Fashion in the United States is eclectic and predominantlycasual; emblematic garments includecowboy hats,boots,jeans,casual tailoring, and leathermotorcycle jackets.New York City is among the world'sfashion capitals, along withParis,Milan, andLondon. Proximity toManhattan'sGarment District is important to participate in the American fashion ecosystem.[1]Los Angeles too is central to America'sfashion industry.
French colonists in theColonial United States wore European fashions from the land of their origin. Thepilgrims ofPlymouth Colony adopted the new English fashion ofKing Charles I, thefalling band collar made oflace orlinen. Men's attire consisted of a linen undergarment, a padded button-downdoublet with long sleeves, sometimes worn with cloth collars and whitecuffs that contrasted with dark colored garments, baggy knee length breeches, and knee-length stockings of cotton or wool.Felt hats were worn at all times, even indoors. This was a standard set by the men at that time because, in those days, the men were extremely embarrassed of balding. Women wore a short-sleeved linen undergarment tied with ribbons,stays, ankle lengthpetticoats (sometimes multiple layers), a fitted gown or fitted button down bodice (sleeves could be sewn on or attached at the shoulder with a ribbon) with an ankle length skirt, stockings, andaprons. Pilgrim women always wore their hair pulled back and covered with a cap called acoif.[2]
Sumptuary laws in colonial Massachusetts forbade lace,embroidery,ruffs and gold thread in 1634. Perfumed gloves, decorative shoe ornaments,beaver fur hats, and multiple pearl necklaces and rings were also not allowed. Additional restrictions were added in 1639 requiring poorer colonists to dress according to their station, forbidding silk scarves and other finery. Loose hair and short sleeves were banned. During theSalem Witch Trials,Bridget Bishop was accused ofwitchcraft for her "showy costume". Her dress, black with a red bodice, and decorated with multi-colored threads, was admitted as evidence against her. Further evidence revealed that she had asked the towndyer to dye "sundry pieces of lace" that were said to be of "long and immodest shapes".[3]
Fashion norms have changed greatly between decades. The United States of America has generally followed, and in some cases led, trends in thehistory of Western fashion. It has some unique regional clothing styles, such aswestern wear.
Blue jeans were popularized as work clothes in the 1850s byLevi Strauss, an American merchant of German origin in San Francisco, and were adopted by many American teenagers a century later. They are now widely worn on every continent by people of all ages and social classes. Along with mass-marketed informal wear in general, blue jeans are perhaps American culture's primary contribution to global fashion.[4] Other fashion trends started in the US includesportswear as fashion along withathletic shoe wear likeConverse orNike.Athleisure was also popularized in the US in the 2010s, and has dominated the US market because of its ability to fill a gap in the market, as clothing was not usually both comfortable, stylish, and functional.[5]
The headquarters of many leadingdesigner labels such asRalph Lauren Corporation,Calvin Klein,J.Crew,Michael Kors,Alexander Wang,Vera Wang,Marc Jacobs,Oscar de la Renta,Diane von Furstenberg,Donna Karan, andVictoria's Secret, and Shein reside inManhattan. Labels such asAbercrombie & Fitch andEckō Unltd. cater to variousniche markets, such as pre teens. A new trend in the United States towardssustainable clothing has led to the emergence oforganic cotton T-shirts from labels such asBeGood Clothing.New York Fashion Week is also one of the most influential fashion weeks in the world, and occurs twice a year.[6]
The annualMet Gala ceremony inManhattan is widely regarded as the world's most prestigious fashion event and is a venue where fashion designers and their creations are celebrated.Social media is also a place where fashion is presented most often. Some influencers are paid huge amounts of money to promote a product or clothing item, where the business hopes many viewers will buy the product off the back of the advertisement. Instagram is the most popular platform for advertising, but Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter and other platforms are also used.[7] In New York, theLGBT fashion design community contributes very significantly to promulgating fashion trends, anddrag celebrities have developed a profound influence upon New York Fashion Week.[8]
Dress norms in the United States are generally consistent with those of post-industrial Western nations and have become largely informal since the mid-20th century. Clothing in the United States also depends on a variety of factors including location, climate, venue, and demographic factors such as ethnicity. Jeans are a consistent fashion trend among all classes, with variations being vast in both price and style.
The western states are commonly noted for being more informal in their manner of dress than those on the Atlantic seaboard.Conspicuous consumption and a desire for quality have also led to a strong preference for designer label clothing among many in the middle and upper classes.
The tolerance of body expression that deviates from the mainstream, such as complete body tattoos or nudism, is strongly linked to the sub-culture and location in which an individual may find themself. The tolerance shown for personal expression such ascross-dressing and piercings varies greatly with location and sub-culture, and may be completely appropriate in one venue while beingtaboo in another.[9]
New York City,Los Angeles, andMiami are known for their fashion and cosmetics markets. Smaller, but nonetheless prominent fashion destinations includeBoston,New Jersey,Philadelphia,Dallas,San Francisco,Chicago, andWashington, D.C., as well asAspen,Charleston,Las Vegas,Seattle,Portland, andAtlanta.
Some cities and regions specialize in certain areas of fashion. For example, Miami for swimwear, Boston and the generalNew England area forpreppy fashion, Los Angeles for casual attire and womenswear, and cities like Seattle and Portland for eco-conscious fashion. Chicago is known for its sportswear, and is the premier fashion destination in the middle American market. Dallas,Houston,Austin,Nashville, and Atlanta are big markets for thefast fashion and cosmetics industries, alongside having their own distinct fashion sense that mainly incorporatescowboy boots and workwear, greater usage of makeup, lighter colors and pastels, “college prep” style, sandals, bigger hairstyles, and thinner, airier fabrics due to the heat and humidity of the region.
U.S. Streetwear originated from a fusion of subcultures, including hip-hop culture, skate and surf culture, punk, and Japanese street fashion. Beginning in the 1970s, popular brands within these groups such as, Vans,FUBU,BAPE, and Adidas established themselves as accessible household names.[13] This set the groundwork for luxury brands to push streetwear into their collections, shifting it from practical to statement-making. Many high fashion brands began collaborating with rappers, doing sneaker drops, and copying sillouhettes popularized by street fashion. Standalone luxury streetwear brands like Supreme and OffWhite emerged and became global powerhouses that both collaborated with Louis Vuitton, andYeezy blurred the lines between celebrity, fashion, music, and innovation.[11] In 2018,Virgil Abloh, became the first black designer to lead Louis Vuitton's menswear line---bringing his expertise in street style to the brand.[14] In 2023,Pharrell Williams succeeded him as the current Creative Director and continues to bridge streetwear aesthetics and high fashion by bringing his unique perspective to the luxury market, which allows Louis Vuitton to expand it's audience to a wider culture.[15] Streetwear now reflects a wider range of audiences and its influence only continues to grow.
