Snapshots in Time
1900 - 1939
1. World events sometimes impact fashion. Name the war during this time period and tell how it impacted the world of fashion.
The First World War lasted from 1914-1918. Before the war, the height of fashion was the S-curved corset, a restrictive garment with bone or steel holding the wearer captive. The necessities of war, such as women in the workforce and steel battleships, combined with the public opinion of the frivolity of fashion, allowed a definite relaxing of the traditional rules of fashion. Corsets practically disappeared; hemlines rose to mid-calf; the previously vulgar v-neck dress became acceptable.
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2. Select a prominent fashion designer from this time period, discuss what made him/her famous, and describe the fashion styles that are attributed to this designer. In the period after the Great War, fashion designer Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel began her ascent into worldwide renown. Unlike pre-war designers, she used simple fabrics like wool jersey to create her Total Look which placed emphasis on the outfit as a whole rather than its individual parts. In addition, she created a popular line of perfumes in Art Deco-inspired bottles; her most famous perfume is No. 5. Credited with the first little black dress, Chanel also experimented with the early plastic Bakelite as a material for jewelry. These cheap materials- and her location in western France- allowed Chanel to use the war years as the beginning of her fashion empire, as other French designers suspended operations in the face of the German advance. |
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3. Give a description of new materials that were used in clothing during this time period.
In 1909, Leo Baekelund created Bakelite, the first completely synthetic and heat-resistant plastic. Replacing bone and ivory, the plastic was a huge improvement over the combustible celluloid of the time. Both plastics were briefly used in corsets in lieu of metal. Rayon became the first nonflammable artificial silk replacement.
4. Discuss with a family member, friend, or neighbor pictures of fashions you found from this time period. Discuss whether these fashions have cycled back into recent times. The person you interview does not need to have lived during the time period. You can ask him/her what he/she learned or what he/she remembers about the fashions you researched and have him/her explain if he/she see these fashions in recent times. Write a three to five sentence paragraph that includes the name of the person you spoke with and the details about these fashions.
I spoke to my friends Kirsten and Jean-Luc who both took a twentieth century history class last year. Jean-Luc associated the new freedoms in fashion with a greater societal change expanding the rights and roles of women exemplified in the women's suffrage movement. Kirsten added that the little black dress is still considered a wardrobe staple. She actually went on to purchase one, with plastic earrings to match.
5. Pretend you are a buyer for a department store and you attended a fashion show during this time period. In your own words, write a short story of what you observed on the runway.
By an unusual stroke of luck, I found myself at 31 Rue Cambon, looking up at two black interconnected C’s. Camera and notepad in hand, I walked into the center room and took a seat in the middle of the white stadium encircling an ivory center oval. A moment later, a diminutive woman clad completely in tweed, her wavy hair bobbed, stepped to the focus to address the crowd. Unfortunately, I was soon lost in the myriad of tenses, subjunctive, and designing jargon in her rapid French. Her speech ended with some sort of wish that we all enjoyed her designs. With a wave of her hand, the designer beckoned for her models to begin the show.
I cannot remember each outfit, with its
matching rings,
necklaces,
scarves and glittering baubles. Nor can I recall by rote each fabric,
its exact color, and its brisk French description. Instead, I must
content myself with describing the show as a whole, the larger trends
which would need to be met by our stores in the months to come.
First on the list on essentials is the cloche hat. Brimless and close fitting to the head, the cloche can be plain, or more commonly, accessorized with a matching ribbon or petite artificial flower. The hat is meant to be worn with short hair, preferably slightly curled and just peeking out of the hat on the sides of the face. In a break with tradition, many models openly wear make-up with a deep scarlet lipstick the most prevalent paint.
The next piece promising to be hit is the little black dress. Ditching the confining corset, the dress presents a straight, almost boyish silhouette. The bias-cut of the knee-length hem gives the dress shape with small folds of fabric to relieve the austere lines of the bodice. The dress is generally made of light crêpe de chine. Even though black has previously been a color reserved for mourning, these new dresses will allow ebony to become a staple in formalwear as well. Many of the dresses are accessorized with a simple black pump borrowed for men’s fashion.
One easy ornament to add to our stores this year is pearl. The designer herself wears several strings of pearls, each of different size and length. Some models sport one long strand, wrapped around the neck multiple times, once long nearly to the waist, several more much shorter and closer. Pearl bracelets are definitely a part of this trend. In addition, rings, made of semi-precious stones, including pearls, are an integral part of the outfit. This season, instead of pushing accessories to secondary status, we should place equal emphasis on each piece of the outfit, stressing only the overall look.
Other styles to consider include sport clothing. It has become quite fashionable to wear such garments even when not participating in physical activity. Jersey fabric is popular for everything now; it is no longer suitable only for underwear. Sleeveless dresses with no defined waist are decidedly in as well. If there is to be any waistline, it rests far below the natural waist. Over the dress, a long, loose coat may be worn. The coat must exhibit the same straight lines as the dress, although the cut should fit more snugly. Scarves and handkerchiefs are the most desired accessories for the dress. In the perfume department, even though the bottle does not have the flourishes of the traditional scent bottles, Chanel's perfumes are sure to sell. Colored nail polish is becoming available; an early order will keep us with the fashion curve.
These are predicted to be the major looks for the months to come. I thank you for allowing me to go to the show and hope my counsel is appreciated. My only suggestion: next time send someone who actually speaks French.
Web Sources
Decolish Decolish
This Art Deco-themed site gives a short biography of Coco Chanel and
her fashion label, with special attention to her Art Deco influences
and innovations.
http://www.decolish.com/CocoChanel.html
Fashion Era
A comprehensive history of fashion and dressmaking from 1800 to the
present, with pictures of each period, can be found here.
http://www.fashion-era.com/visitor_pages/1917_shay_visitor.htm
Packaging Today
This history of plastics and synthetic materials has solid information
about the new artificial inventions that would influence fashion.
http://www.packagingtoday.com/introcelluloid.htm
The Shape of Fashion
This museum-run site gives a summary of the demise of the corset and
the major events behind the change.
http://muse.museum.montana.edu/sof/ww1.html
The Costumer’s Manifesto
Offering an open course in twentieth century fashion history, the site
provides in-depth analysis of each era with photos and links to videos
for further enrichment.
http://www.costumes.org/classes/fashiondress/WW1toWW2.htm
Print Sources
Five Centuries of American Costume by R. Turner
Wilcox
This book gives a basic overview of changes in American fashion; it is
an invaluable aid to narrow and focus web searching.
The Complete History of Costume and Fashion by Bronwyn
Cosgrave
In full color with a wealth of images, this source does a particularly
good job tracking the evolution of the fashion designer to a global
icon.
