Children's Costumes

In the early 1900s, only children from reasonably wealthy families wore new clothes. Most wore hand-me-downs from relatives or neighbors. Storebought clothes that reflected fashion trends were reserved for Sunday best, and these fashions closely followed those of the adult world. Due to a growing appreciation of physical exercise at the beginning of the century, children's clothes became much more casual and practical. At the end of World War II, the birth of the teenager and the explosion of youth culture shook the adult world. Marlon Brando's motorbike gang hit the movies, while Elvis Presley gyrated his hips. Then came moptops and hippies, followed by glam-rockers, punks, and grunge waifs. By the 1990s, a complete turn-around had taken place, and the casual sporty clothes of children and teenagers set the trend for the older generation. Children's Costumes chronicles the developments in children's fashion throughout the 20th century and looks at how they reflected changes in society's attitude towards youth and children. Book jacket.