This paper intends to highlight fashion trends of hemlines as economic indicators. It initially provides an introduction showing relation of hemlines with fashion designing. Then it glances through the history of western culture from antiquity to date revealing dressing modes and hemlines rise and fall during various stages of history. Then the connection is made with Taylor’s “Hemline Theory” of Economics. Theory is briefly discussed and its applicability is judged taking views of different authors.
Introduction
Dressing is as old as human civilization itself is. Human beings have been wearing some kind of dresses since antiquity. The cause may be is that human beings are distinct from animals and other creatures by nature and do not have thick fur or the kind of skin to bear different seasons, thus, some sort of dressing is required to defend their bodies from the weathering.
Like all other aspects of human life, this initial need of dressing also had reasons for development. :
- Ancient people also liked to decorate themselves with attractive dresses and make up for better façade;
- Afterwards, people began tribal and family set ups and particular dressing styles became a sign of identity, status, ranks and occupation. This is just like at present doctors, nurses, army officers, and policemen wear different uniforms. (Russell 2008).
Fashion Designing
Gradually self identification through dressing developed into what we call today “Fashion Designing”. This term is applicable to the styles and modes of dressing, prevalent and well-liked during a specific period of time. There are multiple impinging dynamics of fashion, which may range from exciting occasions to the recognition and status of famous people and celebrities. Like hats disappeared to follow John F. Kennedy.
Nevertheless, in the 20th century, French Fashion Designers have always had a remarkable impact which has represented the haute couture that implies “Specialized Dress Designing” and serves as a standard feature from the reawakening of fashion in the West. (Plunkett, 2008).
While dress designing the experts consider three basic elements which are basic outline or silhouette, material or textile, shades and colors.
Silhouette or Outline
The outline of clothing, outfit, or coat–or some other item of garments –is identified as its silhouette. This shape is established through fitting of the bodice (that is, the upper part of an outfit which is from neckline to waistline), the skirt’s flare, waistline’s location, neckline cutting and sleeves’ shape. A complete silhouette includes footwear and hat also. There are merely a small number of main shapes however; styles keep on changing every year.
Waistline is the middle and major spot of a silhouette. It could be either elevated, standard, short or no waistline in any way. An elevated waistline is known as Empire, as it was introduced by Josephine (Napoleon’s wife) who is well known to have established modern French fashion designing for the whole empire. The waistline which is commonly in use is standard or normal which is commonly in the form of a belt. The waistline closed to actual waist provides a slender shape known as “Torso Look”. (Cunningham, 2008).
The Hemline
The second imperative element of a silhouette is the hemline. Hems are supposed to be the ultimate phase in completing an outfit. A straight skirt usually has 76mm or 3 inch hem whereas rounded hem is almost 25mm or 1 inch broad. Some sheer gathered skirts require a double-fold hem which may be 152-203mm or 6-8 inches. They differ in width taking into consideration the skirt’s figure at hemline. They also differ in length from miniskirts which are usually quite above the knees to long skirts touching the floor. The most dynamic and ever changing part of ladies garments is the waistline and hemline which show new trends almost every year.
A yardstick or skirt marker is used to mark the hemline appropriate distance from floor, then marked lines are folded or pinned up. An even width is marked and the surplus extra fabric is trimmed away. The ends of the hemline are neatly finished with overcast, pinked or bounding machines considering the type of cloth. The appropriate hems are those which are hand sown invisible, but for kid’s garments zigzag and sports apparels blind stitch machines are now commonly in use for the sake of resilience. (Cunningham, 2008).
History of Hemline
History of hemline is definitely as old as the history of clothing is and traces back its roots to ancient civilization. Historians have recorded clothing styles of past western cultures. These records are available n the form of paintings, sculptures and written documents as well. These styles of dressing reveal the life style of the people of a specific period; their spiritual and political convictions, their emotions and perception about own self and the world around and also about the degree of technology advancement in that period. Thus searching for the dressing styles in the past is actually searching for a whole culture. (Russell 2008).
Hemline in the Antiquity
Egypt
This civilization was grown in the valley of Nile and traces back to 3000 BC. Ladies used to appreciate translucent and skin tight skirts with a length up to the chest. They also wore see through tunics and shoulder cloaks. Men also used to wear decorous and creased skirts, dressing gowns and tunics. Beaded collars and wigs were in the trend. (Russell 2008).
Sumerians
In the Middle East, almost in the same period, in Tigris and Euphrates delta areas, a race of people called Sumerians introduced skirts and shawls woven with sheep wool. This tradition was later taken up by the following Babylonians, Assyrians, and Persians.
Crete
Closed buy Greece is an island called Crete. Its inhabitants were called the Minoans. Their ladies used to wear triangular shaped skirts with flares and firmly fitted jackets. This area was later captured by Greek mainland and the same culture continued for some time.
Greece
In the times of Archaic Greek, small pieces of wool used to stitch together to prepare a tunic like garment which was semi fitted. During 5th century BC, with the advent of Golden Greek Age, people started to ear broader tunics made with softer and lighter fabric as compared to ones worn in the past. New styles of draping and pinning the supple cloth around the body were also came into fashion, which involved less cutting and stitching. (Russell 2008).
Rome
Romans basically followed Greek dressing styles. Especially Roman ladies liked Greek fashions a lot, but developed hairstyling a bit more. Dress of males used to be a T-shaped tunic which was worn under Pallium, an exterior Greek Garment.
Hemline in the Mediaeval
Layers of cloth came into fashion to cover up the body. A number of tunics were dressed up one over the other finally pinnacled with an enormous robe. Ladies started to use kerchiefs for wrapping their heads and necks. In 800 AD the Roman King Charlemagne used to wear silk and precious gems, whereas common people used woolen dresses. (Russell 2008).
The Renaissance
With the advent of 16th century puffed sleeves and full skirts were well accepted and consequently the full silhouette became common for both men and women fashion designing. Through this renovation of dress designs, Europe turned out to be fake and perverted in outline, shades and beautification.
The 17th Century
This century brought cloaks with very much natural shape with uncorseted waistlines, full length skirts with forearm wheezing sleeves, plunging necklines with laces. Fashion designers for both males and females appreciated the use of bows and ribbons and hats with huge edges. (Russell 2008).
The 18th Century
This century was somehow ornamenting and decorative as far as fashion designing is concerned. During this age buoyancy, subtlety, sophistication, and fascination were leading in all the arts including dress designing. Male cots were now designed with fuller skirts and vests began to be smaller. White silk stockings became well appreciated under tight knee breeches, whereas bows disappeared from footwear and were replaced by short heels and buckles. (Russell 2008).
The 19th Century
This was the time when full skirts were worn by ladies (over a number of petticoats) with tight waistlines, deep and below the shoulder necklines. These skirts were usually paired with rococo flared bonnets beautified with flowers and ribbons. The slim waists with exposed curves were in fashion. During this century the hour-glass figure became popular.
The 20th Century
In this age women became more liberal and practical. They also began to work in offices. They looked for sensible dressing styles which may not hinder their activity. It was for the first time after the war that skirt’s length was shortened to knees and ladies legs were uncovered.
World War II
During the times of World War II the skirts went up once more because a large number of women joined the working class and became more practical. They stated wearing slacks. After the war, the famous fashion designer Christian Dior designed a conventionally womanly outline which was a long and full skirt. However, there was youth movement in 1960s which collapsed this traditional style and miniskirts were introduced for women by English designers and dazzling shades and patterns were appreciated by both males and females. During this period well known bell bottom pants and use of beads and medallions were first introduced, and the urge for more relaxed and informal dressing took the fashion trends to begin the use of blue jeans.
The Hemline Theory
The Hemline Theory was propounded by George Taylor sometime during 1920s. The theory grasps that the direction of movement in stock price trends are the same as the size of dresses and length of hemlines. Therefore, shortening of hemlines stand for bullish trend in stock market and increasing lengths of hemlines result in bearish trends. Thus the hemlines increase or decrease with the economic status of a country.
Taylor gave reasoning to support his views that during the period of economic boom females used to wear short skirts as they had enough money to spend on fashion dressing and to some extent for showing off. They also used costly silken stockings. On the contrary, in the times of economic disasters, women used to wear full and long skirts to cover up their cheap hosiery because of fewer resources. (Scott, 2003).
If review history to evaluate this theory we find several periods in its support such as in prosperous decade of 20s, 60s and 80s the length of skirts really decreased and during the troublesome period of Great Depression they spectacularly dropped.
The Melbourne fame Margaret Porritt says that hemlines cannot be treated as dependable financial pointers because people follow dress designs to look up to date and I has nothing to do with stock prices. Moreover fashion trends have diminished the use of skirts and trousers and jeans are becoming more popular than what to say about the hemlines and economic conditions. (Wells, 2006).
Conclusion
I am personally not in favor of taking hemlines as economic indicators. The fluctuations in the stock market because of rise and fall in women’s skirt length seems to be a hilarious thought. Anyhow, length of skirts have some bounds, they cannot drop beyond the floor and cannot rise above a certain limit. Thus, the attainment of an extreme boundary entails agreement between a tremendously optimistic or depressing frame of mind. This collective mind set seems to be associated with the expression of stock market.
If we look at the back we realize transactions with Europe are also helpful to connect this economic pointer more clearly. During past twenty four months ladies skirts seem to have observed a noticeable fall but stock market doesn’t seem to be warm till December.
Furthermore, Taylor’s theory takes into consideration only the western cultures and their relation to stock markets. But how could this theory be applied to a country following eastern culture for example, India, a developing economy and active stock market activities but ladies don’t wear skirts there so they don’t have hemline as an economic indicator. Isn’t it ridiculous?
I would like to end up this paper with Barron’s idea that says who considers the theory as uncanny and prophetic and not appropriate to be used in sensible market investigations. (Downes, 2003).
References
Cunningham, G. (2008). Sewing. Encyclopedia Americana. Web.
Downes, J. (2003). Barron’s Finance and Investment Handbook. Barron’s Educational Series.
Maginnis, Tara. (2007). The History of Fashion and Dress. Web.
Plunkett, E. M. (2008). costume. Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia. Web.
Plunkett, E. M. (2008). fashion design. Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia. Web.
Russell, D. A. (2008). Clothing. The New Book of Knowledge®. Web.
Scott, D. L. (2003). Wall Street Words: An A to Z Guide to Investment Terms for Today’s Investor. Houghton Mifflin Reference Books.
Wells, Rachel. (2006). Rates up, skirts down. Web.