James Laver, costumer/designer, offers his "Laws on the Timetable of Style" which says that fashions have a timetable:
Indecent - 10 years before its time
Shameless - Five years before its time
Daring - One year before its time
Dowdy - One year after its time
Hideous - 10 years after its time
Ridiculous - 20 years after its time
Amusing - 30 years after its time
Charming - 70 years after its time
Romantic - 100 years after its time
Beautiful - 150 years after its time
EVERY ERA HAS SHOCKERS
Fashion has always taunted social mores, but the past century has really pushed the limits of taste:
Early 1920s - Flappers, short haircuts on women; cowl neck and halter top
Late 1920s - Knee-length hemline marks new high for women's legs
1950s - Stiletto heels come into fashion
1955 - Marilyn Monroe stands over subway grate for movie Seven Year Itch and flashes movie-goers her white panties
1960s - Bell bottoms, hip huggers and go-go boots define "mod" scene
1970s - Hot pants. Enough said.
1984 - "Anything goes" emerges as fashion credo
1990 - Madonna starts wearing lingerie as outerwear, complete with cone-shaped bras
1999 - Britney Spears wears midriff-revealing Catholic school-girl outfit in Baby, One More Time video
2000 - Jennifer Lopez wears eye-popping, barely there Versace dress to Oscars
2000 - Britney Spears makes news again, this time wearing a nude, two-piece body suit to MTV Video Music Awards.