Women’s Tops - How Styles Have Evolved Through the Decades

Most of us wouldn’t be able to function fashion-wise without a variety of tops in our wardrobe. Tops ensure that our wardrobes are adaptable, giving us the ability to mix and match tops and bottoms according to occasion, season, and style. Tops, of course, have morphed over the decades, with designs changing significantly. In this piece, we’ll take a little stroll through history and look at how women’s tops have developed over the different eras.

Women’s tops through the decades

Women’s tops have changed, sometimes dramatically, all throughout the 20th century and beyond. Changes came about as a result of what was happening in society at the time, textile technology, and design innovation. If you weren’t alive in these decades, here’s a rundown of the interesting top developments that you missed!

1900s: Let’s start with where women’s tops were prior to the 1900s. At this stage of history, tops were definitely more restrictive than tops are today. Women dressed modestly, and covered most of their flesh, so tops were high necked, and were often worn with corsets and skirts that extended to the floor. This created an "S-shape" silhouette (the corsetry pushed the bust forward and the hips back), and the style, overall, was restrictive. Towards the end of the 1900s, skirts became a little more relaxed, and blouses became softer. This offered a more natural shape, with less structure.

1910s: Goodbye S-shape silhouette and hello loose and easy-to-wear blouses! Paul Poiret, an innovative fashion designer of the era, famously dismissed the petticoat and corset, and designed more loose-fitting and unstructured garments for women. His intention was to free up the female form, and no doubt after the initial shock of corset-less outfits, women would have appreciated the newfound comfort! 

Tops became more simple, and empire waists (that sit below the bust rather than on the actual waist, which can feel constricting) became popular. Tops of the era were paired with wide-legged trousers for sporting activities, or ankle-length skirts for everyday wear.

1920s: The decade where the flapper dress famously appeared, in the 1920s, the aesthetic for women’s tops was decidedly minimal, and slightly androgynous. Tops were straight cut and often had dropped waists, which gave them a boxy look. They were sewn in lightweight fabrics for added comfort. 

Women began to wear shorter skirts that fell below the knee (midi length) with their tops. Overall, the aim was to wear practical clothing that was easy to throw on, and comfortable.

1930s: In the 30s, fashion edged back toward femininity with the introduction of bias-cut dresses and tops. A bias-cut is where fabric is cut diagonally, across the grain, to enhance the movement of the fabric, and offer a gentle drape. The drape achieved with a bias-cut top followed the contours of the body, creating an elegant and feminine shape. 

These tops were often made using very soft fabrics, and women wore them with skirts to create a long and graceful silhouette. Many Hollywood actresses of the 1930s wore these silky and drapey tops, skirts and dresses.

1940s: Practicality was important during the 1940s, with women going to work as part of the WWII effort. Utility mattered, so tops had to be easy to put on and to work in. Tops of this era often had padded shoulders and a boxy fit, and were often matched with a structured jacket. They were then tucked into trousers or knee-length skirts. 

After the war ended, fashion designer, Christian Dior, introduced fitted blouses with round shoulders and cinched-in waists. What was referred to as the “New Look” emphasised luxurious fabrics and designs, and exaggerated the female shape by accentuating the waistline, and adding volume to the hips with wide, flared-out skirts.

1950s: Women retreated back into the home after the war, and fashion emphasised domestic practicality and femininity. Blouses were fitted, and sometimes included elaborate detailing. Tops were worn with pencil skirts that hugged tight to the hips and thighs, or with full, flared skirts. 

High-end designers like Chanel and Balenciaga were designing outfits with minimal silhouettes, which influenced the design of tops at the time. These tops were refined, but less structured than some of the popular tops worn in the domestic sphere.

It’s worth noting that polyester first became popular in the 1950s, and many women were sewing their tops using this new and affordable fabric.

1960s: On the home front, there was a transition from the ultra feminine blouses of the 50s to more relaxed and practical women’s tops. Women were buying patterns for peplum blouses and short-sleeved or sleeveless shirts in bold patterns. 

Then, counterculture prevailed, and there was a rejection of the rigidity of 50s fashion. A more free and easy approach to top design prevailed. Boxy tops were worn with tiny mini skirts. Mod style tops and tops with bold patterns were worn with bell-bottom pants (flares). 

Towards the end of the decade, the hippy movement had inspired blouses made in natural fabrics and with bright colours, worn with either flares or flowy, loose skirts. Within this decade, crop tops also made an appearance. 

1970s: The trend towards bohemian dressing began, with tops featuring billowing sleeves, crochet detail and lace trims. Blouses were worn with maxi skirts or flared trousers. 

When disco culture arrived, synthetic fabrics became popular, as they allowed for a whole lot of stretch and glitz. Tops were fitted and flashy. They might have had ruffles, flared sleeves, zip-up fronts, or even be fashioned into skin-revealing bikini styles. Sequins and shiny fabrics were popular. These disco styles were worn with high-waisted pants, mini skirts or long flowy skirts.

1980s: There were so many developments in tops fashion in the 80s, it’s hard to capture it all. But to start with, fashion went bold in the early 80s, with over-the-top shoulder pads in just about every type of top (even in T-shirts). Colours were vibrant, fabrics were shiny, and prints were wild. 

Graphic t-shirts made an appearance, with the graphics often being DIY, and music video culture influenced people to distress and embellish their tops with slashes, studs and safety pins. 

Tops were often worn with tight leggings or tapered jeans, balancing the voluminous upper half. Cropped sweatshirts over leotards also became popular, in line with the decade's obsession with aerobics. Then, there were a million and one crazes, including acid-wash denim jackets, neon tops, polka dots, bodysuits and slogan tees, topped off with enormous statement jewellery and hair scrunchies.

1990s: In the 90s, fashion retreated a little, and went minimal. Singlet tops and crop tops were popular, and the grunge era emerged, with some women opting for the anti-fashion vibe. Flannel shirts, grandpa shirts, and band tees were popular, paired with baggy mum jeans, overalls or A-line skirts or tunics. 

In tandem, a more neat and casual style was developing, with designers like Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein releasing tops with understated colours, clean lines and relaxed fits.

2000s: Halter necks, fitted tops and spaghetti strap tanks were a thing in the early 2000s. They were often paired with low-rise (sometimes ultra low rise) jeans and/or skirts. 

Access to a range of fashion options also increased, with fast fashion becoming a thing. There was, overall, easier access to a range of styles at affordable prices, and hence, an eclectic approach to fashion, where you would mix together eras in the one outfit.

2010s: This decade emphasised comfort. Oversized clothing was a thing, with crop tops, bold logo tops, boyfriend tees and baggy hoodies trending. There was a reduction in colour, with monochromatic tops being popular. Tops were commonly worn with leggings, high-waisted jeans or wide-leg trousers. 

2020s: Thus far in the 2020s, fashion has prioritised comfort and ease. After all, a good deal of the early 2020s was spent in various states of lockdown, so people were ordering comfy stuff online. Fashion never went away, of course. 

Today, we’re influenced by retro fashions, and mix them with whatever silhouette is popular at the moment. Now? Oversized blazers, off-the-shoulder blouses, and cropped sweatshirts are trending, revealing that whilst we like fluidity, we also enjoy some structure. Wide legged pants and high-waisted skirts are often companions to current popular tops. 

We also still like the option to dress in fun and feminine gear, especially for parties. Thankfully, online shopping allows us to access any kind of look we want to achieve. 

In addition, there’s much more focus on tops that are made sustainably, so we’re seeking out plant-derived fabrics more and more, including tops made with cotton, bamboo and linen.

Tops at Femme Connection

Take your pick of era, it’s likely we’ll have a top at Femme Connection to suit, including puff sleeve 50s-style feminine blouses, bold 60s short-sleeve shirts, 70s boho blouses and 80s style glam evening tops. We stock a wide range of sizes, so check out our casual tops, evening tops, linen tops, t-shirts and more.