Moments in Fashion History We Need to Bring Back

By: Ashley Hajimirsadegh

Forget the eighties and nineties throwbacks—throughout fashion history, there were some iconic and some peculiar moments, ones that we may cringe at with our chic modern taste. However, if you look at historical garments and fashion plates, there were some pretty fashionable pieces, ones we can update for our contemporary needs. Here are some moments we should consider bringing back.

Rococo

Menswear in the late rococo era was a stunning phenomenon, one that could be adapted for contemporary tastes. While the women in the French court wore the robe à la française and were known for their extravagant hairstyles, the men often wore jackets that had a slimmer look to them rather than the full volume worn in previous decades. The court coats in this era were spectacular with their attention to detail—just imagine if we had coats and blazers like this!

Photo: The Metropolitan Museum of Art. British-style attire from the 1770s.

Regency

While Bridgerton may appeal to modern fantasy, the Regency era, which spans from roughly 1800 to 1825, wasn’t exactly known for its fashionable clothing. A twist on mamaluke sleeves could be updated for our tastes to live out our contemporary Jane Austen fantasies.

Photo: National Gallery of Victoria International

Gilded Age

The Gilded Age directly coincided with the end of Queen Victoria’s reign, thus the styles of this time are considered Victorian fashion. 1892 saw the creation of Vogue Magazine and Paul Poiret also became active during this time, bringing radical, sweeping changes to the fashion industry (like the bra). While this era was notoriously difficult for women to get dressed, we’re all about bringing back extravagant dresses in a less restricting way. After the pandemic doldrums, we’re going to be flaunting our fanciest clothes, right?

Photo: Museum of the City of New York

Jazz Age

Flapper girls were more than what a Party City Halloween costume shows you! While Hollywood recreating the aesthetics of a flapper girl through cinema, one aspect we should bring truly replicate are the shoes. As seen on stars like Irene Castle, Mary-Jane-style shoes with a kitten heel were all the rage in the early 1920s and late 1910s.

Photo: Glamour Daze