VILLIOTI FASHION INSTITUTE

ASSINGNMENT NUMBER: DEG/COF/C2/A1

ASSIGNMNET TITLE: Domestic and Political Scale Cultures

Culture of Fashion 2

Teniade Macaulay
2019067

2020

30th July 2020

Teniade Macaulay DEG/COF/C2/A1

TABLE OF CONTENTS

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1………………………..……….… Hull Daily Mail 1953 (Houseofmirelle, 2017)

Figure 2…………………..………………….….… Audrey Hepburn 1953 (Tatler, 2020)

Teniade Macaulay DEG/COF/C2/A1

Figure 3…………………..………………….………………….Rihanna (DailyMail, 2016)

Introduction

This report aims to analyse the differences in the depiction of dress across two
distinct periods of time. It will focus on a fashionable item called a choker and
compare how this item was depicted on young adult women in the 1950’s and the

Teniade Macaulay DEG/COF/C2/A1

2010’s. The choker is a close-fitting necklace worn around the neck. It can be made
of a variety of materials, including velvet, plastic, beads, latex, leather, and metal,
and can be adorned in a variety of ways, including with sequins, studs, or a pendant.
Dress does not only include the garments we use to cover our bodies but also
ornaments and cosmetics, and they can change how an individual is perceived
visually (Eicher and Evenson, 2015). For the purpose of this assignment, both visual
and textual depictions of the choker are examined in a newspaper article of 1953
and a 2016 magazine to analyse the difference in reporting. The report shows that
the way the choker was depicted in the 2010’s with a lot of extravagance, is quite
different from the twentieth century more subtle approach.

Depiction of the Choker in the 1950’s Vs 2010’s

Chockers have come a long way in history; from shackles on slaves, to Egyptian’s
jewellery who believed chokers had special and protective power, to European
fashion trends. They were worn by royals during the 18 th and 19th century, and
Alexandra, Princess of Wales was a fan of the choker-style pearl and diamond
combination necklaces. (KOMAR, 2017). Since that time it appeared that the choker
necklace became a fashion must-have amongst the rich for decades to follow.

In the 1950’s, chockers were an accessory that was worn mainly by the middle to
upper class and it was a high-society piece of jewellery and portrayed a symbol of
wealth. Famous people like Audrey Hepburn who was 24 years (Figure 2), and
Mamie Eisenhower, were known to dress themselves with chokers (Anon., 2016). It
was fashionable then to wear glittering and sparkling jewels, and pearls. Multi-row
chokers and pearls mixed with stones created elegant evening jewellery, and at the
same time in the 50’s, fashion houses were realizing the potential of costume
jewellery to complement their designs (Anon., 2016).

The newspaper article below (Figure 1) by Pat Bride in Hull Daily Mail of 1953,
described the choker worn by the model as a charming choker in plaited white
snake-skin with a gold chain. It says the choker gives a refreshing touch to an
evening wear.

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Fig 1: Hull Daily Mail 1953 (Houseofmirelle, 2017) Fig 2: Audrey Hepburn 1953 (Tatler, 2020)

Fig 3: Rihanna (DailyMail, 2016)

The news article further talks about the choker in different material, informing its
audience that in calf leather the colours are quite startling and that the season’s most
sophisticated touches are provided by a set of leather jewellery in green calf
chokers, earrings and armband. It is obvious that the market appeal is the
sophisticated and well-to-do woman who can afford the luxury of leather
accessories. The photo of a ‘prim and proper’ looking woman modelling the choker
further substantiates that. Magazines and adverts on chokers during this 50’s era all

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had respectable looking women wearing them, the choker was portrayed as a piece
for the elegant and was advertised quite simply and straight to the point.

However when one looks at how the choker is depicted in magazines some decades
later, the reporting is quite different. Figure 3 above shows a coveted cover of the
September 2016 issue of W Magazine with the famous musician and actress
Rihanna who was 28 years at the time, wearing a choker and exaggerated makeup.
The magazine reports Rihanna and Beyonce, another famous pop musician wearing
chokers and that this was the next big thing in fashion. It mentions many celebrities,
top designers and supermodels on the runway wearing chokers. It shares
conversations with a CEO and a Vice President of jewellery manufacturing
companies endorsing the comeback of chokers. It also gives ideas into what chokers
can be worn with; off the shoulder clothing and portrays the choker as an item for
everyone and every style clique. Retail Fashion Director for Net-a-Porter commented
in the magazine that the choker is also being worn as a street style statement. The
magazine further talks about options for affordable chokers and where they can be
purchased like Forever 21 and the more expensive versions embossed with gold and
diamonds by designers like Tom Ford and Suzanne Kalan being available on Net-a-
Porter.

These noticeable differences in the way the choker is depicted in two periods in time
can be attributed to the different desired outcomes and what was socially acceptable
at the time. Although both sources are reporting a latest trend, the manner in which
the choker is reported and photographed in the 50’s newspaper focuses on a smaller
elite target market, and so the message is simple and concise to meet the ideals of
the society at the time. In the 2016 magazine the report targets a much wider market
including the wealthy and students in a way that appealed to the current social
acceptances and ideals of society by talking about famous people wearing the
choker and how it is the trendy accessory to get now.

It is quite informative seeing how dress is presented and perceived by people

through different periods of time. Written interpretations help to understand the
purpose and intention of dress in the society. It helps us see why some types of
dress are preferred, for example leather chokers were new and exciting in the 50’s
and chokers became a trend in 2016 because they were made popular again by

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celebrities. The different periods in time gave insight into what people see as
acceptable dress and proscriptive write ups in newspapers and magazines tell
people the do’s about proper dressing that society then conforms to.

Fashion reporting is not a new thing, and the choker has been a fashion item for
centuries with the style remaining more or less the same. However people’s
behaviour towards clothing, their value systems and beliefs have evolved through
time. The social environment affects how reporting is done and vice versa.
Comparing the report in the 1953 newspaper and the 2016 magazine shows that the
choker was depicted with a lot of extravagance, through the images and words that
were pushed to the public. Fashion reporting has an impact on people and can
cause changes in social and psychological behaviour.

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REFERENCES

2017. Choker Necklace - Incredible Origins And History Through The Times. [online] Available at:
<https://www.fashionologiahistoriana.com/costume-history-legends-essays-in-english/choker-
necklace-incredible-origins-and-history-through-the-times> [Accessed 20 May 2020].

Anon., 2017. Fashion Trends Then And Now: Leather In 1953, Leather In 2016. – The House Of
Mirelle Hull 1938-1978. [online] Houseofmirelle.uk. Available at:
<https://houseofmirelle.uk/2017/06/21/fashion-trends-then-and-now-leather-in-1953-leather-in-2016/>
[Accessed 20 May 2020].

Anon., 2016. 1950S Jewelry Styles And History. [online] VintageDancer. Available at:
<https://vintagedancer.com/1950s/1950s-jewelry-styles-trends/> [Accessed 21 May 2020].

Eicher, J. and Evenson, S., 2015. Bloomsbury Fashion Central - Dress, Culture, And Society. [online]
Bloomsburyfashioncentral.com. Available at:
<https://www.bloomsburyfashioncentral.com/products/fairchild-books-library/book/the-visible-self-
global-perspectives-on-dress-culture-and-society/dress-culture-and-society> [Accessed 20 May
2020].

KOMAR, M., 2017. [online] Available at: <https://www.bustle.com/p/the-slightly-creepy-history-of-

chokers-will-probably-surprise-you-34124> [Accessed 20 May 2020].

Studeman, K., 2016. 2016 Was The Year Of The Choker. Was It Also The Year The Choker Died?.
[online] W Magazine | Women's Fashion & Celebrity News. Available at:
<https://www.wmagazine.com/story/2016-was-the-year-of-the-choker-was-it-also-the-year-the-choker-
died/> [Accessed 21 May 2020].

Teniade Macaulay DEG/COF/C2/A1