18 The Skinny on the Fashion and Hygienic Technologies of Generation X
Laci Ellis
18.1 Introduction
Whoa, what’s popping?! The eighties and nineties, of course! Weren’t they so gnarly? Well, for many, they were, especially in a technological sense. For many, the decades of the 80’s and 90’s were considered a simpler, happier time. Compared to today, many look back at the era with a special fondness. Even those who were not alive during the decades may feel a sense of longing for the time. The economy was improving from having been in a recession, the Cold War began to fizzle out and eventually end all together, and pop culture, particularly the music, were at an all time high. For most, the biggest concern was learning how to perform the famous “Moonwalk” or get tickets to go watch The Empire Strikes Back. The people who were primarily affected by the changes during this explosive period in history are collectively known today as Generation X. Their birth years span from 1965 through 1980, and most grew up from the late 1970’s through the nineties.
As humans have evolved and as societies have changed, so has the technology within them. Sometimes, it is for the greater good. In the Industrial Revolution, the steam engine largely increased the level of economic productivity, causing a worldwide economic boom. However, sometimes, it is for the worst, as was the case in the 1940’s with the creation of nuclear weapons. The same can be said for the time period when Generation X grew up, as various technologies were developed throughout the era. When most think of the eighties and nineties, they think of the wild hairstyles, the new, less conservative style of clothes, the changing social structure with two job families, growing equality between men and women. These characteristics are often prescribed to the era in which Generation X can be connected to the technological developments of the time. New fabrics to make clothing more stylish and comfortable, accessories to complement these clothes, new hair products, and changes to menstrual products were just a few innovations of Generation X’s time period.
The fashion and hygienic technologies developed throughout the late 1970’s through the early nineties impacted Generation X in a significant way. As a result of their presence throughout the growth of their generation, said technologies made Generation X more tolerant, open-minded, and prosperous than previous generations.
Glossary
- Generation X – the social generation of people born between 1965 and 1980.
- Menstruation – the biological process in which the uterine line is shed each month if pregnancy does not occur; known socially as a “period”.
- Polymer (haircare) – molecules that modify hair follicles to be a certain shape or texture.
- Prosperous – growing significantly in finance and/or social wealth.
- The Skinny: a slang term from the eighties to express giving the full story/truth.
- Spandex – a synthetic clothing fabric known for its elasticity.
- Tampon – a menstrual product made of a mix of cotton and rayon that is inserted into the vagina to absorb menstrual blood
- Toxic Shock Syndrome – a condition in which certain bacterias infect the bloodstream and can be life-threatening. It has been attributed to tampons, particularly those of the super absorbent variety.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this chapter, students should be able to:
- Identify the fashion and hygienic technologies that influenced the culture of Generation X.
- Differentiate between social, economic and cultural effects of the technologies of Generation X.
- Explain the effects of each technology on Generation X both during the era in which they grew up and their effect on today’s world.
18.2 Fashion and Hygienic Technologies of Generation X
Key Takeaway
18.2.1 Fashion Technologies
Fashion is typically considered to be an aspect of a society’s culture. This is true, however, the technology of said society heavily influences the fashion of its people. For instance, silk has been historically woven in China, and the fashions of various historical Chinese dynasties have reflected its production of silk fabric. The eighties and nineties are no exception, as the fabrics that were increasingly produced during the time impacted the societies of the decades. One such fabric is spandex. As of the year 2022, spandex is still a popular fabric with it being used in many different pieces of clothing. Today, some of both women’s and men’s athletic wear are made with spandex. The reasoning behind this is the comfortability of the fabric, as well as its breathability. During the time period of Generation X, spandex was developed for this same purpose. The society of the time was exiting the “swinging 60’s” and the “Me” decade of the 1970’s, both of which were time periods of great social change. The civil rights movement had been fighting for racial equality and the second wave of feminism was gaining ground toward gender equality. As a result, fashion technology adapted to the easygoing, liberal attitude of a changing society. Spandex clothing likely would have been viewed as an unthinkable idea a few decades prior, with society being much more socially conservative. However, spandex had become a closet staple during Generation X. It could be used to exercise, as the fibers of the fabric were very elastic, making them stretch and move with the person wearing it. It could be used to go to a disco or just a night out, as it was considered to be very fashionable. If you needed something comfortable to go to the store in, spandex was certainly an option for that as well. To complement the clothing of the time, scrunchies were used to tie hair back tightly, yet comfortably. “Chunky” jewelry was used to accentuate the fashion of the era, often being neon or other bright colors. The improvement of eye contacts let people either skip the glasses entirely, or at the very least, have options on how to handle visual impairment. The fashion was comfortable, versatile, and stylish, perfect for the people of Generation X.
18.2.1 Hygiene Technologies
The hairstyles, hair products, and menstrual products of Generation X were also heavily influenced by the society of the era, further showing the connection between society and technology. Of the decades of the 20th century, the eighties and nineties may be the most famous. This can be attributed to the excessive development of new hairsprays, flat and curling irons, as well as methods such as permanent waves (perms) to make hair bigger, straighter, or curlier. Hairspray, both then and now, is used to hold hair in place. This is done with polymers. Polymers are in many different hair technologies, including shampoo, conditioner, mousse, and others. Chemically, polymers are used to help hair follicles achieve a texture, shape, or condition. To hold up the big hairstyles of the era, hairspray was used quite often throughout the eighties and nineties. The development of electrically powered curling and flat irons was also a prime technology of Generation X. Hairspray would be used to uphold the change to the hair caused by both curling and flat irons. When people would use a curling or flat iron, the electricity would provide the energy to cause the metal of the device to heat up, usually between 200 and 450 degrees fahrenheit. The metal would then be applied to the hair and either pulled down with a flat iron or twisted with a curling iron. The technology allowed for those without straight or curly hair to achieve a different shape of hair, and it happened faster than ever before. Perms were used to achieve a permanent curl to a person’s hair, and it was done chemically. The chemicals of the perm break open the hair follicle and change the inner chemistry of the hair, allowing someone to have curls for a longer period of time. Additionally, the improvement of menstrual products was occurring very rapidly during Generation X. Always was founded in 1983, and tampons were being altered to offer more absorbency options. With this, the stigma surrounding menstruation was decreasing as a result of menstrual products being more readily available to the public.
18.3 History of Fashion and Hygienic Technologies
Key Takeaway
18.3.1 Fashion Fabrics
The history of spandex is a relatively short one. In 1958, it was invented by a chemist named Joseph Shivers in the United States. His purpose in inventing the fabric was the same reason why people in Generation X loved it. In post World War II America, there was a steady demand from female consumers for more comfortable undergarments. Shivers, seeing the profitability of a comfortable fabric alternative to rubber and cotton, began to develop spandex with synthetic fibers. In the sixties, a team of researchers published in the scientific journal Science about spandex, and even predicted that it would become a popular fabric choice in the coming decades (Hicks, E. et al 1964). As it turns out, they were right on the money, and spandex became the dominant fabric of the eighties and nineties that we know today.
18.3.2 Fashion Accessories
The earliest records of glasses existing come from Italy in the 1200’s. However, their use in everyday society by ordinary people was not popularized until the 17th century. While they supported those who were visually impaired, they had their downsides. Some were uncomfortable to wear, they could be easily broken, and it lets anyone in the person’s vicinity know that said person had bad eyesight. Solution: eye contact lenses. They were invented in the late 19th century, but were not popularly used until the time period of Generation X.
“Contact Lens Ayala” by Wikimedia Commons is licensed under CC BY 3.0
The invention of contact lenses allowed people to have a more comfortable alternative technology to glasses, expanding the options and opportunities for visually impaired people. Other accessories also gained popularity during Generation X, including scrunchies and various types of jewelry. Scrunchies are a piece of fashion technology that were invented in the 1980’s. They allowed people to tie their hair in a comfortable way, with scrunchies being made of soft fabrics like velvet.
18.3.3 Hair-care Products
Throughout history, appearances have been important in society. In particular, hair care and hair care technology has changed a lot over the years. Hairbrushes and combs have been dated back to some of the first civilizations, and have evolved from being combs made from animal bones and wood to the plastic, soft-bristled detannglers that we know today. While they were invented in the early 20th century, hairspray, hair dryers, and hair irons began to gain fast popularity during Generation X. Also invented in the beginning of the 1900s were hair color and perms. All of these hair technologies affected the society of Generation X, with the ability to change one’s appearance becoming more affordable, safer, and easier to accomplish.
18.3.4 Menstrual Products
Menstruation, historically, has been a jarring topic for many societies and often had one of two connotations. In some societies, menstruation was viewed as an honorable thing, as it was the process that brought upon children and continued the circle of life. In others, however, it was seen as a dirty, despicable thing. Sometimes, it was even associated with witchcraft and the magical unknown. Because of menstruation’s continuous nature, the technologies used for it were connected to its taboo nature. Up until the industrial revolution, menstruation was something handled at home with home remedies. Women would use cloths or rags made of cotton and other materials and pin them to their undergarments. In some societies, early versions of tampons were made with cotton or papyrus. Across these cultures, though, it was a topic not to have attention brought to, so technologies to manage it were limited. During the industrial revolution, in which more women entered the workforce, there were attempts to make menstruation easier to handle so that work was not missed on account of it. Slowly, the menstrual pad, tampon, and menstrual cup were invented and patented to allow women to make their periods more manageable and comfortable. In the mid-1970’s, the Rely tampon was released to the public, promising a leak-free period with their super-absorbency tampon. Many used these tampons, believing that their period would be smoother as a result of the new technology. However, a little-known disease at the time, Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS), began to affect the women using these tampons. Symptoms are characterized by a sudden high fever, a rash reminiscent of a sunburn, headache and nausea. Cases began to skyrocket in the late seventies and early eighties. Scientists and medical professionals began to study it and found that the number of cases was correlated to how absorbent the tampon was. The higher the absorbance of the tampon, the higher the chance of developing TSS. In 1980, the FDA removed the Rely tampon from the market and began to classify tampons, as well as other menstrual products, as medical devices rather than cosmetics, allowing easier FDA regulation.
“Toxic shock syndrome cases” by Food and Drug Administration is in the Public Domain
18.4 Impact of Fashion and Hygienic Technologies on Generation X
Key Takeaway
18.4.1 The Intended Consequences
Technology is created and improved for a purpose, and that purpose is usually to make things better for most people. The fashion technologies of the era were created in order for clothing to be more comfortable for those wearing it. Spandex achieved this aim, and in a study published in Korea Science, researchers concluded that the clothing and fabrics of the era had another main goal: to make clothing that shows off a person’s body and accentuates their appearance (Choi, G.-D & Geum, G.-S 2010). Spandex was made even more popular by celebrities wearing it. In particular, biker shorts were made famous by the late Diana, Princess of Wales. By wearing spandex out in public, it made other people want to wear it as well because it was “so cool” that a princess was wearing something so casual.
Another intended consequence of the fashion technologies created and advanced throughout Generation X was to make handling one’s appearance easier. Dr. James Key found that the advancements made to eye contacts during the eighties and nineties drastically improved the lives of those using them, as they were more comfortable and safer to use (2007).
The hygienic technologies of the era were also created with specific goals in mind. Flat and curling irons were advanced to make changing one’s hair shape and texture easier and safer, and perms were made to allow those with naturally straightened hair to have waves or curls for a longer amount of time. Additionally, menstrual products were made an item to be purchased to allow women greater freedom in public life. With the commercialization of pads, tampons, and the menstrual cup, women could attend school, work, and do other activities outside of the home while they were menstruating. Menstrual product technology was also improved in order to make them safer to use, as well as lower the amount of TSS cases.
18.4.2 The Unintended Consequences
In any society, technology is bound to have unintended effects, and these can be both positive and negative. No one usually expects specific changes to occur, but with the fashion technologies of Generation X, clothing began to become bolder and more casual as time went on. Another unintended consequence that can be connected to the technological developments during Generation X was the slow de-stigmatization of menstruation. In a now famous commercial for Tampax in 1985, actress Courteney Cox was the first person to say the word “period” out loud on television. It was a major step to breaking down the taboo surrounding menstruation, and while unintended, this effect was certainly a positive consequence of the improvement of menstrual technologies at the time. Finally, the quick manufacturing and development of hair styling technologies unintentionally led to a slight increase in electrical outlet outages and small electrical fires. The technology within curling and flat irons of the time were certainly revolutionary, however, they had their own flaws. In fact, several U.S emergency departments were informed of curling and flat iron related injuries, mostly first-degree burns, as well as electrical outages caused by the irons. Eventually, these technological flaws would be corrected in the future, but their excessive use during Generation X and the results of it being many types of burns and other injuries showcase the impact of the technology on the generation.
18.5 How the Fashion and Hygienic Technologies have Evolved
Key Takeaway
18.5.1 Fashion Technologies
Clothing and fashion have always evolved with their respective times. In the 1930’s, clothing was very modest and conservative, as there was a global economic depression during the time period. For Generation X, the world was entering a more stable economic, social and political era, so clothing technology was innovative and bold. In today’s world, we see the impact of Generation X’s fashion technologies. In fact, the fabrics and fashion of the era are considered so influential that it is not uncommon to have 80’s or 90’s themed events, with spandex, neon, and other bold clothing choices making their appearance. Spandex in particular is still a very common fabric today. Modern-day leggings, as well as other forms of exercise clothing are made from spandex. While neon clothes are often considered too bold in our modern society, their effect in making clothing less conservative in nature is still seen. In addition to the fabric technologies still seen today, eye contacts are also very popular, and their innovations throughout Generation X are a big reason why.
18.5.2 Hygiene Technologies
The hygiene technologies created and improved upon during Generation X and their evolution are also still visible today. While perms are not nearly as popular as they once were, their effect on hair styling technologies remains. The damage that can be caused by perms has led to their decline in popularity, however, the idea of changing the very chemistry of one’s own hair still exists today. Hair color, hair relaxers, moisturizing treatments and improved flat and curling irons are all evolutions and results of the hair technologies popularized during Generation X. Hairspray options are virtually limitless for all who use it, whether that be to add volume to one’s hair or to use it for performances. Additionally, menstrual products today have evolved to be safer than ever. For tampons, there are several improvements that have been made to them, including a standard of using cotton, rayon, or a blend of the two to build them, as well as several sizes and brands to choose from. Pads are also a safe external alternative that have evolved to be more comfortable and less noticeable for the wearer. Menstrual cups and discs, both of which are inserted into the vagina and left in like a tampon, are available and considered to be the environmentally friendly alternative to pads and tampons. In general, hygienic technologies have evolved for the better, and today, they are safer and more accessible than ever before.
Menstrual Hygiene Technologies in South Asian Communities was a Total Buzzkill
While the technology of improved menstrual products had a significantly positive impact within western countries, not all societies shared the same effects during Generation X. In India, less than 20% of women use sanitary pads, tampons, or other commercial menstrual products (Kuhlmann, A. et al. 2017). Most girls use homemade products with cloth. This is caused by a lack of access to period products. Socially, the result of this has historically been a greater chance of girls becoming child brides, as many leave school in order to handle their period. However, the bright spot is the technological innovations of Generation X have significantly reduced TSS mortality rates across South Asia. Additionally, various charities, nonprofits, and even corporations are attempting to change this narrative with large donations of menstrual products. There is still a long way to go to help those in impoverished communities have better access to menstrual hygiene products.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter, the fashion and hygienic technologies that impacted Generation X has been defined as fabrics such as spandex, accessories such as eye contacts, hair care products like hairspray and flat and curling irons, and menstrual products like tampons. Each of their histories have been explored, particularly with many of their roots dating back to the early 20th century, showing how far society has come in just over one hundred years. These technologies and their impact on Generation X have been shown to make Generation X a more casual, tolerant, open-minded, and more liberal generation than previous ones. Finally, the impacts of these technologies are clear in our own modern-day society, with call-backs to the trends of the eighties and nineties being very prevalent.
While not exactly a simpler time, it cannot be that the era of Generation X was an ever-changing time. The technological innovations of the time fueled the social change recognized today in Generation X. The effects of which are still seen today, and continue to drive the social and technological changes of our own modern society.
Review Questions
Food For Thought:
- Reflect on a time when you have used eye contacts, hairspray, flat or curling irons, or another hygienic technology discussed. Now, imagine you are time-traveled to 100 years ago. How would you adapt without these technologies?
- Think of someone in your family or friend circle that is a member of Generation X. How would you say they view menstruation and menstrual technologies compared to older generations? What about compared to millennials? Generation Z? What differences do you see?
- In the future, what do you believe will be the future for the fashion technologies discussed in the chapter, namely spandex? It has continuously been popular in today’s world, do you believe it will stay that way? Does it have any connection to cultural attitudes of the time?
References
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Choi, G.-D., & Geum, G.-S. (2010, September 29). A study on the formative nature of knitwear fashion since the 1980s … Korea Science. Retrieved November 1, 2022, from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/263360087_A_Study_on_the_Formative_Nature_of_Knitwear_Fashion_since_the_1980s_-_Focusing_on_Expression_and_Silhouette_of_the_Body_-
Hicks, E. M., Ultee, A. J., & Drougas, J. (1965). Spandex elastic fibers. Science, 147(3656), 373–379. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.147.3656.373
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Kuhlmann, A. S., Henry, K., & Wall, L. L. (2017). Menstrual hygiene management in resource-poor countries. Obstetrical & Gynecological Survey, 72(6), 356–376. https://doi.org/10.1097/ogx.0000000000000443
Qazi, K., Gerson, L. W., Christopher, N. C., Kessler, E., & Ida, N. (2001). Curling iron-related injuries presenting to U.S. emergency departments. Academic Emergency Medicine, 8(4), 395–397. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1553-2712.2001.tb02121.x
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