Why does fashion repeat in 20-year cycles? Math has the answer
Episode description
Bucket hats. Low-rise jeans. Track suits. As you might’ve noticed, Y2K fashion is in right now. People say that fashion moves in 20-year cycles, and it turns out…it does! At least according to math.
Host Flora Lichtman sits down with mathematician Emma Zajdela to figure out how she analyzed over 35,000 images of women's clothing dating all the way back to the 1860s to confirm this theory.
Guest:
Dr. Emma Zajdela is a Franco-American mathematician and science diplomacy activist.
Other episodes you may enjoy:
- The Many, Many Ways Tuberculosis Shaped Human Life
- Functional Fashion From An Artist And A Caterpillar
Want SciFri gear? Check out our new shop!
Transcripts for each episode are available within 1-3 days at sciencefriday.com.
Subscribe to this podcast. Follow our show on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and Bluesky @scifri and sign up for our newsletters. Got a science question that’s keeping you up at night? Call us: 877-472-4374
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.