Styles of Dress as Reflections of Social Conditions
Something that becomes very apparent when we study the topic of fashion is that clothes and style are related to so much more than merely an individual’s appearance. For thousands of years, fashion and style have been primary indicators about a person’s social status, sexuality, wealth, individuality, and overall personality attributes. In the 20th century alone, each decade has been marked by distinctly different manners for dress for both men and women. Our Halloween tradition exemplifies this very clearly with “costumes” such as a 1920’s “flapper girl” and the 1960’s “hippie.” With deeper consideration, however, these differing fashion styles can be viewed as representative of the related social conditions occurring at the time.
As stated by Pasacoe, “The fashion of the 1920’s reflected the Jazz Age perfectly. It was made for fast automobiles and Charleston dance. For the first time in western fashion the knee was socially acceptable.” Although there are many theories regarding what causes fashion to change, the fact that social climate is reflected in styles of dress has a great deal of support. Perhaps the reason why so much change occurred in women’s dress in the early decades of the century is that so many changes occurred regarding women’s roles and fights within that same time frame.
Another decade in which fashion was strongly indicative of the underlying social conditions is the turbulent 1960’s. One of the most noted developments accredited to this decade is the introduction of the miniskirt. Many social historians relate the introduction of the miniskirt to the introduction of the birth control pill. Women became sexually liberated and the “free love” era began. These miniskirts came to symbolize the new liberation for women and the social climate of the decade. As stated in Vogue at the end of the decade, “The length of your skirt is how you feel this moment.”
Towards the end of the 1960's, younger generations were rejecting the establishment and rejecting the idea of high fashion along with it. Students wore long hair, faded denim jeans, and flamboyant patterns. Many wore combat jackets and surplus shirts to anti-war rallies. As Hoeymaker stated, “By the end of the decade, cheap, flamboyant clothes became expensive designer labels. The hippie style became high fashion; in fact ‘anti-fashion’ became the biggest fashion of all.” In this case, clothes became a form of protest.
Overall, there are countless examples of how fashion is influenced by the social climate of the times. Over the past thousands of years, the socially “appropriate” styles of dress for men and women have varied tremendously. Regardless of what exactly constituted “stylish” fashion during any given time period, one thing that remains constant is that fashion has always been a significant aspect of one's life and the time in which they lived.
【正确答案】：
ⅠINTRODUCTION: CLOTHES AND STYLE INDICATE MORE THAN A PERSONS APPEARANCE（PARAS. 1, 2）
    A. FASHION AND STYLE INDICATE VARIOUS ASPECTS OF A PERSON
    B. THESIS: DIFFERENT FASHION STYLES REPRESENT DIFFERENT SOCIAL CONDITIONS OF A PARTICULAR TIME PERIOD.
ⅡFASHION REFLECTED SOCIAL CONDITIONS IN DIFFERENT AGES IN THE 20TH CENTURY（PARAS. 3-5）
    A. THE CHANGE IN DRESS STYLE OF THE 1920S REFLECTED THE CHANGES IN WOMEN'S ROLES AND RIGHTS.
    B. THE MINISKIRT OF THE 1960'S SYMBOLIZED THE NEW LIBERATION FOR WOMEN 
    C. THE HIPPIE STYLE TOWARDS THE END OF THE 1960'S INDICATED. THE YOUNGER GENERATION'S REBELLIOUS SPIRIT.
ⅢCONCLUSION: FASHION IS INFLUENCED BY THE SOCIAL CLIMATE OF THE TIMES. （PARA. 6）
【题目解析】：句子提纲的步骤： 第一步：确定文章主题（题目多是主题） 第二步：确定中心论点（多在首段出现） 第三步：总结各段段落大意 第四步：整理全文提纲本题要求列出所给文章的句子提纲。本文为一篇说明文，介绍了衣服和风格对于时代的反映作用。第一段最后一句话为本文主旨：不同的时尚风格代表了特定时期不同的社会状况。ⅠIntroduction: Clothes and style indicate more than a persons appearance（Paras. 1, 2） A. Fashion and style indicate various aspects of a person B. Thesis: Different fashion styles represent different social conditions of a particular time period.第3-5段为正文，介绍了20世纪时尚对于社会环境的反映。第三段：20世纪20年代服装风格的变化反映了女性角色和权利的变化。第四段：20世纪60年代的迷你裙象征着妇女的新解放。第五段：60年代末的嬉皮风格表明年轻一代的叛逆精神。Ⅱ Fashion reflected social conditions in different ages in the 20th century（Paras. 3-5） A. The change in dress style of the 1920's reflected the changes in women's roles and rights. B. The miniskirt of the 1960's symbolized the new liberation for women. C. The hippie style towards the end of the 1960's indicated the younger generation's rebellious spirit.最后一段为本文的总结段，第一句为本段的主旨句：时尚受时代社会风气的影响。ⅢConclusion: Fashion is influenced by the social climate of the times. （Para. 6）