The Evolution of Fashion in the Caribbean
F
ashion can often be perceived as expressive, and creative. You wear what speaks to you, and sometimes you wear what’s expected.
A look back at how our mothers and grandmothers used to dress is a huge contrast for Caribbean attire today. Caribbean fashion has been influenced by African, Indian, European, Amerindian and Asian traditions. Over time, as the years of technology have evolved and new and old designers coexist, the style of fashion has changed into what we wear today. Still, we can appreciate how different yet ironically similar Caribbean fashion was back then. In the late 1930s and 1940s, suspenders were popular among young men and boys. This was during a time where belts were not a trend, or perhaps had not come into play yet. Men wore suspenders to hold up their pants and even today, suspenders are relatively popular with both men and women.
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Back in the 1940s and 1950s, women’s attire were simple, practical and used little fabric. The dresses were often A-line and conservative and the skirts were either knee length or calf length, both light and airy. The men wore suits inspired by African Americans, which were high waisted trousers with a long jacket in the 40s, while they added in fedora hats in the 50s.
