TRENDS AND EVOLUTION OF SHIRTS
Have you ever looked at your closet and wondered where all those shirts came from? What trends were popular when you bought them? How did they change over time? You might look through all of the shirts and try to answer these questions, so here we bring you a simple visualization of them.
Here’s how men’s shirt styles evolved over the decades!
THE LATE 1800S: THE VICTORIAN ERA
The late 1800s transformation in men’s fashion set the stage for modern wear for the century. White shirts with starched neck collars became the mark of a true gentleman and were worn for formal and professional days.
Removable collars and cuffs were a big thing in the 1880s. The collars were worn straight up or folded over. In the 1890s, pastel and striped shirts were worn with detachable white collars.
The elite class wore custom-made bespoke shirts, with each garment perfectly built, tailored on simple lines and made from dark or neutral fabrics.
POPULAR FABRICS USED-
♦ Most commonly, shirts were stitched of linen, cotton, lawn (very lightweight cotton or linen).
♦ Lace – for trim on some shirt styles and jackets.
THE EARLY 1900S: THE EDWARDIAN ERA
The early 1900s was a period of great change. During this period different outfits were worn according to the time of day and followed a general rule of morning coats till noon, lounge suits until 6 o’clock, then evening clothes depending on the specific occasion.
Pristine white shirts with stiff and tall collars marked the 1900’s fashion for men. For formal clothing, collars were turned over and resembled wings. Trendy shirt style for casual wear included stripes and polka dots.
THE MID -1900S
The mid-1900s witnessed a boom in casual clothing. During this era, a variety of colors, textures, and materials were available. Synthetic stuff had come into being and made clothing much easier to wash and maintain, making their popularity boom much faster than previous fashion fads.
The 1950s style was both about business formals during the day and relaxed casuals after hours. The mid-1900s fashion included button-down shirts to knit shirts, Hawaiian shirt and shirt- jackets. These styles were available in both prints and solid colours, making them perfect for a weekend with the folks.
THE 1990S SHIRTS
The ’90’s fashion was all about being simple and easy-going with a focus on self-expression. It was largely influenced by rock and hip-hop music. The ’90s sparked some of the coolest trends, many of which are making a comeback.
Flannel shirts were quintessentially 90’s style and are wardrobe staples for many men today!
THE 2000S TRENDS
The fashion industry saw drastic changes in the past few decades. Fashion today is much more casual than in the 80s or the 90s. There’s a lot that is new and upcoming. Also, we keep going back and forth with the trends.
Leisurewear and comfort clothing become the biggest trend in 2000s.
Some popular shirt styles for the decade are-
• Checkered shirts
• Henley shirt
• Stripped shirts
• Denim shirts
• Printed shirts
• A lot has changed over the past decade, while some styles might seem outdated, others have changed fundamentally to appeal to a newer crowd. Over the past decade, we at KD Masters have seen men’s shirt evolve with more room to grow and adapt to the preferences of our clients.