Take Two: Long Shorts are Getting Shorter, Short Shorts are Getting Longer

We’ve all had those family get-togethers where old pictures are brought out; we’ve all seen our dad’s in short shorts and our moms that make us laugh. Looking at how fashion for men and women have essentially flip-flopped, many questions arise: Why are men covering up? Why are women letting it all hang out? The evolution of style could be blamed on a constant power struggle between the genders.

            Looking back fashion from the 1960s and 1970s in a yearbook from UMBC, many trends are seen throughout the entire book. Men’s shorts are, well short. The clothing that many women are wearing is modest and professional.  At this point in time women were slowly gaining equality and working their way into society.

            Today, women are supposedly empowered by their bodies and the power it has over the male population.  That is understandable to an extent; however it doesn’t suggest why men’s clothing has become more “modest.”  Male clothing has always been more practical. It is supposed to support a variety of actions. Men traditionally went out and did the work; women generally stayed home. This most likely affected the styles for men and women. As for the reasons fashion has changed, culture has changed, therefore what is in changes.

             The feminist equality movement may have influenced women to change their clothing style. Women started wearing what was traditionally men’s clothing as well as joining the work force. Female trends seem to follow male fashion trends.  Men’s fashion seems to mirror these changes by constantly changing. It could be concluded that in general, the male population feels it a power threat when women dress similarly to them. Reviews on men’s fashion on women (the tomboy look) include words like “empowered” “strong” etc. 

            The changes in clothing over the years will continue to revolve around the power struggle that it seems to be evolving from.  The constant battle of the sexes will affect the change.  Fashion will never stop evolving; the battle between the genders will probably continue to follow the evolution of style.  Long shorts are getting shorter, and short shorts are getting longer.

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Long Shorts Get Shorter, While Short Shorts Get Longer

We’ve all had those family get-togethers where old pictures are brought out; we’ve all seen our dad’s in short shorts and our moms in clothes that lack…well style in general. Looking at how fashion for men and women have essentially flip-flopped, many questions arise: Why are men covering up? Why are women letting it all hang out? Why are long shorts getting shorter, and short shorts getting longer?

                Looking back fashion from the 1960s and 1970s in a yearbook from UMBC, many trends are seen throughout the entire book. Men’s shorts are, well short. The clothing that many women are wearing is modest and professional.  The fashions from back than to the fashions of today are completely different.  The only question is: Why? Why is there such a vast difference in clothing? It still does the same job, yet looks so different.

                In today’s society, women are supposedly empowered by their bodies and the power it has over the male population.  That is understandable to an extent; however it doesn’t suggest why men’s clothing has become more “modest.”  Male clothing is usually more practical. It is supposed to support a variety of situations. Men traditionally used to go out and do the work; women generally stayed home. This could be the reason they wore what they wore.  As for the reasons fashion has changed, it is still unclear.

                 The feminist equality movement may have influenced women to change their clothing style. Women started wearing what was traditionally men’s clothing as well as joining the work force that was generally a male's job. Female trends seem to follow what the male fashions are.  Men’s fashion seems to mirror these changes as well. It could be concluded that in general, the male population feels it a power threat when women dress similarly to them. Generally reviews on men’s fashion for women include words like “empowered” “strong” etc.  

                The changes in clothing over the years will continue to revolve around the power struggle that it seems to be evolving from.  The style of clothing is constantly changing and becoming new. Long shorts are getting shorter; short shorts are getting longer.

The common 1960s wear, form fitting and femine.

 Men's style: short shorts, athletic

 Present day female empowered with dark clothing that speaks in volumes

Present day mens wear: Variety, not one look, but many, very diverse.

Word count: 346

Caged Bird

I realize I know exactly how that bird feels. I’ve never been able to spread my wings, to go out and be my own person. I merely look out at the world and wish for a chance to experience it. It becomes exhausting after a while. The best escape is the books that take my mind on adventures and the songs  that fill my head. I can live vicariously through the characters in the books I read and experience the emotion a music artist has in his/her music.Even though I am expected to be home at all times; when reading these books, I’m able to leave the four white walls of my room and enter places that Ive never been and extremely fictional places some have never even dreamt of, but for a moment these become real these are  places that only exist in my reader’s mind. The music I hear lets me see what’s going on outside this bland house I’m trapped in. There is a song for nearly every emotion and moment, music is a connection that allows even caged birds to fly. Sometimes I even get inspired and write my own stories and songs, giving me the chance to decide how things should be. Reading and music is my way of experiencing life, even if there are things that stand in my way of doing it in real life. My parents can keep me trapped in this small room but they can’t keep my mind cooped up. I am a caged bird, but I’m still learning ways I can fly.

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Laughing, Adventures, Life is Full of Fun

 My name is Mallory Brooks, I'm 19 years old and I attend UMBC and this is my story.

February 4, 1991, it's the middle of the night and there is a nervous Italian man and a pretty little brunette dream on their way to the hospital, their first child, a baby girl, was on her way. At 1:10 a.m. the little girl arrived, Mallory Lynn was born. For 12 years she lived in the same house in Colorado Springs and went to the same school. The year she turned 13, her parents divorced and she moved across the country to Ohio, where everything changed. Her mom met someone new and that meant yet another move to a different state in the middle of the second semester her freshmen year. Her new school to a while to adjust to, but she did it. November her junior year she lost her father to alcoholism. Once graduated from high school, she started college at UMBC where she is currently enrolled and pursuing an degree in education.

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