Hemlines Through the Ages: A Visual Representation

Came across this cute timeline of silhouettes by decade, from the 1920s on. Posted by Dredsina on Tumblr, each style is a variation on a formal white shirt, black skirt, black shoes and hosiery (the 70s look skips the pantyhose). People are always talking about the way hemlines jump up and down from decade to decade, but it’s striking to have it presented in such stark visual terms. Also crazzzzy how body-conscious our clothing has become — it’s the cult of fitness! — the last look is tighter, shorter, more revealing than anything that came before (though that Sixties mod dress could seriously use a pair of pants). But hopefully, that’s changing: to my eyes, of all the styles above, the one I’d personally feel “chicest” wearing is the 1920s dropped-waist little black dress layered over a collared white shirt, with a snood (!).

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