1960 To 2009

Prim & Perfect.

In the early 1960's if you had money, you made sure it showed, and if you didn't, you made sure it didn't show. Women had to have their hats, their jackets, their jewelry, their makeup, their blouses, their gloves, their skirts, their tights, and their heels, all in pastel colors, on at all times. If you were a woman, you were simply expected to dress this way  - you were simply expected to live this way. Once you turned 16 you were a woman, and women had to dress like ladies. Sophisticated and perfect. 

Mod and Merry.

Come the late '60's, not everything was about sophistication. A sudden fascination with youth began to erupt, and Vogue was not just for your mother. Fashion wasn't about looking pretty, it was about looking cool.  America's short-haired mini-dress wearing Edie Sedgwick and Andy Warhol's playful pop-art merged with the UK's manufactured it-girl Twiggy, and for a brief period in history, mod was all the rage. Mod was a mix of rebellion, color, innocence and pop. If you were mod, you were hip. 

Bohemian and Floral.

Although hippies existed years prior to the early '70's, it wasn't until then that the fashion industry began to take note of their style. Models were covered in different prints, and often had either flowers or feathers in their garment or their hair in order to declare the strong connection they held with the Earth around them. Makeup began being used to bring out natural beauty, instead of covering it, and fashion was about being in touch with the spirit of nature. 

Modern and Free.

By the late '70's, the fashion industry was eager to get away from the bohemian look, and began to experiment. Some of the most interesting covers come from the late '70's, people began to see fashion as an art. Warhol was in his prime, and producing numerous celebrity portraits throughout those years. People wanted to be in those portraits, they wanted to club at Studio 54 and many took style inspiration from Bianca Jagger and Debby Harry. There were brilliant new sounds in Rock & Roll, and Mohawks and glitter started popping up all of a sudden. Fashion was changing quickly. Magazines experimented with their covers. Everyone was dying to make a statement.

Girly and Spunky.

Once the 1980's came, fashion magazines seamed to shoot for a younger demographic, and related more to the girl next-door. Publishers realized that these magazines were not just for your mother. Fresh young faces and smiles appeared more and more on magazines, and style became more comfortable. Sneakers, leggings, jumpsuits and sweatshirts were more popular than ever, and girls just wanted to have fun.

Sex and Glamour.

Come the late 1980's, fashion suddenly became sexy. Everything was about big curves, big hair, and big jewelry. With a new breed of editors and designers, the magazines and fashion in general changed drastically. Models weren't as covered up as they were in the early '80's and their poses portrayed extreme confidence. Fashion was simply celebrating the power of women. 

Grunge and Care-free.

Once the 1990's began, the industry was ready to say goodbye to glamour and hello to something new. But what? It wasn't until music legends from the Seattle music scene, especially Nirvana began to influence the fashion industry. Marc Jacobs created his "grunge" collection for Perry Ellis in the early nineties and the industry went wild. What originated as just a title of a specific and shortly lived genre of music had been naturally commercialized and packaged by the industry to fit it's glossy magazine pages. For publications such as Vogue, it was all about layers, quiet plaids and prints, worn-out boots and converse sneakers.

Minimalism and Simplicity.

By the late '90's, grunge died long long ago and the new millennium was on it's way. Suddenly the complicated ever-changing thing known as fashion became remarkably simple. The covers were simple, the hair was simple, and the garments were especially simple. Calvin Klein ruled the fashion scene, and solid colors were everywhere. Minimalism was key.

Safe and Friendly. 

With the beginning of a new century, many changes began to occur. Possibly because of the horrible attacks on September 11th, it seems American culture took center stage and people found comfort in what they knew during the early 2000's. Smiling American celebrities began showing up more and more on numerous covers, and simple white shirts paired with denim jeans became more popular than ever. From New York to Russia, It seems fashion became this massive celebration of commercialism. 

Hip and 'Bad.'

In just a matter of months, we will be beginning a new decade and it seems just until recently have we developed a very clear movement in fashion. Teenage culture is bigger than ever. Whether you're for it or not; messy choppy hair, and skinny pants are more popular than ever amongst youth. One branch of this type of look has apparently been labeled 'emo,' and is everywhere. It's all very Disney Channel-ish, and incredibly stale to me. Personally, I feel like I'm the only girl in my school who doesn't wear skin-tight pants. Skinny jeans also play a part in another huge look. It's that Urban Outfitters type of look. I really don't have a name for it. The look basically consists of ballet flats, Ray-Bans, skinny jeans, and perhaps a fitted bright plaid shirt. In one person, you can define this look with Taylor from "The Rachel Zoe Project." 

So, what's next?