20s fashion man roaring

Philosopher Anatole France once said that to see into the future, "I would take simply a fashion magazine in order to see how women will dress themselves....[T]heir fantasies would tell me more about future humanity than all the philosophers, the novelists, the preachers, or the scientists."(1) This statement is just as appropriate when considered in retrospect, as the vicissitudes of fashion reflect social change, particularly in regard to societal attitudes toward women.

No period has shown more rapid change in silhouette of women's fashion than the first 50 years of the twentieth century. Each change of outer fashion was also reflected in the underfashion in order to give women the silhouette and character that fashion demanded, sometimes in contradiction to that which nature intended. Views of women and their proper roles also changed dramatically during this time as women gained the right to vote and entered the workforce in increasing numbers, and then retreated back to the home after World War II. This essay visually documents changes in women's fashion from 1900 to 1950 and relates these changes to prevailing societal attitudes and changes in the roles of women.(2)

By the beginning of the twentieth century, the United States was becoming an important international power. The Victorian Age came to a close when Edward VII became king of England in 1901. Scientific and technological advancements, industrialization, and the connection of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans via the Panama Canal contributed greatly to world commerce and national defense. Aeronautics, automobile transportation, and the cinema began to change the way of life for the typical American, and a host of useful devices, including the telephone, typewriter, and sewing machine, allowed women to become more active in pursuits outside the home.

While the prevailing attitude during the Victorian Age had been that a woman's place was in the home, women increasingly began to enter the workplace after 1900. The corseted Gibson Girl in Figure 1 was representative of the 5,319,000 working women in America in 1900. Mass circulation magazines, pattern catalogs, and mail order catalogs such as those of Sears, Roebuck and Co. made it possible for the average American to access the latest fashion styles.(3)

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The dominant silhouette of the Edwardian era was the S-shape, which consisted of a large overhanging monobosom, augmented if necessary by a heavily frilled or boned camisole or bodice. The S-shaped corset, as seen in Figure 2, was necessary to achieve this most unusual and constricting shape. In 1900, Sears, Roebuck and Co. proclaimed that their corsets were "made of the best and strongest materials"; the loop lacer was said to be "a vast improvement on the old brass eyelets which often corrode and soil the undergarments, and so thin is the lacing as to be hardly perceptible on the finest silk gown."(4) In addition, many underclothes were worn to enhance the S-shape--chemise, corset cover, drawers, a flannel petticoat, and one or more cotton petticoats.

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The elegant Edwardian lady often wore light, airy dresses called "lingerie dresses," which gave a rather ethereal first appearance (Figure 3). The contrast between the lingerie dress and its underpinnings mirrored the femininity and strength evidenced in the growing suffragette movement, the entry of women such as Madame Curie into the ranks of renowned scientists, and women such as Ellen H. Richards, who improved quality of life by applying the principles of art and science to the practical problems of everyday living. 5

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By 1910, 7,500,000 women worked outside the home. Social and political unions for women were formed, including the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union (1911) and the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America (1914). The suffagrette movement continued to grow, particularly in Great Britain and the United States. World events also had important implications for women's roles. Power struggles among European nations led to the outbreak of World War I, the II "war to end all wars," in 1914, and the United States joined the fight against Germany in April 1917. Women's attempts to contribute to the war effort by filling men's jobs were initially rebuffed, but after the United States entered the war, women began to take on munitions and clerical jobs, becoming more economically independent in the process.(6)

Changes in women's roles predictably were reflected in the fashions of the time. For example, the creations of Paul Poiret, a leading influence on fashion during this decade, expressed the more independent spirit of the times and mirrored decisive changes in attitudes regarding women. Poiret loosened the constricted waist and relieved the pressure of the S-shaped corset on the stomach, thereby producing a near-natural figure. "It was," he declared, "in the name of Liberty that I proclaimed the fall of the corset and the adoption of the brassiere which, since then, has won the day... Yes, I freed the bust, but I shackled the leg"--a reference to the hobble skirt shown in Figure 5.(8) The new fashions required a different style of corset to conform to an up-and-down figure, but it reached almost to the knees, making sitting down difficult. The contradiction between freedom and captivity, thus achieved, was symptomatic of the times. Women were on the verge of emancipation, but the tradition of being sheltered and in need of protection in a male-dominated society still lingered.

[Figure 5 ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Figure 6 illustrates several other innovative fashion changes of this period. The Empire style emerged early in the decade as the waistline rose to slightly below the bust. The V-neck appeared, although some insisted that "modesty pieces" be worn to fill in the neckline. The tunic or lampshade tunic was introduced just before World War I. This overskirt was worn on top of the long, tight, ankle-length skirt and reached to the knee. Many women found the underskirt an encumbrance in war work; consequently, the tunic was lengthened and the inner skirt discarded, providing greater comfort and ease of movement. "Orientalism" and the use of striking colors became major themes, largely due to the influence of costumes of the Russian Ballet.(9)

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The fashionable woman of this decade not only stood erect but also began to stand free. In Great Britain women won the right to vote in 1919, albeit only those over 30. Women had greater access to education, their public part in the community was increasing, and they were entering a growing variety of careers. Advances in the textile, apparel, and retail industries contributed to this freedom. By 1920, "every article of female clothing could be purchased ready-made,"(10) and the first man-made fiber, introduced as artificial silk (rayon), added a new versatility to ready-to-wear.(11)

From 1920 to 1930, the world was one big party, aptly described by the phrase "The Roaring Twenties." It was a time of great luxury and prosperity. The purchasing power of consumers grew, and national and regional chain stores emerged. Women were granted more freedom and privileges following World War I, especially in nations that fought in the conflict. The Nineteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified in 1920, giving women the right to vote. During this time there was a great increase in the number of women in clerical, trade, and professional groups, and the number in the workforce rose to 8,500,000. For many women, their first job outside the home was in the garment industry. More women joined the ranks of teachers and nurses, inspired by the likes of Florence Nightingale and Clara Barton. Women also became more adventurous, and political. Amelia Earhart became the first woman to fly the Atlantic, and Margaret Sanger, a nurse, attempted to raise living standards for women by organizing the birth control movement.(12)