How fashion reflects society 

It's truly shameful what has been happening to fashion since the past 15 years it's been going downhill. The stores are filled with rags. Nothing fits, no linings, staticky material, cheap seams, cheap crooked or too large necklines, nothing fits properly for its size on the label and dresses are often too short and hard to find A-line styles or proper pleats. And some things should be banned from public like hideous leggings.

I don't want clothing to express my individuality. I want long lasting cloth with a good quality that fit me well and make me look put together.

This is why I started sewing my own clothing. Everything in the stores suddenly looked ugly and boxy, and a classic, A line skirt was nowhere to be found. Fashion is pushed in various directions for the masses and that’s fine, but I’m walking my own road now.

You should make contact with the women working in historical clothing, like Bernadette Banner and Nicole Rudolf. The stories about women's clothing and corsets are simply untrue. After all, women went riding and even hunting!

There are a lot of unfortunate myths surrounding corsetry. Modern corsetry is NOT the same as traditional corsetry from bygone eras. In fact, I wish we had proper support garments today. There are so many useful videos by other youtubers now a days, anyone can learn more about them now. It truly is a fascinating and nuanced topic.

For centuries women wore skirts to make it easier to "relieve" themselves, even without getting undressed. Undergarments were open at the crotch to assist this. This was especially true of women working in fields, as the skirt helped protect their modesty.

Actually, peasant women wore stays too and corsets too lol and its a myth that they were uncomfortable.

I call what is available these days as the "Amazon Uniform". Another thing, models don't model anymore.

I can never find anything wearable, quality and interesting either. I would love it if they still made clothing with really unique and interesting detailing but a lot of it is just poorly made copies of whatever 'trends' are being cranked out. If you want something that is not what is being cranked out you can't find anything unless you do resale.

A long time ago I became disillusioned with modern fashion. I always admired the earlier fashions in the 20th century , for example in the 1930s and 40s and 50s . Within those parameters there were many other options to dress, not just in suits and ties. It is possible for a woman to be creative in other ways , being eclectic. So I ignore the fashion trends and make my own with reference points that I discover from the old movies , old photos, old fashion prints etc. I have bought a mix of modern and vintage for over 30 years now and it is my method of ignoring the boredom of modern trends which seem incidentally , as you say, to be continually on repeat cycles.

As many others pointed out before me: corsets and stays were not an instrument of oppression, and they don't cause you to faint. If a woman chose to tightlace to the point of fainting, it was the fault of the individual, not the garment. Working class women also wore corsets/stays because it was a supportive undergarment. It was basically the bra of old. It is also a misconception that corsets were only worn by women, when in actuality men did too! Also, codpieces are somehow never mentioned when discussing historical shapewear...

I love getting dressed up but unfortunately we are losing 3rd spaces (local public hangouts) in the US, which gives us less reason to dress up. I'm an artist so I'll dress up to sell my jewelry, to perform my music, or to go to a rave or the club, but I'm more outgoing and luckier than most of my childhood friends. Most of my close friends need to adhere to a dress code for work, or they don't have the money to go out. So even if they see beautiful and unique clothing items, they don't get them because they say they don't have a place or reason to wear it. Another thing I've noticed is a confidence issue with some ppl. I've had girls admire my jewelry, but they say they're "not cool enough" to wear it or they say "they need to hit the gym" before they can wear body jewelry. Which honestly makes me sad bc I think their bodies are beautiful how they are. We might have more of a "wellness culture" now but it's still elitist and doesn't really focus on the mind body connection and the fact that no amount of super collagen drink will fix the stresses and structure of our unhealthy society. It also won't fix the fact that our food is the US is mostly poison. To dress well and individualistically, we need to be able to relax in ourselves. And a lot of ppl like to tell us there's something wrong with us, which creates anxiety. And anxiety leads to not expressing yourself. Hence the dull fashion. (Just my opinion)

Taking about society and fashion, I live now in a small town somewhere in northern Europe and coming originally from a big city in the south, I love expressing myself through clothes but unfortunately people here don't care at all about style. All I see is jeans, sneakers etc. Like, I once went to the cinema with a friend who is a native and she wanted so badly to wear red lipstick like I did but didn't "dare" cause she was too conscious about it 🙁 I still do me as often as I can even if I just go for grocery shopping but I look so separated and this makes me feel lonely. I wish there were more people expressing their uniqueness with style so that I can admire them and exchange inspiration too. Even when we talk about perfumes, they either don't wear any or just vanilla generic celebrity ones. And being a lover of scents, I would love to have a discussion about it and smell something lovely and strange that would make me ask "what is it? 😍" . My eyes are literally deprived of aesthetics, art and creativity . Literally "starved"... 😢

I agree with what you say. I also noticed that when the financial situation bad is , the brands don’t take any risks and produce only basic clothes that are easy to match eith clothes you already have. When the economy gets better, they produce more trendy clothes in bold collors.

....corsets and stays were not uncomfortable. I wear stays. Also long dresses are more dramatic and beautiful. Midi dresses suit no one...imho

There are several historical errors in this video. May I suggest the podcast "Dressed" (the history of fashion) for well researched facts. Additionally the RU-vid channel "Ultimate Fashion History".

Inaccurate about shorts: young adult American women in 1940's & 50's wore longish, tailored pleated shorts (& looked great & comfortable).

I remember how long the Kardashians influenced fashion. I’m happy these days are over.

So true! Clothes shopping is depressing these days. Such ugly clothes!?

This video was interesting but didn’t address why you think everything at the shops is ugly.

I snagged two GREAT pieces at a thrift store.... things that cannot be found in stores these days. The two tops had this in common: they are structured, meaning they have darts which give shape, they come high under the arm to flatter the figure, they are lined, and they have a zipper. The garmet is designed and cut to FIT. I am SO SICK of clothes that have no shape. The arm holes are way too big, and the fabric is cheap. I hope I live long enough to see a return to decent quality.

Corsets being unconfortable is a myth

One of the countless reasons I started sewing my own garments and tweaking the last few storebought ones and boy do I love not having to compromise anything

I discovered my success formula along the last years. I was brought up by elegant by nature Ladies And growing in Madrid made me be conservative and very conscious of my looks. I travel a lot , and that is the best place to see what is going on in this society., planes, airports, supermarkets… My style is a mix of high -low Jeans , ballerinas an d a blazer is my favorite, Aldo solid colors dresses. I do not own hoodies or sweatpants. I even dress nice at home to myself, when nobody is watching… that gives me integrity Excellent video Thanks

Have you ever worn and worked in a corset & petticoat? I have and I would rather wear 16th century English style clothing then wear anything from H&M!

I usually never watch long videos cause i dont have the patience but you made this so interesting, and the pace of your voice, the tone, how you talk and how you put in those videos. EVERYTHING amazing

Thank you for posting, I really enjoyed this video that I watched twice. Same experience, I couldn't find the clothes I like (I like nice and well made clothes) in shops selling new clothes. Fortunately I've discovered vintage clothes especially the german brand Escada by Margaretha ley. As a stay at home mom in a small town, I rarely have occasion to wear unique "dress up" clothes, so I wear them in my daily life instead of saving them. Like you said, now we have more freedom of wearing what we like. It's nice to see in our local supermarket people are wearing all sorts of clothes and styles, bathrobe, onesie, well cut dress, joggers, suits etc.

i don't remember when was the last time i bought something from high street fashion. I go vintage, charity shop and then I recreate or accessorize it. If what I create does not look good at least I did not spend 50 quid on skirt that might go out of trend in few months.

New subscriber here! This was so informative and interesting, I appreciate the research and time you put into the video. I thought you had nearly a million subscribers, I was shocked you don’t have more! I’m going to watch your other videos now! 😊

Thank you for your thoughts and insights, it was interesting.

This is a simply brilliant video that offers a deep perspective about the nature of fashion and the how and why of how it is so.

The average woman didn’t tight lace her corsets, please stop spreading this misinformation about tight corsets.

This was fascinating! Thank you ❤

Thanks for posting

I've been into fashion for about a year. I saw and read some interviews with Maria Grazia Chiuri / Dior. And I also looked at their collections and bought something from them. She says a lot of what you say here too. I can see the connection to haute coature in a pair of trousers that I recently bought (from the current collection inspired by Marlene Dietrich), as well as a more complex model at a haute coature fashion show. And yes, it is a mix of the past, streetwear and haute coature combined with what customers currently need and will wear. They also want to sell it and do it for customers. For example Dior, Maria Grazia's team has to make 7 collections a year including 2 Haute Coature. That's an enormous pressure.

I disagree, I am an older woman and now there are so many options available . Thise who fall into trends and have the desire to be In the trend have no idea about fashion , they just need to learn.

A wonderful video ..This is so interesting and answered a lot of questions for me especially as I see poor quality materials compared to a few years ago and don't get me started on knitwear/and basic pieces that fit the neckline and i'm sure the trend of tucking jumpers came from the fact that they don't have proper ribbed hems ! its hard to find clothes that sit well on the body and look reasonable for everyday wear ..Thankyou for explaining it all

My two requirements: It must be both modest & feminine.

I live in NZ and let's say it's not exactly at the fashion frontiers. It's a different lifestyle from what I got used to in Europe. All my fansy designer clothes that I brought with me looked ridiculous and out of place here. People walk barefoot here all year around (it was a cultural shock to start with:) cause the beach is always close by. Plus the remoteness, the size of the country and the life style all play a big park. It's been a process for me to rethink my wardrobe, but I like it now. There are a lot of comfortable things in it, but it still reflects me as a person and my values. still the quality of clothes here is appalling 😢😢😢

Very interesting topic ❤

I grew up in the 70s. My mom and my grandmother would by five or six pieces of good quality clothing a year each (outside of underwear). Each purchase was an event! Nowadays, people by so much fast and cheap fashion that end up in the trash after just a couple of months… Shameful, really!

Very interesting video Polina!

I wear both bohom amd western wear with classics like blazers ala Ralph Lauren to look unique where I live NO ONE here dresses like me....fine with me I love beinng distinct.

I’m feeling this so much right now. Over the past several months, I’ve lost a lot of weight and most of my clothes don’t fit. Most of my purchases have been secondhand since it’s cheaper and I can get quality basics. One thing I struggle to find are real wrap dresses, the kind that you actually have to tie in place. It made me wonder if we’ve really become so lazy that we can’t be bothered with garments that require a little effort? I love that style, but it seems hard to find.

Yep very ugly clothes in shops these days

Possibly, maybe you've received compliments as of what I'm going to express... As a male who widely appreciates many different styles of fashion, your video was really entertaining and provided lots of good fashion info. 😊

a very interesting video and take on this topic! i feel like some of the information about historical clothing were a bit untrue and you could have done more research but otherwise it was a great video and i really enjoyed watching this.

a very interesting video. In my opinion, we need to discuss the aesthetics of clothes together with its quality and comfort.

amazing WORK u done...BRAVO POLINA

There is no new fashion (not my quote). Standing out, apart from special events, is frowned upon. “Quiet” prevails. “Loud” reveals lack of sophistication and disregard for the state of others in despair. Same sentiment exists in the world of fine art now, with “muted” and dare I repeat “quiet” themes. (Not my opinions) Therefore, we are stuck here.

I have three 100% cashmere sweaters from Macys, cotton slacks from Walmart, corduroy pants from Kohls and Target. Not expensive. And plenty of cotton knit long sleeve and 3/4 length sleeve lightweight tops. No need for me to change.

Interesting video and a good attempt at analyzing from a historical point of view why today’s clothes are generally homogenized and cheaper quality. However I must point out a couple of things that I find are not entirely correct or misleading. First is your use of the term Haute Couture equal to “high fashion”. Haute couture is not the same as high fashion. While Haute Couture is obviously high fashion it does not equal very expensive high end prêt-à-porter clothing. Haute Couture is a totally different endeavor which is all about exclusive, custom-made pieces crafted with meticulous attention to detail, while high fashion prêt-à-porter offers ready-to-wear designs that are more accessible and produced on a larger scale. The second thing I’d like to point out is your take on “feminism” at around 7:30 mark. Compared to what women wore how comfortable were men’s clothing? Were they not as restrictive as women’s clothing and were men not bind to cultural constructs and what was expected of them? I think I would have traded wearing heavy long skirts, bustles, corsets and not having the right to vote instead of having to fight wars in the trenches or build roads or work in a coal mine, but I guess it’s just a matter of perspective who had it better or still does. Regarding the Chinese foot binding In late imperial China, bound feet were considered a status symbol and a mark of feminine beauty practiced among the wealthy elite. Its exact origin of the practice is unknown. However it was the Mothers, grandmothers, or older female relatives to first bound a girl’s feet and not the fathers or grandfathers or older brothers. It was a shared bond between daughters, mothers, and grandmothers. Footbinding was also a prestige symbol, and the popular belief was that it increased fertility because the blood would flow up to the legs, hips, and vaginal areas. The small foot was considered more erotic and symbolized a girl’s willingness to obey, just as it limited the mobility and kept women subordinate to men, and increased the differences between the sexes, seemingly to what we can say for pointy stiletto shoes so coveted by so-called “stylish women” of today that also pay the price with bunions and deformed feet after fifty from wearing high heels trying to be more stylish and seductive willingly, a feature celebrated in tv series such as Sex and the City and every major fashion brand in existence. It was actually a male emperor During the Qing Dynasty the emperor Kangxi (reigned 1661-1722) who banned footbinding in 1662 but withdrew the ban in 1668 because so many Chinese women were still practicing it. You are still very young so please be careful with the “woke feminist” rhetoric when trying to convey your message because you could be misguided and missing the context of how, why and who shares responsibility for how things happen.

It happens to me too (I am currently living in Sassari, Sadegna, Italy)

Very interesting, thanks

Очень интересная тема, к ней невозможно быть равнодушным. Ваш взгляд, и анализ помогает кое в чем разобраться. Спасибо за глубокий подход, все выглядит потрясающе! Успехов!

Amazing 👏👏👏👏

Fashion is not an island, it's a reponse.

it needed to be said... and she said it. 1000% agree. I was looking at pieces from just a few years ago... great basics, done with quality materials and a good design concept.... fast forward a few years later... and it looks like stuff designed by your old high school art teacher,...who gave it to her dog to use it as dog-toy before hanging it in the stores... so so sad... what happened?????

Sehr interessant! Herzlichen Dank!

I only buy second hand and vintage. Even shoes and underwear can be found deadstock

In the bulk of countries and times women have not historically had to wear uncomfortable clothes at all. Extreme fashions during a short period of recent Western history is an incident, not something that measures a timeline of emanicipation

H&M is a Swedish company so it makes sense that the clothes are similar - their culture includes not wanting to stand out too much, that's what I saw with my own eyes in Stockholm a week ago. I don't think it's that bad, they are well off on average and care to be warm above fashionable. While I'm from the south of Europe and like trying out different styles, paying attention to jewelry, wearing dresses and skirts - love that it's warm in here

We currently dont have access to elaborate and unique clothing. We dont have the leisure of past generations yet we call this progress. Access to leisure is one measure of wealth. People just dont have time so busy trying to survive. Sad to see this go

So true! I love beautiful clothes but there are not many occasions to wear them. I live in a small village, work with horses, buy clothes on the internet so to be honest I rarely go to a place where I could actually dress up 🙈 I even went to a mall to have a reason to be a little bit dressed up, only to find the clothes in chain stores are of so poor quality I'd rather go back to online shops. I found it so funny that I actually buy nice clothes only to have something to wear when I'd like to go shopping for more clothes 🙈 So now I decided to go for minimalism and also thinking of creating my own brand 😊

Love this video❤ learned so much . Thank You

I have about 200 sewing patterns from the 1940s, 1950s and early 1960s. I taught myself to sew because I am small and had a hard time finding things to fit. The problem now is the fabric available now is garbage. I have a mid 1960s shift/sheath dress that I sewed 15 years ago and still wear. Every time I wear it I get compliments. It is simple cotton fabric so suitable fabric is still available.

I agree😀

The same thing is happening with art and cinematography

I still like Ralph Lauren its wearable and at many price points but it is very American and works for me here. I found some very well made cool fashion in Italy and france in small shops. Also shop at high quality vintage or secondhand shops you can find some cool stuff - but find your personal style first.

clothing has always reflected society norms. my have we fallen.

I also started to look into trends after becoming disillusioned with fashion and not wanting to be groomed into commonplace trends and look like a clone. Fashion is far more deliberately manufactured than we realise, it’s the ultimate mind control device. It can start with drip feeding styles into films, get celebs to wear them, feature them into media, alert clothing brands ahead of time and then fill the shops with them. This also refers to colours. The political situation is also examined. For example the push for unisex clothing, modest wear and comfy clothes suits the push towards androgyny, Islam. Paradoxically, the push towards every increasing immodest and sexual clothes suits the desire for breaking down sexual restraint and tradition. Just look at the trend for tight leggings on women which shows every contour of front and bottom (ass) shape or mini skirts even on oversized bodies. Then. There’s the trend toward big and fat disguised under the *acceptance* label or new normal. No this is unhealthy! Fashion and media will however normalise this state. In all fashion is used to mind control, push constant spending, keep you in constant aspiration and degrade the human spirit for beauty and self respect.

​I learned to sew during the covid lock downs initially as a way to tailor and repair some of my work clothes. For awhile now I've noticed that the quality of clothing in stores has gone downhill. Weird unwearable colors, strange shapes, scratchy fabrics, etc. Remember the cool tailored blouses and blazers of just 10 yrs ago? We have lost so many great retailers to bankruptcy - Lord & Taylor, Mexx, Jacob, Loft. I think what we are seeing in stores today could be a reflection of the overall global economy. Not great. So Im now making my own clothes - linen pants and fitted dresses. Satin bias cut skirts and even collared blouses. ​ Making your own clothes is easier than you think and once you start you won't go back.

У мене є куртка яку носила зі школи. Пух перо, тож тепла. Відавала її в хімчистку нещодавно і там були здивовані у якому гарному вона стані. Вирішила купити більш світлу нову для різноманіття. Ті самі гроші але я після сезону вона ніяка і носити я її знову на наступний не зможу. Куртка на одну зиму(

I think we need to make it fashionable and normal to make our own and/or taylor our clothes again. I HATE how we have commercialized fashion by settling for overpriced, mass produced common rags other people design. Today, women's clothes are often designed by gay men, which is fine other than the fact that, they aren't coming from a place of comfort and practicality for us as women. I am fine with that for fun but I want more practical quality clothes for every day, the way people used to buy clothes. Consumers wanted quality clothes that would last and fit well. Now we purchase clothes just for fashion and get rid of it when it's no longer wearable or in fashion, which happens pretty quickly these days.

Ukh thank you for finally saying something about this horror show!

no its not. someone up there wants to low grade fashion and make everyone look boring and the same

Thanks for this. It's a really helpful insight into the origins of fashion- though I somewhat disagree with the restriction part of the feminist section of the presentation- it's still a really interesting way to view the reasoning the led to the fashion norms of the past and how they've changed today.

I watch the runway shows and then duplicate the looks with clothes from large online retailers. They are the only sellers who offer something for everyone. I just can't find what I'm looking for in local stores.

Impeccable analysis.

Zara especially horrifically toxic - the Fall Campaign was downright evil, disrespectful and extremely sadistic.

I have hated men's fashion for several years. I bought a few items recently from Guess mostly because i lost weight and most of my clothes no longer fit. I did like them though and they fit well. I am one who actually likes to dress up and look unique. I favor a lot of style queues from current women's fashion because men's are so boring.

Fast fashion is wasteful. High fashion has nothing to do with common society. Too much time has been invested in telling women what they should ware, how they should look, and how their bodies ought to be shaped. Have we evolved at all?

Nowadays if you dare to dress up, you are deemed 'insensitive" as they say "too many people cannot afford to dress well". WRONG! One can get dressed well with clothes they already own, or with inexpensive clothes. It is a matter of wanting to look well dressed, not expensively dresses! One word - lazy! Of course, the advertising of items and trends to the 15-45 population means more sales...

Everithing is squared, no shape.

7:13 @bernadettebanner @abbycox enter the chat /beast mode engaged/ also my great grandmother wore corsets every day from before the sinking of the Titanic until like the late sixties early 70s. Internalized misogyny much? You are welcome for the engagement.

I would be particularly interested in your take on Russian culture and fashion as its expression as this is your heritage.

Everything is so beige, black or grey or neutral. 🤮 even my husband complained he can’t find anything else and all is ugly. And my husband has zero interest in fashion, but from time to time he likes wearing a colourful top or jumper. And the cuts: I’ll fitted, badly hemmed, awful shapes…. I want to start doing my own tops and trousers. Now the hard bit is to actually find nice fabric.

It’s time to bring back the fashion vibe 2000-2009! Find the designers who reigned during that decade and see if they will mentor. I miss my pointed toe, kitten sling backs that had leather so comfortable I. Plus sleep on them!

What about bags? It’s definitely a problem, at least in U.S. (New York). Even most of the brand names have nothing to offer except gigantic prices. P. S. Молодец, Полина, хорошую тему подняла.

❤

5:37 this is where I am checking out. If you’re going to make a make a video discussing fashion history please don’t perpetuate lies. Repeating lies about women’s fashion history is a great disservice to women. It creates a gross over simplification of human history and creates toxic stereotypes based on lies.

I haven’t bought clothes in years.

I don't completely agree with you regarding the source of trends. Even high couture creators follow a "book of trends" (Cahier de tendances in French). Of course, they still have their own creativity but it tends to follow these trends. The question is : who create these "cahiers de tendance"? and why?

I love clothes ♥️

Only 3 min.for topic relation between mass production and houte couture.

Interesting video, thanks

I notice a lot of adults who dress like they are forever 15. And i think that says something.

YOUR ACCENT

I do 80 % thrift and second hand.. so many ugly ( fast)fashion

I think that there is a huge emphasis on manufacturing things cheaply, which is why clothing from big-box stores looks so terrible. The emphasis is on quantity, not quality.