Fashion trends come and go and changes in shapes and colours might give our old wardrobe an outdated look, but there are some items of clothing that have just disappeared over time.
Spats, dickeys, and cod pieces are no longer worn by men ( except the cod piece Alice Cooper wears), and bustles and crinoline have gone from women’s wardrobe, but there’s much more recent garments that we no longer shop for.
Slips and petticoats, stockings and suspenders are a few that come to mind for women ( I don’t have any slips, but I remember my mum’s lovely, lacy ones that she kept in tissue paper to be worn only for best ).
Spanx seems to have taken over most foundation garments, and even pantyhose has mostly given way to tights and to knee-high and sockettes.
Allowing for a few exceptions, do men wear a tie any more? Or a waistcoat, or a three-piece suit?
Are tracksuits no longer just for sport use, but can be worn as street wear and in informal places (uny, some jobs…) as well?
What are the garments you no longer shop for, and Why?
There are several items though I wish I could still shop for, but being a bloke it is a limited list. Some would say they are grateful I can no longer buy them. Not sure if this a judgement on the style or a reflection on the wearer.
Some ancient history; the early 1950s. A grandfather had to attend court as a witness. He was a plumber and the only time he wore a suit was on his wedding day at to go to his Masonic Lodge. They would not allow him into the court dressed as he was so he had to borrow a tie and an overcoat that more or less fit before he could give evidence.
Almost ancient history; the early 1970s. A young freshly minted teacher was having his first performance review by a departmental inspector. Among several flaws in his performance was that he wore a coloured shirt (with a tie). He was cautioned to always wear white shirts to work. Of course the headmaster set the example by always wearing a suit and tie (and a white shirt of course) no matter how hot it was he never took off his coat that anybody could recall. Another young teacher, who went on to have an illustrious career, was annoyed as in her review no substantive criticism of her work was offered but she was cautioned to not wear trousers!
Moving on to the 1980s. A fellow went for a job interview for promotion in a large organisation. The panel of three men all wore suits and ties but did take off their coats. All the male candidates wore coats and ties but one. The exception wore tailored trousers, leather shoes, a plain shirt with a collar and small waistcoat - but no coat or tie. He got the job anyway but it was close.
Around 1995 a middle-aged man went for a job with a large insurance company as a contractor. The position was highly technical and involved no public contact. It was freezing cold and he wore corduroy trousers and a thick jumper. He got the job on the spot but the manager concerned remarked a few weeks later that when he walked in they thought he was company client who possibly slept in the park not a job candidate.
Today men at work have gone through safari suits (ugh!), casual Friday, etc and are starting to dress more in line with our climate daily. Teachers wear jeans and open-necked shirts and nobody seems to care.
Politicians and CEOs still take great care to wear their power garb mostly but carefully dress down now and then to show they are really human. Usually for a photo-op at a local pub or in their kitchen. Why is it they always seem to look uncomfortable without a tie? Perhaps they are all would-be headmasters.
Dress has been used to show status since humans first used clothing and I see no chance of that changing. And of course diplomats, high clergy, royalty etc still go the whole shebang in public or at any formal occasion. I doubt the Pope has any jeans.
In the next 100 years I can see most situations relaxing the rules that employ forms of dress from the 19th century (or earlier in some cases) but the high and mighty will still need to have a clear badge of status. It will be interesting to see if something new is invented or they stick to the historical. Scomo junior in jeans with a designer label on his bum? Power shoes with trademark blue soles for men?
Have dungarees become a ladies only fashion item of clothing?
Do tradesmen like plumbers and gas fitters, and electricians wear overalls anymore?
They come to our house in tracksuits, which might be more comfortable for them but usually there’s a problem keeping the pants up resulting in the horrible ‘plumber’s crack’ being visible when they bend over
I spent a lot of $$ on a good suit - had quite a few ties and decent shirts - but almost overnight the need for a suit became irrelevant.
Even funerals are now held virtually.
Spencers! My daughter laughed when I showed her one and suggested she pack one. We don’t wear petticoats but I do wear slips sometimes more for opacity than warmth but they are usually made from bamboo or similar.
I haven’t ever owned a pantsuit yet my mother in the 1960’s was only allowed to wear slacks to work as a teacher if it was a pantsuit. Young women would not know the term slacks yet they wear pants all the time.
Of course, while I rarely wear pantyhose, I haven’t owned stockings and suspenders since I was about 12.
The one item of clothing that has well and truly taken over in the past years
is the T-shirt.
Starting life as an undergarment and graduating to work wear (often teamed with Blue Jeans) it has come a long way and is one of the most used garments nowadays. Comfortable, easy to put on and off, comparatively inexpensive, it is now even acceptable to wear a t-shirt under a Suit: classic white for a cool day look or a sophisticated black for night.
For women the choice is endless: pretty floral, graphic print, glittery ones…
In the bay-side suburb I live in when I see a man in a suit and tie or a woman in a black pencil skirt and high heels I can guess they’re real estate agents and there’s an ‘Open for Inspection’ or an Auction going on near-by. And I’ve seen the one buying the million dollar mansion wearing faded jeans
and a t-shirt
About 1966 my brother who was working at the Commonwealth Bank turned up one summer morning wearing shirt and tie, and shorts with long socks and shoes. He was ordered to go home and change by the manager.
Wasn’t that standard business attire in Brissie (and elsewhere?) in that era? A reasonable faux paus depending where he was located. Or was it that he was wearing footy shorts not ‘dress’ shorts ?
My mum would wear a cotton singlet, sleeveless low cut scalloped edge in summer, and a woollen long sleeved spencer in winter. It was worn over her foundation garment and under her slip. Apparently the slip served the purpose of protecting the dress
Would that have been the ‘Swinging Seventies’ in Australia? It seems most of the action at that time (60’s) was happening in the UK. At least according to Germaine Greer, Clive James or Barry Humphries.
If we calibrate using Bandstand (Brian Henderson) or The Mavis Brampton Show, did fashion really swing? The ‘old’ Seekers might also offer a useful counter point. There were a variety of competing styles generationally and by culture grouping.
I associate paisley as more a statement of the early 70’s in Australia. Fortunately swept aside by the tieless and equally fashionable Safari suit.
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