Written by: Caroline Friedl
It’s almost impossible to imagine a world where fashion and music are not platforms of self-expression and creativity. However, a hundred years ago, young people viewed “fashionable” cravats and corsets as symbols of repression instead of catalysts for freedom. And instead of blasting punk rock music in their rooms, the common form of rebellion 100 years ago was reading books by the scandalous German philosopher Fredrich Nietzche under the dinner table.
Clearly, today’s millennials and Gen Z are much different — instead of reading philosophy books in secret, we’re bold and loud about our dissent. Using music and fashion as mechanisms of defiance actually started in the 1920s and, throughout the decades, music has become a platform for expressing political beliefs, individuality, and sexuality — thus giving birth to fashion styles that still live on today.
Women’s fashion became more daring during the 1920s thanks to jazz.
Going into the 1920s, the world was similar to today: kind of a mess. Instead of having #worldwar3 trending on Twitter, this generation was recovering from World War I. More Americans turned to “speakeasies” as nationwide prohibition started in January of 1920. Speakeasies contained alcohol, as well as the controversial music genre, jazz. Many groups, such as the General Federation of Women’s Clubs, labeled jazz as immoral and too sexual. These criticisms were racially fueled since most jazz performers were African American. But feeling rebellious and in a party mode, people of all races flocked to these clubs to drink and hear this new controversial music. This “wayward” form of entertainment and expression opened the door for a new revolutionary form of fashion for the youth. Young women ditched the loose full-skirt trends of the 1910s for a more scandalous look, sporting long pearl necklaces, short bob haircuts, and beaded evening dresses just below the knee (gasp). Men traded their polite double-breasted coats and high-collared shirts for the famous “Zoot Suits” and fedoras. Ultimately, the “speakeasies” symbolized a place of defiance by housing controversial jazz music and, in turn, inspired people to start expressing their defiance against society through fashion.
Moving on to the 1970s, America was gripped by the horrors of the Vietnam War and the Watergate Scandal. This led to music and fashion becoming a hotbed for dissent once again, allowing music genres like punk rock to shine. Emerging from British Mod Culture, punk rock had quickly become known for its aggressive sound and focus on originality and independence, giving the middle finger to the status quo. This musical liberation impacted the appearance of the “punk” crowd, who often donned tight leather, mohawks, and dark makeup around the eyes. The ultimate goal was to look radically different from anyone else, which is why punk rock is considered the first real music subculture.
Another booming subculture in the 1970s was glam rock. As the Star Wars franchise grew in pop culture, many musicians used sci-fi as a source of inspiration. The result was many futuristic and outlandish performances by David Bowie, Elton John, and Queen. The style of glam rock is characterized by catsuits, body paint, and a camp/androgynous looks. Since these outrageous looks didn’t absorb into the mainstream, glam rock is widely considered to have spurred another fashion subculture.
Music-based subcultures impacted fashion choices during the 1970s.
While glam rock and punk encapsulated the ‘70s, another form of music was being created at block parties in New York City: rap. It would go on to dominate music and fashion in the 1980s up until today. Since its birth, rap has served as a voice for marginalized groups. To this day, it is pioneered by minority artists, most who overcame violence-ridden neighborhoods in their youth and found both success and liberation through their music. This is when streetwear really started gaining attention; unlike the meticulously curated looks of punk and glam rock, rappers dressed to represent who they were and the communities they came from (much like their music). One of the earliest and biggest influences in the rap fashion community is Run DMC. The trio immortalized Adidas tracksuits, Adidas Superstars, and gold chains. They even wrote a song called “My Adidas,” which landed them a sponsorship with the company — the first time rap artists were supported by a big brand. This collaboration was the first to predict the long-lasting impact of this revolutionary self-defining genre on fashion.
So what about today? Even though Rave and EDM music in fashion had a brief stint in the 2000s, one of the largest influences on the fashion community right now is, again, rap. Rap started developing a different tone in 2011 when LA-based rap collective Odd Future dropped their album, The OF Tape, Vol. 2. Among the first groups to be born out of the social media era, their loud, freeform, out-of-sync sound was mesmerizingly authentic and representative of emerging counter-cultures like skate, surf, and hip hop. However, their style was drastically different from the gold chains and the designer labels that rappers in the 80s and 90s flaunted. Their West Coast style microculture was turned into a full-scale streetwear revolution consisting of bucket hats, torn up Vans, and Supreme, which resulted in hypebeast style. Realizing this link between fashion and music, the Odd Future leader, Tyler, the Creator, designed his fashion label Golf Wang.
Rap has influenced much of fashion today.
Throughout the decades the world has changed in millions of ways, but at least one constant is the lasting influence of music on fashion. In 2019, Hypebeast and Strategy& published a Streetwear Style Report surveying 40,960 people about the impact of streetwear on their look, and the majority said that they drew inspiration from musicians. So remember, the next time you’re getting ready to go out, think about how much music from the past century has influenced the look you’re putting together: the shoes, the jacket, the hat. After all, music and fashion are some of the best storytellers.