50 years of style: dressing through the decades

Ebony, Nov, 1995 by Lynn Norment

During 50 years of publishing, Ebony has been at the forefront of showcasing the beauty and style that characterize African-Americans. From our first issues on through decades to today, we have demonstrated and illustrated the unmistakable fact that Black men and women have an innate sense of beauty and style. And we're referring not only to models and socialites, but also to the coeds and working people and the man on the street.

Over the years, Black men and women have adopted, and even advanced, the latest fashion trends of the day. In the '40s and '50s, we wore skinny, belted suits with jackets nipped at the waist, and we wore sleek satin and chiffon evening gowns that epitomized glamour: In the '60s we flaunted colorful miniskirts and bell-bottom pants, halter tops, '70s we adapted the "mod" look with psychedelic-patterned attire, hip-hugging pants, halter tops, and platform shoes and b the '80s both men and were decked out in three. suits with padded shoulders. That's also the decade that baggy clothes were fashionable.

In the '90s, skintight dresses of stretch fabrics have become a staple in the wardrobes of many fashionable (and shapely) women, along with see-through attire and garments made of metallic fabrics. Today, some of the most daring women wear bra-tops under jackets or all by themselves. This under-outerwear often is paired with the slinkiest, short-short skirt. In addition, clunky-heeled shoes of past decades have made a strong comeback And leggings, an expanded version of tights, have replaced pants in the wardrobes of many women. At the same time, many men have adopted the scarf, or "head rag," as a fashion statement.

In 1950, due to the growing number of Black women in the fashion industry, the National Association of Fashion and Accessory Designers was organized under the sponsorship of the National Council of Negro Women as a professional organization. Among the numerous articles published in Ebony's early years was an article on the "Ten Best Dressed Negro Women In America." The prestigious list included Black entertainers as well as professional women and socialites. The next year, the magazine featured a story on the National Urban in Harlem. It traditionally was among the most glamorous social events and was attended by thousands of elaborately costumed celebrants. To fill a fashion void in the Black community in the late '50s, the Ebony Fashion Fair show was launched, and it quickly emerged as a major force in the fashion world. With its beautiful bronze-skinned models and fashions from the world's top designers, it demonstrated that Black women can wear brilliant hues that they once shunned. Throughout all the years of numerous fashion changes, Ebony has covered it all. In thousands of photographs and stories on fashions, entertainers and documented the style trends America what it is.