In 1968, I remember sitting in my Grandmother's living room reading Life Magazine and having a conversation with her about the future of fashion. Life's cover was about the world in the year 2000, featuring models in space suits next to rocket-like cars with a backdrop of soaring glass architecture. Movies and television were also contributing to futuristic trends like Lost in Space, The Jetsons and Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey. Grandmother and I speculated about how I would be dressing at the turn of the new century with the influence of technology and Judy Jetson.
There has been much written recently about the evolution and dramatic changes that have occurred in style and trends in the 20th century. It is easy to identify each decade in the 1900's by the style of clothes, movies, music and the cars we drove. However, if you look at the last twelve years of the new millennium, it is really hard to define a particular look or trend. While technology in the last 20 years has provided us with the wonders of the internet, social networking, smart phones and scientific breakthroughs, our appetite for change in fashion has neutralized.
Think about the cultural differences between the 1950's, represented by poodle skirts and a big-tailed Cadillac, and the hippie look with the amusing Pacer car (we owned a bright blue one) from the 1970's.
Cars on the road today closely resemble what we drove in the 1990's with the exception of how they are powered. They still have not gone airborne as promised in past predictions. Fashion observers used to speculate on skirt lengths based on the stock market ups and downs. With the current market's volatility, that theory has long been ignored.
Music and rock stars have also influenced fashion throughout the last century. The Beatles and their haircuts, Elvis and his sideburns and Madonna and her material girl image created identifiable trends that were followed worldwide. Fashion in the new Millennium is about the past. Designers continue to look at period designs for inspiration for the future. Even the style icon Madonna started a clothing line with her daughter and called it Material Girl. Is there nothing new in fashion? Have we seen it all? Is the economy still playing havoc with creativity?
The list may not scream cutting edge, with the exception of how a classic design is interpreted; or by the cut of the garment, how it is accessorized, and the use of fabric and color. Today, women are looking for styles that are wearable, modern, and potential wardrobe builders. Gone are the days of being dictated by a trend, designer or rock star. Fashion reflects the world we live in now and for me, still offers the excitement and possibilities of what it may bring us in the future.
