2020 Met Gala Theme Announced: It’s About Time!
by Petrina Danardatu
No, seriously. It’s about time, and how fashion has evolved through and with history. This year, the Metropolitan Museum of Art Gala is celebrating its 150th year anniversary. At the beginning of this month, the theme of this year’s Gala was announced: "About Time: Fashion and Duration". This theme aims to inspire attendees to dissect how fashion has changed and developed over the 19th and 20th centuries.
Anna Wintour's co-chairs for this year's Met Gala are La La Land star Emma Stone, broadway show “Hamilton” creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, three-time Oscar-winner actress Meryl Streep, and creative director of Louis Vuitton Nicolas Ghesquière.
Andrew Bolton, Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute, said the decision was largely influenced by the famed 20th-century French philosopher Henri Bergson concept of “la durée”—that time flows, accumulates, and indivisible”.
This exhibition will take attendees back in time, taking them on a fashion journey through the 19th and 20th centuries to the present. The 160-piece collection will be a comprehensive guide to understanding how fashion and time are coupled, with Virginia Woolf serving as the "ghost narrator."’
19th Century
Fashion in the 19th century was generally known for a few key pieces: corsets, bonnets, top hats, bustles, and petticoats. These are all pieces that could be creatively worked into more contemporary looks that may appear at the Gala.
Corsets: A corset is a garment worn to hold and train the torso into a desired shape, traditionally a smaller waist or larger bottom. Historically, some men also wore boned-corsets to give them a small waist, though this item was for many years an integral part of women's dress. In the 1870s-1880s, corsets became longer and were more rigidly boned.
Bonnets: A woman's hat that had a brim framing the face and tied under the chin. Bonnets or hats were worn outdoors and linen caps indoors. In the 1820s, hairstyles became very elaborate and the crowns of bonnets or hats were designed to accommodate them. Bonnets and hats continued to be worn until the 1860s, when small, elegant styles appeared which simply perched on top of the head.
Courtesy of Wikipedia
Top Hats: The top hat was worn by men for day and formal dress throughout the 19th century.
Bustles: In the mid-to-late 19th century, a bustle is a padded undergarment used to add fullness or support the drapery, at the back of women's dresses. As the 19th century progressed, women’s clothing gradually became more form-fitting. In the 1820s-1830s, the waistline deepened, and the bodice (the close-fitting upper part of a dress, covering the chest and back above the waist) required a tighter fit. In contrast, the skirt became fuller and bell-shaped.
Petticoats: A petticoat (left) is a type of undergarment worn under a skirt or a dress. In the early 19th century, women wore many petticoats, bound together, to show the great fullness of the skirt. By the 1850s, however, this type of underskirt was abandoned for the crinoline.
20th Century
Fashion in the 20th century went through several trends, influenced by the times: war, politics, social movements, and more. Many people look back at the fashions of the 20th century with nostalgia and fond memories.
1910s: During the early part of the century, women wore short bob haircuts throughout the decade, and wore shorter skirts and dresses than ever before that fell just above the ankle. Women’s outfits became more masculine and macho, reflecting Word War I’s influence over the fashion of the time.
1920s: The ‘20s were known as the roaring ‘20s and the Jazz era. This decade’s fashion abandoned the longstanding restrictions on women’s clothing in favor of more comfortable clothes; skirts and trousers offered this comfort, as well as more loose and breathable fabrics such as silk. Accessories also made a grand entrance, ranging from matching headbands to pearls and statement pieces. Through fashion-forward garments and confidence, women were also making a grand entrance into the forefront of social setting.
Courtesy of News Phone Review
1930s: Women’s clothing became more relaxed and comfortable, as well as much more revealing. However, the Great Depression temporarily stalled much of the fashion progress that was being made. It caused women’s clothing to retrograde; fashion became more conservative and more traditionally effeminate.
1940s: In this decade, World War II was in full swing, and so was the fashion industry. The War caused shortages and world trade deficits that slowed clothing production but encouraged innovation. The war also heavily influenced the colors that were worn: military-inspired and nautical colors were very common.
Courtesy of Disney Examiner
1950s: When the war ended, a new decade with new confidence began. The feminine shape took center stage with tight waists and high hemlines, which set the tone for classic and timeless looks — even up to today. Designers experimented with multiple colors and patterns, which made clothing less conservative. Women’s fashion began to feature vibrant floral and repeating patterns which were used to highlight a woman’s beauty and physique.
Courtesy of Formidable Magazine
Courtesy of Vintage Dancer
1960s: This decade can be characterized as an era of social movements and fashion innovations. The civil rights movement in the United States furthered women’s drive for independence in rights and fashion. The trends that arose reflected social and cultural changes, such as A-line dresses that showed off women’s legs and gave them a taller look. The underground music scene was characterized by vibrant colors with psychedelic prints and chic vintage handbags.
1970s: The typical pieces of this decade included mini-skirts, bell-bottom pants that were popularized by hippies, and glam rock and disco trends that introduced fashion staples like stain, glitter, and bright colors.
Courtesy of The Trend Spotter
1980s: Women’s roles in society changed in this decade, with more women entering the workforce than ever before. Women wore clothing for practical purposes and fashion statements, meaning this was the decade of big hair, shoulder pads, vibrant colors, and luxurious garments such as silks and furs. Other trends included tights, leotards, sweatpants, velour tracksuits, ripped jeans, and athletic accessories were popularized by the aerobics craze of this decade.
1990s: This decade took a turn away from the opulent and vibrant characteristics of the previous decades to more minimalistic style. The ‘90s were heavily shaped by rock and grunge music. Musch like the band members seen on MTV, women generally wore casual daywear like jeans and t-shirts.
Given the possibility of choosing from two centuries-worth of fashion trends and key pieces, the attendees of the 2020 Met Gala will have a lot to work with. I would imagine there will be a broad range of interpretation, but hopefully they will all keep the core of this theme in mind: how fashion changes as time does.
