Each month, I want to help shed a little light on different trends throughout history. Since history always seems to repeat its self in the fashion world, I want to discuss both current and old trends. This month with inspiration from the "J Crew the man who dressed America"
I wanted to touch on the history of casual wear.
The ever so comfortable, wearable staples in everyone closet, the cotton T-shirt and Denim Jean. The relationship between these to items is one that goes all the way back to the early 1950's. It was in the 50's that a rebellious youth culture emerged in cities across America. The young people, as young people are today, were pushing and working to differentiate themselves from older crowds and the ever uncool parent. With rebellion in mind, the youth flocked to the more casual t-shirt and jeans, which at that point had only been seen in new racy rebel movies. In the 50's, the US first started to idolize the Brando's and Dean's of cinema, as well as the Presley's of rock n roll. These iconic figures helped shape the new found rebel teen, and for the first time teens and young adults began to wear the then garb of the "lower working class" or as we like to call it the T-shirt and Jean.
This was the birth of casual wear as we know it today within the main stream. Fashion denim and cotton T's became hot department store purchases, and were selling out everywhere. From this point on these two pieces would remain closet staples, updating and evolving through trends and times.
Today, the denim jean and T-shirt are not only everyday wear, but people of all ages have derived their own style from these two pieces. These days we dress it up or down, and wear them in the house, to the store or on the town.
This has been the first installment of Through the Looking Glass: A history of Fashion. Remember "You can not know where your going and you do not know where you have been." Know your culture J.Cultura
