1920 1930s: The Cocktail Dress

By the late-1920s the liberation movement helped women become more visible in social terms. Revolting against the matronly functions of the Edwardian woman, they were becoming individually empowered with the help of their collective force. The social elite in the 1920s wore loose dresses with matching shoes, bags and hats, while this period also saw the rise of the 'cocktail dress' and Coco Chanel's invention of the 'Little Black Dress' in the mid-1920s. Women wore flattening girdles to create a masculine shape and to also stop any movement when they danced. Traditionally, the cocktail dress was in black or white and was worn with a small hat which was designed to keep close to the head as cocktail parties were busy events held in one room so there was no room for anything bigger. 1950s: The Hem Line Rose In the 1950s women were demanding youthful party dresses as such, the hem lines rose during the decade and never really receded again! Curves were back in fashion, too, and the enhancement of chests and waists saw women wearing cone-shaped bras and corsets. The idea behind the cocktail dress was to create the whole ensemble with shoes, hat, dress and bag all matching immaculately. There would generally be some detailing in the form of a bow, embroidery or embellishment with gems on the upper part of the body or shoulders in order that it would catch the eye and make the wearer stand out in a crowd. 1980s: The Return of the Corset Everybody wants a party dress which states, 'I've arrived'. It shouldn't shout, it should exclaim. A dress should follow the lines of the body, it should be worn, not wear the wearer. In the 1980s red and gold made a resurgence; pencil skirts and a heavily detailed upper body were the fashion, mimicking the confident and optimistic financial mood of the times. Vivienne Westwood included corsets within her dresses to create comfortable structure for the first time. 1990s: Comfort and Choice These initial rules have continued throughout the ensuing years. Fashion has tweaked this initial foray into the party dress, and whether it be colour or design, the sentiment is the same now as it was then: women love dressing up and every wardrobe has its own collection of party dresses no matter what your age. However, the difference now is that women have more choice and can wear whatever shape they want with the help of lingerie. Whether it be multi-way bras which allow women to have support as well as wearing a halter neck, one-shoulder or strapless dress or wearing corsets as outerwear we live in a time where we can wear what we like and look great in it.