In today’s world if somebody walked into school wearing a suit and tie, most people would be a little skeptical, but if it was the early 1900s nobody would bat an eye. In a grocery store, a mall, a restaurant, everywhere in the world there are many different people with countless different styles to see. Shoes differ from Converse and birkenstocks all the way to water shoes! But what is so special about this? “I think fashion is a way to express yourself,” says 7th grader Isla Harrison. 100 years ago fashion might not have looked the same as it does today, but it still was an important part of shaping the world around us.
Over the years fashion styles have had abundant changes, new trends and styles go in and out each year, and sometimes it’s hard to keep up. One of the many fashion changes from over the years are shoes. In school in the 1940s one of the most popular shoes were saddle shoes. Saddle shoes were both worn by men and women. They were leather black and white shoes that were at the peak of popularity around the 1950s. There were a variety of types of saddle shoes ranging from athletic golf shoes to regular school shoes. Loafers or short boots were also worn to school in the 1930s.
Yearbook pictures are taken at the beginning of every school year. Yearbooks capture fashion over the years. They show the changes from one era to the next. 100 years ago fashion was very different. Instead of wearing sweatpants or sweatshirts, the girls wore dresses or blouses every single day. Girls weren’t allowed to wear pants until late 1960s, so pleated skirts and tights or dresses were usually worn to school, and styled with crochet gloves. For boys on the other hand, they went to school in suits and ties most of the time. Otherwise boys were seen wearing flannels.
Hairstyles were a big part of fashion 100 years ago. Short hair was very popular in the 1930s
For girls, hairstyles were always short and slick. Ringlets were popular as well as bob cuts. Girls also wore bows. Boys hairstyles were usually slicked down, side parted. Children’s hair was always well put and pulled their outfit together.
Fashion has grown in many different ways over the years, and is still constantly changing. Everyone has different opinions on fashion but it has definitely made a mark on this world. Every new fashion trend marks the start and end of an era. Fashion has evolved into something that many people enjoy, and through all the different styles and trends, a lot of people still find it a very fun way to express themselves, even if back then it was wearing dresses and suits to school.
