Written by  Carol Nolan
Edited by  Julie Williams
 

Various social trends were at work during the 1920s.  Historians have characterized the decade as a time of frivolity, abundance and happy-go-lucky attitudes.  Several years had passed since the end of World War I.  People felt free-spirited and wanted to have fun.  As a result, fashions became less formal.

At the same time, improved production methods enabled manufacturers to easily produce clothing affordable by working families.  The average person's fashion sense became more sophisticated.

The feminine liberation movement had a strong effect on women's fashions. Most importantly, the corset was discarded!  For the first time in centuries, women's legs were seen.  A more masculine look became popular, including flattened breasts and hips, and bobbed hair.

Style, at all social levels, was heavily influenced by the newly created, larger-than-life movie stars.  For the first time in history, fashion influences and trends were coming from more than one source.

Paris continued to be the seat of haute couture (high fashion).  Coco Chanel exerted a great influence during the decade, appealing to the practical American woman through her use of simple ensembles, scarves and inexpensive jewelry.

For women, face, figure, coiffure, posture and grooming became important fashion factors in addition to clothing.  In particular, cosmetics became a major industry. Glamour was now an important fashion trend, due to the influence of the motion picture industry and the famous female movie stars.

The 1920s saw the emergence of three major women's fashion magazines:  Vogue, The Queen, and Harper's Bazaar.  Vogue was first published in 1892, but its up-to-date fashion information did not have a marked impact on women's desires for fashionable garments until the 20's.  These magazines provided mass exposure for popular styles and fashions.

During the early 1920s, waistlines were at the waist, but were loose and not fitted.  Women wore suits with long hemlines and somewhat full skirts, often with belts at the waist of the jackets.  Dress and suit bodices alike were worn loose, even baggy.

In 1923, waistlines began to drop to a point between the natural waist and hips, while styles continued to be loose and baggy.  In 1924 the waistline dropped to the hip.

In 1925, "shift" type dresses with no waistline emerged.  At the end of the decade, dresses were being worn with straight bodices and collars.  Tucks at the bottom of the bodices were popular, as well as knife-pleated skirts with a hem approximately one inch below the knee.

In 1928, styles changed again!  Hemlines rose to the knee and dresses became more fitted. These changes laid the foundation for the elegantly styled fashions of the 1930s.

Many garments of the 1920s fastened with buttons.  The closer-fitting flapper- style dresses fastened with a continuous lap, usually applied to the left side seam of the garment.  Hooks and eyes, buttons, or snaps were all utilized to fasten the lap.  The zipper, first patented in 1893, was not utilized in garments until the latter part of the decade.  It was originally known  as a ìlockerî, and did not receive its current name until 1926.  It was not widely used until the late 1930s.

Undergarments changed to suit the new fashions.  As noted, the feminine liberation movement helped women discard the confining corset, although boned corsets continued to be readily available.  The chemise or camisole was employed in place of the corset.  During the early part of the decade, chemises paired with bloomers kept a woman decently covered beneath her outer garments.  Bandeaus gained popularity later in the decade.

Cotton and wool were the abundant fabrics of the decade.  Silk was highly desired for its luxurious qualities, but the limited supply made it expensive. In 1891, "artificial silk" was first made from a solution of cellulose in France.  After being patented in the United States, the first American plant began production of this new fabric in 1910.  In 1924 this fiber became known as rayon.  Rayon stockings became popular in the 1920s as a substitute for silk stockings.  Rayon was also used in undergarments.

The garment industry experienced great growth during the 1920s, maybe as a result of the simpler styles.  Mass produced garments became available to almost everyone.  Moderately priced clothing became more popular than one-of- a-kind garments.  New York's garment district moved from the Lower East Side to Seventh Avenue where it has remained the ìhubî of womenÇs fashion in the United States.  In 1922, the countryís first outdoor shopping mall - The Country Club - was built in Kansas City, Kansas.  It remains in existence today.

On October 24, 1929, the great Crash of Wall Street occurred, changing fashion dramatically.
 

References (for 1920's):

Horsham, Michael.  20s & 30s Style.    London:  Quintet Publishing Limited, 1989.

Burns, Leslie Davis, Nancy C. Bryant.  The Business of Fashion.    New York: Fairchild Publications, 1997.

Blum, Stella, ed.  Everyday Fashions of the Twenties.    New York:  Dover Publications, Inc., 1981.

For more references on the fashion from this time period, see Margie's List of Lindy Hop Books -- there are links there that allow you to purchase the books directly on line.
 

Written by  Carol Nolan
Edited by  Julie Williams

Fashion of the 1930s was directly influenced by the great Wall Street Crash of October 24, 1929 and subsequent Depression.  The Autumn, 1930 Sears Catalogue admonished, ìThrift is the spirit of the day.  Reckless spending is a thing of the past.î  The beginning of the decade saw women sewing more.  Clothing was mended and patched before being replaced.  Less ready-to-wear garments were purchased, even though styles were dramatically changing.

A softer, more feminine style replaced the boyish, flapper look of the twenties.  At the beginning of the decade, hemlines dropped dramatically to the ankle and remained there until the end of the thirties.  Necklines were lowered while torsos were sensuously molded beneath squared shoulders.  Darts were replaced by soft gathers.  Dress waists returned to the natural waistline.  Moderately full skirts accentuated a small waist and minimized the hips.  Dress bodices were designed with inset pieces and yokes.  Necklines received dramatic attention, often with wide scallop-edged or ruffled collars.

Skirts were also designed with great detail.  Upper skirt yokes appeared for the first time, designed in a v-shape and extending from one hip to the center of the yoke and continuing  to the opposite hip.  Layered and ruffled looks debuted on skirts, sometimes in tiers.  The skirt bottom was often full with pleats or gathers.

The entertainment industry continued to exert a strong influence over fashion. Movies were one of the few escapes from the harsh reality of the Depression. Movie star endorsements of styles and accessories became common, especially with evening wear.  A popular formal look was the empire-waisted gown, with ties at the back.  The dress might boast butterfly or large, puffy sleeves. Hemlines fell at the ankle and trains added a further formal touch.  Fabric flowers might be placed at the neckline, on one shoulder, or at the center waist or center neckline.  Bows were another popular accent.  The peplum made its debut in the late thirties evening wear.

Fur of all kinds was worn extensively during this era, both during the day and at night.  Fur capes, coats, stoles wraps, accessories and trimmings adorned women's dresses.  Pelts in demand were sable, mink, chinchilla, Persian lamb and silver fox.

Women's sportswear was influenced by a more masculine style.  Sport suits, leather jackets and middy slacks became popular.

Hats were worn at an angle.  The cloche hat was replaced by the beret.  Pill boxes became popular along with brimmed hats.  Towards the end of the decade, turbans emerged.

A variety of shoe styles was available during this era.  Rounded toes were seen with wide, thick heels.  Pumps and flat shoes were available, and ankle strap styles with moderate heels also appeared.  Slip-on styles, lace-up shoes and buckle shoes were all worn.  Spectator or two-tone shoes appeared in the early thirties.  Rubber companies were actually endorsed for their shoe soles in the Sears Catalog.

Handbags of the early thirties looked like those of the twenties.  Beaded bags were abundant, as well as enameled mesh bags.  During the later part of the decade, leather became very popular.  Three-pocket leather clutches with a generous flap over the front and the ownerÇs initials were especially popular.

Underpinnings of the early thirties continued to show the influence of the corset, although most of the corsets sold boasted ìno boningî;  boning was available for women who felt it was necessary.  The one-piece garments known as corsets consisted of a brassiere and girdle with garters.  By the late thirties, the separate bra and girdle had become acceptable, but one piece corsets continued to be widely available.

Washable, easy-care fabrics were introduced during this decade.  An advertisement in the Sears Catalog reads:  ìUSE LUX:  We advise gentle Lux for best results in washing the dresses shown on these pages.  With Lux there is no rubbing to injure threads.  And no harmful alkali.  Safe in water, safe in Lux!î  The first openly synthetic fibers were developed in the 1930s.  Prior to this, manufactured fibers had been developed to emulate natural fibers.  In 1935 the Du Pont de Nemours Company successfully synthesized nylon.  Nylon was introduced in stockings during 1939 but its use in fashion was interrupted by World War II.  Widespread use of this synthetic fiber didnÇt occur until after World War II.

The zipper's popularity continued during the 1930s.  It was first commonly known as a ìslide fastenerî.  B. F. Goodrich coined the name ìzipperî and used it as a fastener in an overshoe.  The predominance of zippers in manufactured clothing increased toward the end of the decade, primarily as a side closing fastener.

This decade saw many improvements in mass production techniques, which meant a wider range of women now had access to well-made and well-cut clothes.  The advent of War in 1939, however, stopped civilian access to clothing manufacturers for several years while the country focused on the war effort.

On September 3, 1939, England and France declared war on Germany for invading Poland, and refusing to withdraw troops.  This single event changed the world of fashion forever.
 

References (for the 1930's):

Horsham, Michael.  20s & 30s Style.    London:  Quintet Publishing Limited, 1989.

Burns, Leslie Davis, Nancy C. Bryant.  The Business of Fashion.    New York: Fairchild Publications, 1997.

Peacock, John.  Fashion Sourcebooks The 1930s.    London, Thanes & Hudson, Ltd., 1997.

Blum, Stella ed.  Everyday Fashions of the Thirties.    New York, Dover Publications, Inc., 1986.

Ultan, Lloyd.  The Bronx in History.  Online.  Internet.  15 November 1998. Available.  http://www.bronx.com

For more references on the fashion from this time period, see Margie's List of Lindy Hop Books -- there are links there that allow you to purchase the books directly on line.

Written by Carol Nolan
Edited by  Julie Williams

It is worthless to discuss fashion of the forties without first understanding the tremendous impact World War II had on everyday life during the early part of the decade.  Social trends dictate fashion.  World War II changed the world of fashion forever.

On September 3, 1939 England and France declared war on Germany for invading Poland, and refusing to withdraw troops.  On June 14, 1940 Paris fell to Germany.  German occupation began controlling haute couture.  During the war, the Germans seriously considered moving the French couture houses to Berlin and re-establishing the seat of haute couture in Berlin.  Berlin would then be known as the fashion capital of the world.  On September 3, 1940, the United States transferred destroyers to Great Britain.  The United States officially entered World War II on December 8, 1941.

Prior to World War II, New York fashion designers made the trek across the Atlantic Ocean to attend the flamboyant and opulent French fashion shows each year.  They then returned to the United States and copied the latest Parisian haute couture designs.  Once the Germans occupied Paris and the United States stationed battleships in the Atlantic Ocean, the New York designers were cut off from Paris haute couture.  In their attempts to design new fashions for the United States market, they concentrated on sportswear.  This led to the United States emerging as the sportswear capital of the world.

In 1941, war good manufacturing took center stage.  The government confiscated all stock of natural fabrics, forcing  domestic manufacturers to concentrate on substituting other fibers for domestic garments.  The industry geared up rayon production.  Nylon stockings disappeared in 1943.

During 1942, the War Production Board began severely restricting the amount of yardage used in garments. On March 8, 1942 the War Production Board issued regulation L - 85, which regulated every aspect of clothing.  Stanley Marcus was the apparel consultant to the War Production Board.  At this time he took the stand that it was the designerÇs patriotic duty to design fashions which would remain stylish through multiple seasons.

In an effort to comply with the restrictions outlined in the regulation, American  designers created a new style of suits for women.  Skirts were short and straight topped by short jackets of twenty-five inches or less in length. Cardigans matched skirts and sheath evening dresses replaced the long flowing gowns of the thirties.

McCalls produced patterns for transforming menÇs suits into ladiesÇ suits and womenÇs dresses into childrenÇs clothing.  The women of America were once again sewing their own and their familyÇs garments.

While the decade of the thirties saw the theme of thrift in purchasing garments, the theme of the forties was a conservative look which would remain fashionable through multiple seasons.  WomenÇs magazines were abundant with articles on proper care of garments for maximum wear.

American designers introduced the concept of separates and co-ordinating components in order to create the illusion of more outfits than one actually had.  Classic sportswear styles took hold on college campuses and were soon adopted by all levels of society and all age groups.

August 25, 1944 finally saw the end of the German occupation of Paris.  In order to re-establish ParisÇ domination of the world of fashion, fifty-three French couturiers banded together in 1945 to create a traveling exhibition, known as ìThéâtre de la Modeî.  Participating designers included Cristóbal Balenciaga, Jacques Fath, Jean Patou, Elsa Schiaparelli and Robert Ricci, son of Nina Ricci.

The exhibition, consisting of dolls positioned in fully furnished sets, derived an eighteenth century method of presenting fashion to the world by means of dressed dolls.  The dolls in the Théâtre de la Mode were dressed by the couturiers, artisans and textile workers while artists and theater people joined forces to create the sets the dolls were placed in for viewing. Miniature accessories were created for the dolls including hats, shoes, handbags, gloves, belts and umbrellas.  Elegant wigs of human hair were created for the dolls by top hairdressers.  Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels also joined the effort by creating miniature, to-scale jewelry for the dolls. The dolls were completely dressed including lingerie.

The Théâtre de la Mode also helped raise money for the French War Relief.  It opened at the Louvre in Paris and then traveled to Barcelona, London, Leeds, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Vienna, New York and San Francisco.

The little dolls accomplished the task they were sent into the world to do. In 1946, Paris regained its title as seat of fashion.

        [Please note:  For those who may be interested in viewing the Théâtre de la Mode, the entire collection is housed at:  Maryhill Museum of Art, 35 Maryhill Museum Drive, Goldendale, WA  98620, telephone:  509 773-3733.  In 1990 the collection underwent massive renovation and today is in remarkable condition. If you're planning a trip to Seattle, WA, or Portland, OR be sure to include an excursion to the Maryhill Museum.  They will allow guests to take photos inside the museum.  If you call ahead and make reservations with the director of the exhibit, they will allow you to walk into the sets for complete viewing of the fashions.  I had the opportunity to put on gloves and actually handle one of the dolls!]

After the war, the American woman was ready for a change, tired of the severely tailored garments she was forced to wear during the hostilities.  In 1947, Dior introduced the ìNew Lookî, featuring longer lengths and fuller skirts.  The use of many yards of fabric in garments was now seen as lavish and opulent.  Woman's fashion now changed to a soft, feminine and romantic image.

Many varieties of peplums were in vogue: butterfly, bustle and gathered peplums were a few.  Ruffles found their way to skirt hems, necklines and waists.  Gored, gathered and A-line skirts were topped with soft, feminine blouses.  Blouses donned bows at the center-front neckline and might sport full or puffy sleeves.  Collars were cut generously full, in peter pan and traditional pointed shirt-collar designs.  Lace also accentuated blouses around the neckline.

Undergarments at the end of the forties had finally made the transition to two separate pieces, the bra and the girdle.  The term ìbraî was now widely used to identify the upper portion of the outdated corset.  After World War II, wire was introduced into bras and nylon stockings came back on the market.

Leather platform shoes were the rage.  Their soles were often studded with "nailheads", another sign of opulence and luxury after the severe metal rationing of previous years.  The ìnailheadî studding carried over to ladiesÇ leather handbags.

While Paris regained its grasp of haute couture after World War II, American designers were gaining momentum, credibility and respect in the area of sportswear.

References (for the 1940's):

Burns, Leslie Davis, Nancy C. Bryant.  The Business of Fashion.    New York: Fairchild Publications, 1997.

Olian, JoAnne ed.  Everyday Fashions of the Forties.    New York, Dover Publications, Inc., 1992.

Koppy, Doroth J.  "Theatre De La Mode."  Doll Crafter.  January 1996: 102-104.

McFadden, Dolly.  "The Theatre of Fashion."  Threads.  October / November 1990:  82-84

Le Bourhis, Katell.  "Vive la Difference."  Connoisseur.  January 1991:  74-78

For more references on the fashion from this time period, see Margie's List of Lindy Hop Books -- there are links there that allow you to purchase the books directly on line.

Questions regarding ladies clothing may be directed to Carol Nolan at: carolnolan@aol.com.  You may visit her web site to see re-creations of men's
vintage clothing.  The web site address is: http://www.murrayontravel.com/carolnolan