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A look at some 2020 trends and their ancient origins...
©️Gallica - BnF
Life is an eternal cycle, just like fashion… The 2020 trends are unique to our time, but to create something new, we often need to draw inspiration from the past.
Our ancestors, near or far, might be surprised by our current fashion items. For 2020 is no exception and fashion influencers borrow and appropriate what has already been done. A look at some trends of this year and their origins…
It has made a strong comeback this summer (some even predict it will dethrone denim shorts) and will even be worn this winter, the bermuda shorts are not new.
It was the British army that made it popular in the 19th century. Stationed in tropical regions, they obtained permission to shorten their pants to better withstand the hot temperatures, provided they kept their blazers, ties, and high socks. Its name comes from the Bermudas, the North American archipelago that widely adopted the outfit, even making it an element of the national costume worn by police and local aristocracy.
For us, it was mostly children or athletes who wore the bermuda shorts until the 1960s and the arrival of more comfortable outfits. Women began to appropriate the bermuda shorts in 2014 for its sport-chic side. This year, we wear it in a suit, in leather, or in velvet.
We love it for its high waist, wide cut, and narrower hem, the balloon pants or slouchy jeans seem to be the new fashion trend.
But its origin is not recent; the balloon pants or work pants were created in 1896 by Adolphe Lafont, an expert in work clothes (and also the creator of the overalls).
At the time, four colors of work pants were distinguished for different trades: beige for stone cutters and sculptors, black for carpenters and roofers, blue for ship carpenters, and brown for carpenters and cabinet makers.
The work pants were stiff; they were not washed but beaten and brushed, and they were narrowed at the ankles to prevent falls. On this pants, we find a piped pocket on the thigh (for a gauge, a meter, a pencil), a tightening strap (to hang a hammer), and a watch pocket. Originally intended for construction workers (as a ceremonial costume as well), citizens and bourgeois were seduced by this work pants.
Source: https://blog.largeotetcoltin.com/presentation/
We see it everywhere, with patterns, flashy colors, oversized, the suit is a staple in our wardrobes, a classic. Borrowed from men, the suit is also a symbol of the liberation of women's social status at a certain time.
But at the origin of this well-known set, it was first the riding habit that became popular among women in the 17th century. This fitted jacket, fastened at the front, worn with a skirt, allowed women to ride horses.
The women's suit, jacket and skirt, was created in 1870 by the Englishman John Redfern. It is the flagship piece of the 1920s, a symbol of elegance and style. We had to wait until the 1960s to see women wearing a suit with a jacket and pants.
This small padding on the shoulder, taken from the military uniform, resurfaces in our closets!
After an appearance in the 1940s and then in the 1980s, our t-shirts and jackets are once again adorned with them.
Shoulder pads, worn by women, are linked to World War II. Women replaced men in factories and were inspired by the military outfits of their men who went to war. By making the silhouette more imposing, the shoulder pad accompanied women in their quest for power.
Puffed sleeves or balloon sleeves widely adorn the arms of women this year 2020.
The origin of this fashion is actually quite ancient. As early as the Renaissance, men and women
dressed in these pairs of puffed sleeves to be paired with several outfits.
Later, during the Belle Époque, oversized sleeves became fashionable again, which we call leg-of-mutton sleeves.