Fashion items that have refreshed their image over time
by Natasha Christou Digital Marketing ConsultantOver the decades, our favourite fashions have evolved and
rotated between ‘cool’, ‘uncool’, and practical. Many items which started their
life with an industrial purpose have since been appropriated by the fashion
world: trainers are no longer just for running, nor are jump suits for jumping.
Fashion is unruly and unpredictable. Many styles that we wear now would have
been scoffed at ten years ago, and we love to judge our predecessors for their
wacky dress sense. In this article we will take a lookat the origins of some of
today’s staple pieces and find out how their image has been refreshed over
time.
Trainers
When the idea of trainers was first conceived, it is clear
that no one had fashion in mind. The earliest forms of trainers were known as
plimsolls and their rubber design featured no distinction between the right and
left foot. These primitive trainers were purely utilitarian, the fact that they
were cheap, and wearable was prioritised over aesthetics.
In 1917, trainers first started being mass produced, with
designs being crafted for specific sports such as basketball, which was gaining
traction in the
James Dean’s trainer debut in the hit film Rebel Without
a Cause helped the popularity of ‘fashion trainers’ grow, and many clothing
companies jumped on the sportswear-as-streetwear bandwagon. Gola’s iconic
Harrier trainer for example, was originally launched as a general training shoe
geared towards squash, badminton and other sports. This design as since become
a streetwear staple, with the colourful varieties making a comeback in recent
years thanks to their retro style.
Classic
trainers are no longer reserved for the sports field. Today, trainers are
worn in the office, for nights out, and just about any occasion. They are the
most versatile and popular shoe type and they have certainly come a long way
from their rubbery beginnings.
Jumpsuits and boilersuits
In recent years, jumpsuits and boilersuits have seen a surge
in popularity on the high street. Despite their current status as fashion
must-haves, their origins were entirely practical. Designed by a Florentine designer
in 1919, jumpsuits were created, as their name suggests, for jumping. More
specifically, they were made for parachuters or skydivers making jumps out of
planes. After this, they also became popular with race car drivers, aviators
and even astronauts.
When you think about it, jumpsuits were iconic features of
the twentieth century. From Rosie the River on the wartime “You Can Do It!”
poster, to the 1969 moon landing, to the disco dancing ‘70s and Saturday Night
Fever, they were always around. They gradually transcended their utilitarian
origins to become fashion statements and have stuck around ever since.
Bum bags
The bum bag is an unlikely item that has made a roaring
comeback among festival goers over recent years. Whether this fashion has
spurted from post-modern ‘uncool’ irony, or genuine appreciation, the bum bag
seems to be here to stay.
We can trace the bum bag’s origins back to 1962, when the
first prototype was designed by Australian, Melba Stone. However, the concept
of a pouch held around the waist by string goes much further back. As bags
predate pockets, people needed somewhere secure, and close to their person, to
store their most valuable items. A pouch held at the waist seemed to be the perfect
solution, and this gave us the ‘chatelaine’, a bum bag forerunner. In
Although we haven’t yet seen the sporran or the chatelaine
become a festival essential, bum bags are worn with vigor. Whether they are
tied around the waist or slung over the shoulder, these items bring fashion and
practicalities together (with a pinch of ‘middle aged tourist’ irony thrown
in).
With fashion trends forever being recycled and repurposed,
who’s to know which items will make a come back next? There are always new,
creative ways to incorporate practical items into your wardrobe, and feel
comfortable while staying bang on trend!
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Created on Dec 3rd 2019 05:06. Viewed 434 times.