To wrap up my week of fashion over the decades, I'm going to focus on the style of the 1920s.  This was the decade of the flappers, prohibition and the proliferation of jazz!  Rudolf Valentino, Clara Bow & Josephine Baker were popular stars of the time, personifying many of the modern ideals.  This decade also saw the emergence of three major women's magazines: Vogue, The Queen, and Harper's Bazaar.

During early 1920s, waistlines were at the waist, but were loose and not fitted.  Women wore suits with long hemlines and somewhat full skirts, often with belts at the waist of the jackets.  Dress and suit bodices alike were worn loose, even baggy.  By 1923, waistlines began to drop to a point between the natural waist and hips, while styles continued to be loose and baggy.  In 1924 the waistline dropped to the hip.

In 1925, "shift" type dresses with no waistline emerged.  At the end of the decade, dresses were being worn with straight bodices and collars.  Knife-pleated skirts with a hem approximately one inch below the knee were also popular.

In 1928 styles changed again!  Hemlines rose to the knee and dresses became more fitted.  These changes laid the foundation for the elegantly styled fashions of the 1930s.

Women, celebrating such liberties as the right to vote, were now more daring than ever before!  It was considered fun to smoke, visit speakeasies, wear makeup, and otherwise shock conventional thinkers!  In 1927 when short skirts were all the rage, young women strove to show off their knees with increasing abandon!  The foot also became a focal point of fashion.  Shoe styles were influenced by crazes like the Charleston, a dance that demanded a securely fastened shoe with a low heel and closed toe.

Hats and headpieces from this decade were also unique and stylish and probably my favorite item from the styles of this era.  They are making a comeback now as are other fashions (like the flapper look) from this time and were popular looks all over the Spring runways, known as the 'Gatsby look'.

Here are some looks of that time.....enjoy!

Today I'm going to step back in time to the decade when I was growing up....the 1980s!  As far as fashion goes, no decade was as notorious as the 80s.  After all, what other decade could you get away with wearing skin tight pants one day and baggy 'MC Hammer' pants the next?  During what other period could you wear leg warmers, a sweater and a mini-skirt all at the same time (and in electric neon colors?).  If like me, you were growing up in the 80s, then you probably had big hair, big shoulder pads, and were rocking out to Duran Duran, Adam Ant, or Wham!!  Or maybe you were trying to emulate Madonna? 

Some of the fads of the 80s were....

Shoulder pads - this may well be one of the top fads of the 80s!  I had shoulder pads for EVERY outfit!  I loved them, and I cringe now when I think back to how I looked (but I try to tell myself I was just being fashionable!).  Why did shoulder pads become such a popular trend you may ask?  Well, in part it was due to women's lib and the assertion of power that women were beginning to have in the workplace (hence the 'power suit').  Popular programs on television also influenced trends, such as Dynasty and Dallas.

Leg warmers - another fashion fad that made no sense whatsoever was that of leg warmers!  Why did we think this looked cute?  I've no idea, but remember Olivia Newton John in the 'Let's Get Physical' video?  I think we all must have wanted to look like her!  I remember wearing my leg warmers while attempting to do the Jane Fonda workout which was huge during the 80s!

Fingerless gloves - this was an odd fashion fad (thank you Madonna!), and one which thankfully I didn't try! From romance enthusiasts to punk-rock fans, fingerless gloves were popular with a variety of 80s genres.

Stretch-Stirrup Pants - okay, I admit it, I had several of these pants!  Why oh why this became fashionable I've no idea, as these pants made NO ONE look good!  They created a triangle-leg effect that made even the thinnest person look big!  While many of the 1980s fashions are making their way back on the scene and into our stores, the stretch/stirrup pants trend needs to stay tucked safely back in the 80s!

Oversized Tops - last, but not least, we have the fashion trend of oversized tops.  Big sweaters, sweatshirts, and t-shirts were totally hot and wearing them over a miniskirt or a pair of leggings made them even hotter.  These tops were often worn belted with big and gaudy, low slung belts with the top bloused over the belt.

Wanna take a trip down memory lane?  Take a look at these pics of the 1980s and get nostalgic....