. Featuring cherry-red leather, bold-patterned satin, fluffy hair, and knee-high boots, the collection is a bold take on the past, and is exactly what we needed to get the retro ball rolling again.
Image Courtesy: Pop Sugar
Fashion is never linear and rarely predictable. Trends can never truly die so long as expression and creativity exist, a concept employed in today’s diverse aesthetics. Though jumbled and varied, modern fashion takes only the best from many decades before and creates something new and refreshing.
Strike out,
Writer: Elissa Day
Editors: Faveanny Leyva & Lexi Fernandez
Graphics: Madison Karram
Tallahassee
