Skirt Lengths as Market Indicators: A Socionomics Perspective
Part of the #Socionomics series.
How fashion and societal moods shifted in the first half of the 20th century.
1900–1910
Economy: The rise of industrialization in the U.S. — Ford’s assembly line (1908), booming cities, and a growing wealth gap between the elite and the working class. In Europe, colonial powers raced for survival, fueling military spending (sound familiar?).
Mood: Faith in technological progress clashed with protests against exploitation. Suffragettes smashed London storefronts (1908), while New York’s Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire (1911) galvanized labor rights movements.
Fashion: Rigid corsets and floor-length skirts symbolized Victorian morality. Yet rebels like designer Paul Poiret introduced hobble skirts — a tentative step toward freedom of movement.
1910–1920
Economy: World War I (1914–1918) reshaped the globe: Europe lay in ruins, while the U.S. profited from arms sales. Postwar hyperinflation crippled Germany, and the Spanish Flu (1918–1920) claimed millions.
Mood: Women replaced men in factories, only to be pushed back into domestic roles after the war. A feminist explosion: American women won voting rights in 1920.
Fashion: Skirts rose to ankle-length for practicality. By the decade’s end, the flapper emerged — straight-cut dresses, beaded necklaces, and cigarettes in hand, defying tradition. A sign of the stock market’s brewing boom.
1920–1929
Economy: The "Roaring Twenties" — jazz, speculation, and Prohibition. The stock market quadrupled; ordinary Americans borrowed heavily to invest, then borrowed again against rising shares.
Mood: Hedonism reigned. Speakeasies and Gatsby-esque parties masked pre-crash euphoria.
Fashion: Knees on display! Fringed dresses, bobbed haircuts, and gartered stockings. By 1929, subdued silhouettes crept in — an omen of crisis.
1930–1940
Economy: The 1929 bubble burst: Wall Street crashed, triggering the Great Depression (1929–1939). U.S. unemployment hit 25%. Europe veered toward fascism and war.
Mood: Despair from Dust Bowl migrations and hunger marches. Yet Hollywood’s Golden Age offered escapism.
Fashion: Skirts lengthened — modesty returned. Long dresses dominated, while cheap fabrics and turbans (to hide unwashed hair) became staples.
1940–1950
Economy: World War II (1939–1945). Postwar Europe rebuilt via the Marshall Plan; the U.S. embraced consumerism.
Mood: Patriotism ("Rosie the Riveter") and postwar hope. The baby boom idealized domesticity.
Fashion: War mandated minimalism: knee-length skirts and padded shoulders. In 1947, Christian Dior’s New Look rebelled — voluminous ankle-length skirts symbolized postwar opulence.
1950–1960
Economy: America’s "Golden Fifties" — middle-class expansion, cars, and TV. Europe recovered, but colonial wars (Algeria, Vietnam) exposed crises.
Mood: Conformity (suburban perfection) vs. teenage rebellion (James Dean, Elvis’s rock ‘n’ roll).
Fashion: Sheath dresses and midi skirts emphasized femininity. By the late 1950s, Mary Quant experimented with mini-skirts — a harbinger of the sexual revolution.
1960s: Peak of Postwar Prosperity
Economy: U.S. GDP grew 4-5% annually; unemployment dipped below 4%. Baby boomers (1946–1964) fueled suburban housing and education demand.
Fashion: The mini-skirt became an era-defining manifesto of freedom, paired with bold go-go boots. Economic optimism bred experimentation: neon synthetics (nylon, Lycra) and psychedelic hues.
Conclusion
Women’s fashion mirrors its era. Crises (1930s) hide knees; liberating times (1920s, 1960s) bare them. Even war skirts (1940s’ knee-length pragmatism) carried hope.
💡 Like and subscribe for insights your economics textbook won’t reveal!
#beginners #learning_in_pulse #interesting
#socionomics #history #fashiontrends
How fashion and societal moods shifted in the first half of the 20th century.
1900–1910
Economy: The rise of industrialization in the U.S. — Ford’s assembly line (1908), booming cities, and a growing wealth gap between the elite and the working class. In Europe, colonial powers raced for survival, fueling military spending (sound familiar?).
Mood: Faith in technological progress clashed with protests against exploitation. Suffragettes smashed London storefronts (1908), while New York’s Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire (1911) galvanized labor rights movements.
Fashion: Rigid corsets and floor-length skirts symbolized Victorian morality. Yet rebels like designer Paul Poiret introduced hobble skirts — a tentative step toward freedom of movement.
1910–1920
Economy: World War I (1914–1918) reshaped the globe: Europe lay in ruins, while the U.S. profited from arms sales. Postwar hyperinflation crippled Germany, and the Spanish Flu (1918–1920) claimed millions.
Mood: Women replaced men in factories, only to be pushed back into domestic roles after the war. A feminist explosion: American women won voting rights in 1920.
Fashion: Skirts rose to ankle-length for practicality. By the decade’s end, the flapper emerged — straight-cut dresses, beaded necklaces, and cigarettes in hand, defying tradition. A sign of the stock market’s brewing boom.
1920–1929
Economy: The "Roaring Twenties" — jazz, speculation, and Prohibition. The stock market quadrupled; ordinary Americans borrowed heavily to invest, then borrowed again against rising shares.
Mood: Hedonism reigned. Speakeasies and Gatsby-esque parties masked pre-crash euphoria.
Fashion: Knees on display! Fringed dresses, bobbed haircuts, and gartered stockings. By 1929, subdued silhouettes crept in — an omen of crisis.
1930–1940
Economy: The 1929 bubble burst: Wall Street crashed, triggering the Great Depression (1929–1939). U.S. unemployment hit 25%. Europe veered toward fascism and war.
Mood: Despair from Dust Bowl migrations and hunger marches. Yet Hollywood’s Golden Age offered escapism.
Fashion: Skirts lengthened — modesty returned. Long dresses dominated, while cheap fabrics and turbans (to hide unwashed hair) became staples.
1940–1950
Economy: World War II (1939–1945). Postwar Europe rebuilt via the Marshall Plan; the U.S. embraced consumerism.
Mood: Patriotism ("Rosie the Riveter") and postwar hope. The baby boom idealized domesticity.
Fashion: War mandated minimalism: knee-length skirts and padded shoulders. In 1947, Christian Dior’s New Look rebelled — voluminous ankle-length skirts symbolized postwar opulence.
1950–1960
Economy: America’s "Golden Fifties" — middle-class expansion, cars, and TV. Europe recovered, but colonial wars (Algeria, Vietnam) exposed crises.
Mood: Conformity (suburban perfection) vs. teenage rebellion (James Dean, Elvis’s rock ‘n’ roll).
Fashion: Sheath dresses and midi skirts emphasized femininity. By the late 1950s, Mary Quant experimented with mini-skirts — a harbinger of the sexual revolution.
1960s: Peak of Postwar Prosperity
Economy: U.S. GDP grew 4-5% annually; unemployment dipped below 4%. Baby boomers (1946–1964) fueled suburban housing and education demand.
Fashion: The mini-skirt became an era-defining manifesto of freedom, paired with bold go-go boots. Economic optimism bred experimentation: neon synthetics (nylon, Lycra) and psychedelic hues.
Conclusion
Women’s fashion mirrors its era. Crises (1930s) hide knees; liberating times (1920s, 1960s) bare them. Even war skirts (1940s’ knee-length pragmatism) carried hope.
💡 Like and subscribe for insights your economics textbook won’t reveal!
#beginners #learning_in_pulse #interesting
#socionomics #history #fashiontrends
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Disclaimer
The information and publications are not meant to be, and do not constitute, financial, investment, trading, or other types of advice or recommendations supplied or endorsed by TradingView. Read more in the Terms of Use.