A look at Men’s Fashion Through The Decades
Menswear has witnessed its fair share of dramatic changes, eccentric trends and tailored styles throughout the years. It has been these changes in men’s fashion trends that have lead us to where we are today. Whether you are a lover of the 1930’s pinstripe suit and brogues and would long for it to make a return or were an advocate of the 80’s of oversized casual wear, trends over the years have seen a vast range of styles and fits. We look through men’s fashion over the past decades, from 1940 to the present day.
1960’s
The swinging 60’s is known as the time when men’s fashion was revolutionised. The days of formal wear seen in the 1930’s and 40’s became a thing of the past. The 1960’s became all about individual flair and putting your own unique spin on fashion trends. Menswear did a complete U-turn and started to be influenced by bright colours and elaborate patterns, such as checks and tighter fitting clothes. Often considered a youth driven era, rocker and hippy subcultures were formed to align with differing music tastes.
1970’s
Following on from the 1960’s. 1970’s fashion saw a continuum of bold fashion choices, with particular emphasis on psychedelia. During this decade, flares, high-waisted trousers, platform shoes, turtlenecks and plaid jackets were the height of style. Today, particularly in women’s fashion, flared, high-waisted trousers have been sneaking back into current trends.
1980’s
Padded shoulder pads and hairstyles set into quiffs were prime looks for this iconic decade. Following on from the 1970’s, the glam-rocker subculture really took off as people styled themselves to look like music icons such as David Bowie and Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler.
It was also during this decade that much of the trends we see today started to make their way onto the fashion scene. Athletic apparel and branded clothes, such as Levi’s, started to become prevalent as a more casual vibe and oversized shapes made their way into men’s fashion.
1990’s
During the 1990’s, the grunge scene started to emerge. A fusion of alternative rock, punk rock and heavy metal, with leather jackets, snapbacks and ripped, baggy jeans being considered trendy. The demand for washed out, worn looking clothing also meant that muted colour palettes were very popular. During this time, the lines between
2000’s
The 2000’s saw fashion being influenced by celebrities and pop stars, in particularly boy bands like Nsync and Backstreet Boys. Men’s style during this time was almost a fusion of looks from over the previous 40 or so years, with bootcut jeans, printed t-shirts and loud, garish prints and fabrics being the iconic fashion staples of the decade.
Present Day
The present day sees men’s fashion embrace hipster style, influenced by indie musicians who double up as style icons. Chino trousers and layered shirts can be seen on classic preppy looking men who know a thing or two about style.
The present decade has also seen a further rise in athleisure wear, following on the surge in athletic apparel in the 1980’s. From trucker hats, urban t-shirts and oversized casual wear, streetwear seems to have risen to the top of men’s fashion in the current day.
Menswear has certainly has its fair share of ups and downs, with questionable styles that are best being left in the past to trends that we wish would come back around. Today, we see fashion being influenced from decades gone by, with our own craft, style and personalities being injected in there too to create a modern twist on a previous trend. From tailored suits, bright and bold patterns to fitted streetwear, we can’t wait to see what trends and styles the next decade brings.