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American life after WW 2
The impact of World War II on American society
The impact of World War II on American society
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The United States of America came out World War II being known as the world's best country. Many Americans were optimistic about their future and focused on searching for prosperity and a new way of life. During this time, families came together and celebrated loved ones coming back from wars. Many families planned the new life they would have which included starting new jobs, and getting new homes. The 1950s brought many new styles of music, fashion, and food with the decade along with a new idea of a common family. With the 1950s, there became a new style of music: rock and roll. However, whenever something is new, there is always history that comes before it. In this case it was the African Americans in the South. Most of this music came …show more content…
During this era, fashion was extremely expressive and creative. The ideas created during this time inspired the way we see fashion today and helped show how culture from the past can evolve with the present. These new styles of clothing were very popular during the 50s because they were captivating and unique to many people. Because of the teenage rebellion in this era, the fashion industry “introduced new fashion markets aimed at children and teenagers” (Trevino 8). Teenagers wanted to express themselves and not stick with the older generations ideals of what was considered fashionable. Specifically, many of the upright older generations focused on having “a well-groomed and tailored appearance [which included] narrow waists, full or long skirts, and fitted bodies” (Trevino 9). This is because older women were used to having simple fabrics and clean styles due to the rationing in the War. After the war, the rationing ended and there became a mass distribution of fabrics and patterns that allowed a new type of fashion for a new group of people. Younger Generations “became a major consumer force openly cultivated by designers and manufacturers. For many adolescents and young adults, fashion became a symbol through which to express rebellion against adult society and conventions.” (Trevino 9). Fashion allowed the teenagers of the 1950s to represent themselves and what they believed
Teenagers in the 1950's are so iconic that, for some, they represent the last generation of innocence before it is "lost" in the sixties. When asked to imagine this lost group, images of bobbysoxers, letterman jackets, malt shops and sock hops come instantly to mind. Images like these are so classic, they, for a number of people, are "as American as apple pie." They are produced and perpetuated by the media, through films like Grease and Pleasantville and television shows like Happy Days, The Donna Reed Show, and Leave It to Beaver. Because of these entertainment forums, these images will continue to be a pop cultural symbol of the 1950's. After the second World War, teenagers became much more noticeable in America (Bailey 47). Their presence and existence became readily more apparent because they were granted more freedom than previous generations ever were.
The 1920’s was an era of dramatic political and cultural change, where many Americans lived in cities rather than farms. Many inventors came to be noticed as new cars were invented and as music entered the entertainment industry. A new style of music was invented mainly in the African American community, creating the Harlem Renaissance; which was an evolution of music and entertainment in Harlem, New York City. The women of America began to evolve in the 1920s, adding new styles to our fashion industry and changing the way women dress, act, and are portrayed in society for generations. Women were viewed before the 1920’s as innocent housewives, that made little to no money, as they often relied on their husbands’ for income. Women also
Not only did race relations play a big factor in the 1950s, it was a start to a lot of controversy in the beginning between African Americans and whites. They connected with each other because of the style of the music. This type of music deeply emphasized integration for African Americans and also during this time they were trying to gain civil rights. “At the center of that struggle, rock-n-roll unsettled a nation that had been “living in an ‘age of anxiety’” since 1945 (All Shook Up, 7). Most artists were criticized and punished for not supporting their own races and staying within their boundaries.
Towards the end of the decade the Hippie movement had a huge impact on the way people started to view clothing. This group rebelled against war, encouraged peace and love. Their presence had a major influence on fashion. They opted for clothing that was natural and comfortable. Accessories w...
Many considered Rock ‘n’ Roll culture as a bad influence to all people, but as the genre aged and the now not-so-young crowds had matured, Rock was respected and appreciated by most of America for it was now seen as a legitimate art form. As for its creators, there is no one other than the greats of race music to thank for that. A time of shift involving a large number of African-Americans migrating to cities in the north. This was due to the aspiration of finding new life away from the south.
The way these teens dressed during this time was very conservative. Due to the restrictions of World War II, "clothes were much [more] simple and less fabric was used because few materials were available” (Mathieson). Many teens during this time period were much more respectful and would not go out of their way to cause a corruption. Te...
After many of World War II’s harmful effects, the 1950s served as a period of time of musical change that reflected the dynamic of society as well as the traditional norms and values. Many factors contributed to this transformation. For example, the civil rights movement heightened many racial tensions, and the music produced consequently manifested this tension in itself. Rock-n-roll and R&B music universalized music typically associated with African-Americans, and many African-American musicians gained fame; however, as with any relatively-widespread success, there were many musicians as well who missed their opportunities due to the same racial segregation. While “radical” genres such as R&B and rock-n-roll laid the foundation for music future forms of music, the standard pop, jazz, and country music adhered to traditional values, and thus continued to maintain popularity amidst phenomena such as the Elvis craze.
Music has continued to change throughout each decade, but the 1960s was the most influential decade in the history of music. Starting in the early 1950s, rock music was first introduced. Major record labels were releasing new “cover songs” which were originally made by black artist, but now by white artist (Rock and Roll). These cover songs changed a few lyrics from the original songs to avoid copyright issues and to also make the song more appropriate for the white listeners. The biggest star of the 1950s was Elvis Presley, who was known as the “King of rock n’ roll”.
The sixties were a time of growing youth culture and youth fashions, which had already begun in the late fifties. In the west, young people were benefiting from the postwar industrial boom, and had no problem finding work. With extra cash in their pockets, they were able to spend more and had begun to refashion themselves accordingly. This higher demand in the fashion business brought out a new generation of designers. The freedom of extra cash meant room for more imagination and creativity, bringing out new and provocative fashion ideas.
from a subtle flare to huge, flapping bell-bottoms. By the end of the 1970s, however,
In the 'roaring 20s', sex became revolutionised with sex novelists such as F. Scott Fitzgerald and Edna Saint Vincent Millay and the widespread use of Hollywood actors and actresses across the silver screen, such as Jean Harlow and Rudolph Valentino. However, it was the 1960s sexual revolution that was consumed drastically and ended being more noteworthy and had a long-lasting impact. The 1960s sexual transformation developed with the Women's Movement and the contraception pill. Conception prevention gave women control over their fertility, enabling freedom from the danger of an unwanted pregnancy.
“It’s almost like the 1950s bottled everyone up so much that the late 1960s exploded like an old pressure cooker.” Fashion in the sixties was very vibrant, colorful and matchy, making it a fashion “break through”. Fashion was very experimental, and had many surprising styles. Styles in the sixties weren’t always the same. Each year had its own kind of popular style.
The 1920s opened with an explosion of color, wailing sounds, fast rhythms of jazz and energetic dancing. It was the perfect escape of the youthful reactions against the dark and serious times of World War I. Fashion is shaped by the influences by society and events of the era, Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening (Coco Chanel). The movement in fashion was led by groups of young women called flappers.
Marketing, advertising, and the media all try to influence the way our generation dresses. Their reasons are mainly profit based. We also make our clothing choices based on the Functionality of the garment. Consumers of our generation often look at the comfort, durability, and adaptability of a piece before purchasing. History has had a great influence on the look of most clothing worn today. Clothes reminiscent of the past are often known as "retro" which has become one of the signature styles of Generation Y. Clothing also helps us to express ourselves. Youth often choose clothing to reflect their unique personality. These factors are explained further below.
Moreover, it also was a remarkable change with dressing styles under the circle of mini to maxi. Generally, in the 60s people’s dressing was stilted, unattractive and confined (Tracy Tolkien, 2002). However, young people experienced the highest incomes period after the Second World War. Therefore, they began to put more attention outside the basic human supply.... ...