History of American Fashion Images

History of American Fashion Images

The Seeming Androgyny of the 18th Century

In 18th-century portraits, it's often difficult for modern viewers to distinguish between children's genders, because the boys appear to be wearing the same dresses as the girls. The child at the left in this painting is a boy, and the one on the right is probably a girl. (Portrait of Two Children, attributed to Joseph Badger, probably Boston, Massachusetts, 1755–1760, oil on canvas.)

Saggin'

An example of the "saggin'" style, with boxers fully exposed, in the East Village of New York City.

Zoot Suiters

Black men modeling yet another controversial trend, the zoot suits of the 1940s.

Sunday Best in the Early Midwest

A Custer County, Nebraska family in 1886, in a photograph entitled "Our Sunday Best."

The Cleavage Controversy

Hillary Clinton's outfit—worn in July 2007, while she delivered a speech on the Senate floor about the cost of higher education—received national headlines and attention when a Washington Post writer characterized it as "cleavage on display."