Why did a T-shirt and jeans become the default casual outfit for most people? The answer might
surprise you. Casual clothes have been around since civilization began, but across cultures, the biggest
determining factor separating formal and casual garments was the class divide. Even in the heyday
of the Golden Age of Style, clothing was expensive, meaning that most people had smaller wardrobes—at
least as compared to today. With the working class usually wearing practical garments made from
easy-to-clean materials, and even though certain periods of history saw practically everyone
of every class wearing garments made from fibers like cotton or linen, these garments were radically
different depending on how much money you could spend on them. Expensive and finely-woven clothing
and undergarments looked brighter and more formal; and cheaper, rough, and unrefined pieces looked more
casual. This all started to change radically with the invention of the short-staple cotton gin in
1793 during the Industrial Revolution. Aside from sounding like an awesome cocktail for a style
afficionado, the cotton gin helped to remove seeds and other imperfections from cotton fibers at a
previously unheard-of pace. So, with the playing field starting to level out in terms of how
clothing was manufactured, the seeds were sewn—or would that be separated—for casual style, and they
really started to take hold about a century later from the 1880s to the 1910s, which is where we'll
start our more in-depth overview today. The late Victorian and Edwardian Eras certainly look much
more formal than the clothing of the 21st century, but casual style did exist. It was just in the
details. Practical components and solutions were a huge part of clothing during these decades. For
example, darker colors and heartier fabrics were in vogue because they would more easily hide a
multitude of stains and heavier fabrics could also better insulate one from the elements. To be sure,
these practical concerns manifested more often in the clothing of the working class, but they could
also be seen to some degree in the clothing of the upper classes and, comparing the cuts and styles
of various garments, again, illustrates the clear class divide. The biggest change during this time
period as compared to clothing of previous decades was the introduction of the lounge suit. Originally,
these suits were designed to be the throw it on option that avoided the fuss and frills of more
regimented dress codes like morning wear. What's plain to see is how well-loved the lounge suit
was as it gave people the ability to dress more comfortably—at least comfortably for the era, in
what was essentially the Edwardian equivalent of the track suit. Becoming the blueprint for the suit
that we all recognize today, the introduction of the lounge suit was one of the most significant
advances in casual style and menswear as a whole in the last 200 years. Next, we'll move on to the
1920s where, following World War I, more technical fabric came on the scene, particularly in work
wear. Niche items like leather jackets were used as hardwearing options for more laborious jobs
or, again, as protection from the elements. Meanwhile, the iconic Ivy League and trad styles were born as
young men rebelled against previous cultural norms, doing things like daring to go outside without
wearing a hat. The horror! This younger mindset also helped to prioritize a more relaxed cut of the
lounge suit, referred to as the "sack suit," and pride was taken in wearing shawl-collared cardigan sweaters
as an alternative to jackets. A rising interest in leisure activities like golf, tennis, and cricket,
also gave rise to other casual garments like polo shirts, tennis sweaters, and spectator shoes;
and rugged outdoorsmen like Ernest Hemingway were noted for dressing practically for their pursuits,
perhaps kickstarting the trend of of fashion being dictated by celebrity influencers. During the Great
Depression in the 1930s, many men simply couldn't afford to replace their clothing very often. While
suits were still extremely commonplace, workwear items—like denim overalls—were also commonly seen.
There was also an increasing willingness to wear garments of mixed formality levels, which
had previously been much more rare. For instance, think of wearing a leather jacket or denim jacket
with suit trousers. Softer hats like fedoras and flat caps also took prominence over now formal
styles like bowlers or Homburgs, in part because they were easier to maintain and travel with. In
the 1940s, cloth rationing in relation to World War II also had a major impact on style. Dress shirts
were now seen as acceptable when worn unlayered, as constantly being covered in expensive suiting
would have been seen as unpatriotic. Rationing also led to a sharp decline in three-piece suit styles
with the more casual two-piece suit becoming more common, and a mixture of surplus garments
and returning soldiers meant that military style jackets became more common in civilian
wear following the war; and with the accelerated manufacturing that came with the war effort, this
also included the ability to manufacture clothing more quickly and more cheaply. Arguably, the biggest
post-war influence though was the rise of the undershirt as a garment on its own. This would
lay the groundwork for the t-shirt to no longer just be seen as underwear. Following the war and
the relaxation of rationing in the 1950s, people were aching to try out new styles. After all, they
had just spent the last decade pretty much wearing the same old clothes and, while many people were
content to slowly evolve their style, the various countercultural youth movements came to the fore
in the 1950s. Subcultures like Greasers, Teddy Boys, and Beatnicks all developed alternatives
to the suit and tie uniform they had seen their parents' generation wear, and this was further
amplified by young stars of the time like Elvis Presley, Marlon Brando, and James Dean. At the end
of the decade, with Hawaii officially becoming a US state, this kickstarted the trend of Aloha
Friday or Casual Friday, where Hawaiian shirts were worn in previously formal offices. As clothing
manufacturing continued to advance, synthetic fibers like rayon were marketed as a cheaper
alternative to natural fibers. This, of course, would lead to the jacket fusing and polyester
that we see so often today. The counterculture movement would truly explode though in the mid-1960s.
Celebrities like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and Jimi Hendrix all promoted a more casual,
egalitarian philosophy of dressing; and Mod fashions seemed in congruous with traditional
items like stingy brimmed fedoras, leading many to abandon hats entirely. The rise in shopping
mall culture also spurred a fundamental shift in how people purchased their clothes.
Essentially you no longer had to wait for your clothes to be made by a tailor when they were
available to be worn off-the-rack from a store, and while the countercultural movements of the' 60s
are sometimes said to be the end of classic style, this isn't entirely the case. After all, this was
the decade that saw James Bond's big screen debut and a certain Mr. Steve McQueen was pretty prolific
as well. Both of these guys could pull off casual classic style pretty well in our opinion. Next, if
the 1950s and 60s were about style experimentation, then the 1970s pushed things into overdriveou
might be tempted to argue that the whole decades seemed casual—at least in comparison to where we
started this video—but formal and casual are relative terms. So, while bell bottoms and bold
plaid patterns can seem costume-y today, there were still more formal garments that casual wear could
be worn in response to. Cheaper construction methods and fabrics—and in particular, a heavy
emphasis on synthetics—also meant that people could change their wardrobes more frequently.
This led to higher profits for fashion houses, and this is the decade where we saw the rise
of many of the fashion brands we're familiar with today. While the 1970s established a clear divide
between formal and casual styles, it was the 1980s that made them polar opposites. As exemplified
by stories set in the 1980s like "Wall Street" or "American Psycho," the power of traditional tailoring
returned with a vengeance in the 1980s, and casual style matched this power by going in a completely
different direction. With personal fitness booming as a craze, the prototypical athleisure first came
to form with some less than stellar results. Brands like Adidas, Converse, and later, Nike
would capitalize on this growing obsession, and the rising streetwear style was embraced by hip-hop
artists like Run DMC, The Beasty Boys, and LL Cool J. Materialism in all corners meant that consumers
soon wanted even more clothes for even lower prices and, given that casual clothes were, on
average, less expensive to make, they fit the bill perfectly. Even more formal items like sport coats
and blazers were now increasingly being mixed with t-shirts for a trendy, cool aesthetic.
Ironically, this placed tailoring in both the formal and casual camps at the same time.
Que the obligatory "Miami Vice" reference. Overall, the 1980s fully embraced the "more is more" philosophy,
and casual style was no exception. The 1990s would showcase a continuation of how people experimented
with their casual clothing. For example, oversized clothing was somewhat popular in the 1980s but the
90s took it even further. Oversized, flannel shirts; giant, frayed jeans; and saggy, baggy cargo pants
were everywhere. The hip-hop and grunge music scenes also played a defining role in what was
cool—with the Notorious BIG, Tupac, and Nirvana popularizing the rough-around-the-edges look.
Popular TV shows like "Seinfeld" and "Friends" also had their characters adopt a more moderate version
of these casual aesthetics, further cementing their popularity. Even the more formal cast of
"Frasier" would join in on occasion. Now, to wrap up today, let's briefly survey the 21st century, from
the 2000s to the 2020s. Now that we've Illustrated how casual style has slowly and steadily come to
prominence over the last 150 years or so, it's no surprise that casual is king in the 21st
century. Garments like t-shirts, jeans, sweatpants, and hoodies are often preferred choices for
the average person, and a more modern version of athleisure is even starting to be seen as a marker
of status and luxury for some. After all, comfort or "perceived comfort" is now the ruling factor for how
many of us dress. Meanwhile, other subgroups like hypebeast culture have added their own unique
flare to streetwear, and perhaps even the rising interests in fantasy sci-fi and superhero media
have fed the desire for a more technical aesthetic in streetwear as well. Workware has also evolved
dramatically with the influence of the Silicon Valley ethos—with business casual being the most
formal dress code many people see today. With all this being said though, there is still an interest
that exists for both historical and modern formal dress. Whether it's the hipsters of the 2010s
mixing casual and vintage aesthetics together; fans of shows like "Peaky Blinders," "Boardwalk
Empire," or "Madmen" emulating the looks on display; or a certain YouTube channel you might have heard of.
So, there's no denying that casual style is here to stay, and even a classic style business
like the Gentleman's Gazette knows there's no use complaining about it. As we've shown, casual style
has plenty of historical pedigree of its own, and there are great ways to incorporate some of its
features into more classic aesthetics; and with the democratization and diversity of clothing options
available today, there's no better time to embrace whichever subculture of clothing most resonates
with you. With that in mind then, we're curious. What do you think of casual style overall? How do you
incorporate it into your wardrobe? And which period of historical casual style is your favorite? Let us
know in the comments below. In today's video, I am, of course, wearing a more casual outfit inspired to
some degree by the casual trends of the first half of the 20th century. My shirt features a
check pattern in various tones of blue, gray, and off-white; and it's overall in a Western style with
pearlescent, snap buttons and additional stitching in some areas. I've paired this with some dark-wash,
denim blue jeans in a straight cut; a plain, brown, leather belt; and medium brown, suede chukka boots
from the brand Idrese. My socks aren't particularly meant to be seen, so I've gone with some simple,
navy blue models; and in the outdoor footage you're seeing, I've chosen to layer a leather jacket in
medium brown and a flat cap also in a brown check pattern in tweed. I figured a fragrance that was
both casual and classically masculine would be a good choice today, so I've simply gone for Old
Spice. And while I don't happen to be wearing any Fort Belvedere accessories today, you can find
a wide array of both formal and casual styles—as well as corduroy trousers and fragrances
from the Roberto Ugolini collection—by taking a look at the Fort Belvedere shop here.
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