Even though men's fashion in today's society may seem fairly bland and boring compared to women's fashion, the truth is, men's apparel has gone through many drastic changes over the years to get to where it is today. These changes in trends occurred for many reasons, ranging from political and economical, such as the Great Depression, to changes in society's beliefs and social norms.

Men's fashion has a long and storied past, so this article will only outline the major changes in trends from the 1920s to the 1960s.

The 1920s was the era of formal attire, when collared shirts and tweed blazers were considered casual wear. Our modern idea of casual wear, consisting of jeans, was not even developed for a few decades down the road. The evening wear for the 1920s was very extravagant and consisted of prestigious tailcoats, top hats and "Oxford Bags" (baggy trousers). In 1929 came the Great Depression, and everything, including fashion, took a downfall.

With the Depression affecting society drastically, men's attire was quickly downsized in the 1930s and lost its extravagance as well as its bold tailcoats. Suits became a lot more casual, and double-breasted jackets and plaid patterns became much more popular. Since money was tight for many people, men's attire was being made from more economical fabrics to reduce costs.

In the 1940s, the government took control over all aspects of fashion as result of the war, and put restrictions on the amount of natural materials used, forcing tailors and designers to use artificial fabrics. Suits and tuxedos lost their vests and pocket flaps while trousers lost their numerous pleats and cuffs, leaving men's fashion as two-dimensional as possible. The zoot suit — a dramatic suit with an oversized jacket that was usually in bright colours — was introduced, which brightened up the era, but was deemed an illicit item.

After the war, the 1950s style was all about conformity, which, in turn, made everyone look identical. Very conservative attire was worn with dull shades and colours such as navy blue, grey and black. However, it was in this era where street wear (including jeans, Hawaiian shirts and polos) and the use of denim became a lot more popular. Casual wear was starting to look more like what we wear today.

It was the 1960s when men's fashion really started to become interesting; tight-fitting clothing, feminine colours and floral prints became the most visible trend. Velvet was the most popular fabric of the time as it was used to make not only suit jackets, but trousers as well. Men's shoes also started to become quite exaggerated in the sense that they were sometimes the focal point of a man's wardrobe. It was later in this era when the hippie movement took place and bellbottoms and tie-dye became widely popular.

As society changes, fashion is quick to respond and change accordingly. Through these five decades alone, you can see how men's fashion has gone from one extreme to another and how it will continue to change as the years pass by. Stay tuned for part two of this article to see how men's fashion evolved from the 1970s to our modern-day attire.