Clothing through cinema

Show films from clothing through different decades to students (e.g. the 1950s, 1970s, 1990s and the present day).
Ask students to pay attention to:

• the types of materials used (e.g. natural, synthetic, recycled);
• fashion trends in different decades;
• the role of fashion in people’s everyday lives

They take notes using the Listen – Draw – Write method.

Students will now write an essay on fashion throughout time. Give them the following instructions:

Write an essay on the topic “Fashion trends through past decades”
In your essay, reflect on how fashion has changed over time and what it reveals about societ

Length and format: 

Length: 1–2 pages (about 350–500 words); Use paragraphs (introduction, body, conclusion)

Introduction

• Introduce the topic and why it is important for understanding society.
• Mention the films you watched as a starting point for your ideas.

Body

• describe the main fashion trends by decade (from the 1950s to today). Mention typical styles, colours, cuts.
• How have materials changed (cotton, wool, synthetics, recycled fabrics)?
• How has people’s relationship with clothing changed (from homemade clothes to fast fashion)? What does it say about society that we often throw clothes away after wearing them only a few times?
• How do we respond today to the environmental challenges of the fashion industry (sustainable fashion, reuse, local production)?
• Do different social groups (youth, subcultures, …) have different fashion trends? Explain. How do your grandparents’ clothes differ from what people wear today?

Conclusion

• Summarize the main changes and express your opinion about where fashion is heading today.
• Reflect on whether fashion in the future can become more sustainable and responsible. Is it possible to be fashionable and environmentally responsible at the same time?