Fashion in the United States
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The United States is one of the leading countries in the fashion design industry, along with France, Italy, the United Kingdom, Germany and Japan. Apart from professional business attire, American fashion is eclectic and predominantly informal. While Americans' diverse cultural roots are reflected in their clothing, particularly those of recent immigrants, cowboy hats, boots, jeans, and leather motorcycle jackets are emblematic of specifically American styles.
New York City and Los Angeles are the centers of America's fashion industry. They are considered leading fashion capitals. New York City is generally considered to be one of the "big four" global fashion capitals, along with Paris, Milan and London.
History[]
French colonists in the Colonial United States wore European fashions from the land of their origin. The pilgrims of Plymouth colony adopted the new English fashion of King Charles I, the falling band collar made of lace or linen. Men's attire consisted of a linen undergarment, a padded button-down doublet with long sleeves, sometimes worn with cloth collars and white cuffs that contrasted with dark colored garments, baggy knee length breeches, and knee-length stockings of cotton or wool. Felt hats were worn at all times, even indoors. This was a standard set by the men at that time because, in those days, the men were extremely embarrassed of balding. Women wore a short-sleeved linen undergarment tied with ribbons, stays, ankle length petticoats (sometimes multiple layers), a fitted gown or fitted button down bodice (sleeves could be sewn on or attached at the shoulder with a ribbon) with an ankle length skirt, stockings and aprons. Pilgrim women always wore their hair pulled back and covered with a cap called a coif.[1]
Sumptuary laws in Massachusetts forbade lace, embroidery, ruffs and gold thread in 1634. Perfumed gloves, decorative shoe ornaments, beaver fur hats and multiple pearl necklaces and rings were also not allowed. Additional restrictions were added in 1639 requiring poorer colonists to dress according to their station, forbidding silk scarves and other finery. Loose hair and short sleeves were banned. During the Salem Witch Trials, Bridget Bishop was accused of witchcraft for her "showy costume". Her dress, black with a red bodice, and decorated with multi-colored threads, was admitted as evidence against her. Further evidence revealed that she had asked the town dyer to due "sundry pieces of lace" that were said to be of "long and immodest shapes".[2]
Fashion norms have changed greatly between decades. The United States of America has generally followed, and in some cases led, trends in the history of Western fashion. It has some unique regional clothing styles, such as western wear.
Blue jeans were popularized as work clothes in the 1850s by Levi Strauss, an American merchant of German origin in San Francisco, and were adopted by many American teenagers a century later. They are now widely worn on every continent by people of all ages and social classes. Along with mass-marketed informal wear in general, blue jeans are perhaps American culture's primary contribution to global fashion.[3] Other fashion trends started in the US include sports wear as fashion along with athletic shoe wear like Converse or Nike. Athleisure was also popularized in the US around 2012, and as of 2017 the trend has all but dominated the US market. Athleisure has dominated the US market because of its ability to fill a gap in the market, as clothing wasn't usually both comfortable, stylish, and functional. [4]
Fashion industry[]
The headquarters of many leading designer labels such as Ralph Lauren Corporation, Calvin Klein, J.Crew, Michael Kors, Alexander Wang, Vera Wang, Marc Jacobs, Oscar de la Renta, Diane von Furstenberg, Donna Karan, and Victoria's Secret. Labels such as Abercrombie & Fitch and Eckō Unltd. cater to various niche markets, such as pre teens. A new trend in the United States towards sustainable clothing has led to the emergence of organic cotton T-shirts from labels such as BeGood Clothing. New York Fashion Week is also one of the most influential fashion weeks in the world, and occurs in late summer every year.[5]
Regional and cultural variation[]
Dress norms in the United States are generally consistent with those of post-industrial Western nations and have become largely informal since the mid-20th century. Clothing in the United States also depends on a variety of factors including location, venue, and demographic factors such as ethnicity. Jeans are a consistent fashion trend among all classes, with variations being vast in both price and style.
The western states are commonly noted for being more informal in their manner of dress than those closer to the eastern seaboard. Conspicuous consumption and a desire for quality have also led to a strong preference for designer label clothing among many in the middle and upper classes.
The tolerance of body expression that deviates from the mainstream, such as complete body tattoos or nudism, is strongly linked to the sub-culture and location in which an individual may find him or herself. The tolerance shown for personal expression such as cross-dressing and piercings varies greatly with location and sub-culture, and may be completely appropriate in one venue while being taboo in another.[6]
Cities such as New York City, Los Angeles, Miami, Dallas, San Francisco, and Chicago are known for their fashion and cosmetics markets. Smaller, but nonetheless prominent fashion destinations are Aspen, Charleston, Washington, D.C., Las Vegas, Seattle, Portland, Atlanta, and Boston.
Some cities and regions have specialties in certain areas. For example, Miami for swimwear, Boston and the general New England area for formal menswear, Los Angeles for casual attire and womenswear, and cities like Seattle and Portland for eco-conscious fashion. Chicago is known for its sportswear, and is the premier fashion destination in the middle American market. Dallas, Houston, Austin, Nashville, and Atlanta are big markets for the fast-fashion and cosmetics industries, alongside having their own distinct fashion sense that mainly incorporates cowboy boots and workwear, greater usage of makeup, lighter colors and pastels, “college prep” style, sandals, bigger hairstyles, and thinner, airier fabrics due to the heat and humidity of the region.
Savannah, Georgia is home to a prominent art and design college, the Savannah College of Art and Design.
References[]
- ^ Paige Weber (2005). A History of Fashion and Costume: Early America. p. 45.
- ^ Paige Weber (2005). A History of Fashion and Costume: Early America. p. 47.
- ^ Davis, Fred (1992). Fashion, Culture, and Identity. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, p. 69. ISBN 0-226-13809-7.
- ^ Team, Trefis. "The Athleisure Trend Is Here To Stay".
- ^ Guzman, Jacqueline. "The secrets of going sustainable". The Guardian. Retrieved March 15, 2014.
- ^ Thompson, William; Joseph Hickey (1995). Society in Focus. Boston, MA: Pearson. 0-205-41365-X.
- American fashion