American Style

American soldiers go to war and women go to work. As the influence of Hollywood expands and the economy grows, the fashion world is transformed amidst an unprecedented expansion in prosperity and consumerism.

A new president and new sense of confidence bring great changes. Youth culture comes into its own and fashion, like politics, goes to extremes. Out of the turmoil, new subcultures emerge and demand equal rights and recognition of their unique identities.

The Reagan presidency ushers in a new era of optimism, extravagance and excess, and brands capitalize on the increase in spending. In urban centers, marginalized communities find new ways to express themselves that forever change American identity.

As the millennium draws to a close, fashion pushes back against the excess of the 1980s and women make strides in the workplace and the media. In the 2000s, a new decade brings a brave new world in the form of the Internet and social media.