[Morrigoon]

Some very interesting points. I think that styles, music, fashion, etc. are, to an extent, inseparable from the socio-political climate in that they are often a reflection of, or a reaction to, what came before.

Take, for example, the gilded age. The decadence reflected the benefits brought by increased industrialism and the rise of the machine age. It also reflected the vast gulf between the upper and lower classes. Society's rules and strict code of behavior reflect the end of Victorian times and perhaps the peak of Victorian rigidity.

Then WW1 came along, and with it, a need for war-induced frugality. Skirts got straighter, used less (by comparison) fabric. Women showed their patriotism by getting involved in the effort in any way they were allowed (eg: volunteering, nursing, etc). Between this increased activity/work (most importantly, the acceptability of work-like behavior by even the higher classes, who ruled fashion at the time), and the increasing popularity of sports (decades later than men, but doctors were beginning to extol the virtues of an active life, making such behavior more normal and less shocking), women needed clothes that allowed them the freedom to move. This further affected hemlines and silhouettes.

The decadence of the 20's, like the decadence of the 50's, reflected society's desire to "return to normalcy" following a period of war and frugality.

Just a small example, but you can see that politics and culture are inseparable because one affects the other in both direct (hippie peace symbols) and indirect (large skirts) ways.

And I just thought of some markers for the decade we're now leaving. There was a decadent period marked by growing materialism, which saw the rise of the iPod, flat-screen TVs, and smart phones. Also we've seen the rise of "geek culture" which, though it began in the 90's, wasn't really a popular movement until it gained momentum.