For my paradigm shift, I have finally chosen to analyze the evolution of women’s fashion between the early 1900’s and the 2000’s. You can tell what is happening in a culture around the time based on what was seen as “common clothes”. For example, the 1920’s marks the beginning of freedom for women; they were given the right to vote, and also became active in the workplace. To match these exciting new changes, women began changing fashion. “Flapper fashion” was described as wearing shorter hemlines, fancy embroidered stockings, and corsets. Also, people with a lower income were able to participate in this fashion because it was cheap to get the fabric and to make. Eventually… more time has gone by, which means different trends have altered into something new (which I plan to talk about in my essay and TED talk). The 1960’s and 1970’s signified the hippie era. Fresh, young, and new musicians and actors came to play during this time. Jimi Hendrix was a great example because he was always seen wearing feathers, tye-dye, fringes, and rainbows. Eventually this spread mainly because of the Music Festival.

As you can see, I plan to describe what was happening in the decade and then progress to what they wore during that time. Because of the amazing feedback in class, I have also decided to touch on what women felt at the time, and how that has to do with how they dressed. I might also be able to talk about how what “normal, everyday” people wear different clothes as compared to celebrities, and how celebrities wear a different type of fashion as compared to runway models.

I think that the audience will be intrigued by it because something just as small as clothing can reflect what someone felt at the time.  It should be explored because especially in modern times, there is always stuff being added on that should be looked at so later generations can understand too and we don’t lose track of fashion and culture.