Why do we wear what we wear? And why does fashion change each decade? Clothing and hairstyles are an important part of who we are, but why is that? In this class, we'll explore the "why" of fashion throughout the first half of the 20th century.

This is a self-paced class and has no live meetings. Lectures and any other materials will be posted each week. Students will be asked to submit an assignment (see below) for each week. 

Students will learn what was happening in the United States and in the world during each time period, then we'll explore how that historical context impacted the fashions of the day. Students will get to see plenty of pictures of the clothing and hairstyles of the Victorian Era, the Roaring Twenties, the wartime 1940s, and the sock hoppin' 50s. We'll cover important people and moments in fashion history, but the emphasis will be on the everyday people who wore those fashions out to school, work, shopping, and everywhere in between. 

This is a history class and not a fashion class, so no prior knowledge of fashion is required and students who are history buffs will enjoy learning how what was going on in the world impacted fashion. Even though this is not a fashion class, students will be encouraged to try out the hairstyles of the decades we cover, sketch outfits to fit the time periods, looks for photos of their favorite outfits, and even ask family members for old photographs to share in class! This is a great way to connect to parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents while learning about how they dressed during their youth. 


**This is part one of a two part series. Part two covers 1960-1990 and can be found in my teacher profile page. The parts DO NOT have to be taken in order, so please sign up for whichever one fits your interests/schedule!**