
The Key Trends of the 1930’s in Fashion and Style
- Berets
- Art Deco dress
- Bias cut evening dress
- The Fur stole
- Halter neck dress
- Gored skirts
- Puff Sleeve Dress
- Makeup
- The Pantie girdle
What clothes did they wear in the 1930s?
- Midi length bias-cut dresses, puff sleeves, belted waists, and large yokes or collars.
- Old Hollywood evening gowns – backless, sleeveless, long bias-cut dresses.
- High waisted sailor pants and wide leg beach pajamas.
- Casual sports clothes — skirt-like shorts, striped knit shirts.
- Slouch hats, tilt hats, knit berets.
- Fur collar winter coats.
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What did the girls wear in the 1930s?
Women wore fitted dresses, skirts and suits during the 1930s. The style was much more feminine than style of the 1920s, and it put more emphasis on the waistline. Women wore dresses with fitted waists that included flutter and puff sleeves.

What did women wear in the 1930s?
To help save money, the 1930’s women wore homemade clothing around the house. If she wasn't great at sewing, it was fine - the only people who saw her were friends and family! A popular look for these dresses was called the “Hooverette” which has a wrap-around waist, puffed sleeves, and a slim profile fitting the style of the times. It was easy to slip on for a woman around the house.
Who wore evening dresses in the 1930s?
While luxury was out of the average person’s reach in the 1930s, Hollywood was pumping out movies with starlets, monsters, and adventures. Evening wear was influenced by these Old Hollywood stars including Jean Harlow, Ginger Rogers, Katherine Hepburn, and Greta Garbo.
What was the ideal body type of women in the 1930s?
Image credit: Sovintagepatterns. The 1930s brought with it a new ideal body type of women. An evolution of the boyish look of the 1920, the ideal ’30s woman was tall and slender with a very small waist and narrow hips. Because the average woman did not necessarily have this slim figure with a narrow waist, a trend of puffed or padded sleeves came ...
Why do women have padded sleeves?
Because the average woman did not necessarily have this slim figure with a narrow waist, a trend of puffed or padded sleeve s came into fashion. Butterfly sleeves, caplets, and large collars were all used to make the waist seem slimmer.
What was the trend of the time when women left the house?
Once a lady left the house, it was important to keep up “smart” appearances. So she would set her house dress aside for something more professionally made - an afternoon dress. Here the trends of the time were on display. Long, thin silhouettes - often with hems falling near the ankle - and puffy or draped sleeves to slim the waist were very popular.
Why were double sided prints popular?
Double-sided prints were popular, because, with some smart sewing, you could get two dresses in one. Talk about thrifty!
What was the backless gown made of?
The style was long and slim, made from fabric like silk that accentuated every curve until they flared out very slightly at the bottom, like a long bell. Puff and caplet sleeves were still in, and later in the decade halter styles with plunging backs were in fashion. With its understated sexiness, the backless gown is a signature of 1930s evening wear. Today, the style on the red carpet still takes inspiration from these glamorous Old Hollywood looks.
What were women's gloves in the 1930s?
Many women wore gloves in the 1930s. During the day, it was customary to wear short gloves (no longer than the wrist). While in the evening, elbow-length styles were popular. Matching gloves with shoes or handbags was seen as stylish.
Why was costume jewelry popular in the 1930s?
In the 1930s, costume jewelry was popular due to it being inexpensive and considered disposable. Coco Chanel is often credited with creating costume jewelry. Art deco still influenced designs in the earlier part of the decade, but women preferred more simple styles as the years went on. Contrasting colors, big and bold gems were all trends of the decade.
What was the hemline in the 1930s?
1930s fashion saw a return to longer hemlines for women. In fact, the term hemline first started to be used during the decade. During the day, ladies would wear skirts just above the ankle while nighttime evening gowns reached the floor. Women also embraced the natural waist again compared to the 1920s flapper era that often featured loose silhouettes. Designers like Vionnet and Schiaparelli are credited with influencing a more tailored and defined look in fashion.
What was the most popular hat in the 1920s?
The cloche hat of the 1920s remained popular up until about 1933. But as the decade went on, more asymmetrical, masculine-inspired styles became popular. The slouch hat (or Panama hat as it is known today) was widely popular during the 1930s, and women wore wide-brimmed straw hats during the summertime. Hats were a very important part of a woman’s look.
What would happen if a woman could not afford a new wardrobe?
If a woman could not afford a new wardrobe, at least she could see movie stars like Marlene Dietrich, Joan Crawford, and Carole Lombard live a picture-perfect life. Besides escaping through movies, women could also upgrade their accessories to refresh their wardrobes. Read below to see how 1930s fashion differed from roaring 1920s style.
Who created the wrap dress?
The 1930s also introduced a broad shoulder look inspired by Italian fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli who used shoulder pads. Schiaparelli is credited for inventing quite a number of designs. She would create the wrap dress—a style with a front closure wrapped with ties and featuring a V-neckline. The designer is also known for inventing culottes as well–the divided skirt look allowed freedom for women to do activities like tennis or riding bikes. Schiaparelli and Chanel were described as bitter rivals, with the former closing her business in 1954–although the brand name would rise again years later.
Who was the aviator that wore pants in 1936?
Aviator Amelia Earhart wears pants in a 1936 photo while posing next to an airplane. Photo: Shutterstock.com
What was the effect of the 1930s on women's clothing?
Skirts Drop with the Index in 1930 Women’s Fashion of the 1930’s was inevitably influenced by the Wall Street Crash of October 24, 1929 and subsequent Great Depression. The Autumn, 1930 Sears Catalog admonished, “Thrift is the spirit of the day. Reckless spending is a thing of the past.” The beginning of the decade saw …
What was the flapper girl dress in 1930?
The drop-waist dress is replaced by a closer fitting slip dress, a natural waist and lower hemline. The look is still very much the flapper dress, but we can see the changes already. Flapper Dresses | Color Film 1930 We …
What is a gored skirt?
The gored skirt ( made from several triangular gores) created a more feminine flare at the hem. Curves returned and newer synthetic foundation girdles were worn by women of all ages. Brassieres now came in cup sizes and 1930 saw the seamless bra go on sale.
What color is Anita Page's dress?
Hollywood stars Anita Page, Dorothy Jordan and Leila Hyams model the latest summer suits and swimwear Left: Anita Page makes a charming appearance in a one piece jersey dress of white, featuring a short sleeved bolero jacket of brown. The brown shade being carried out in the belt …. Read more.
What was the influence of Hollywood and Art Deco modernism on women's fashion?
The influence of Hollywood and Art Deco modernism on women’s fashion was never greater than in the 1930’s. Costume designers names were almost as well known as the Paris couture designers. The crash of 1929 and the Depression which followed, only slowed the inevitable rise in consumerism and ready to wear clothing.
When is vintage Christmas?
It’s beginning to look a lot like Vintage Christmas. December 22, 2019 December 20, 2019. Continuing our seasonal trip through time to Vintage Christmas past with found photos of women at Christmas. The styles, the tinsel and the glamour 1990’s Christmas Photographs The 1990’s, was quite a mixed bag for fashion.
What was the 30s fashion?
The 30s was and is still seen by many as the ‘Decade of design’ and saw many technological advances and changes in attitude towards design as a profession. This clearly had an influence on fashion during this time - as clothes for all classes became became an outward expression.
What to wear in the 30s?
Whether you are wanting a scene from a hollywood movie or something more Poirot, getting the 30s look is more difficult to recreate. But a few key garments will go a long way... (enough to get you started):- 1 Silk or chiffon blouse 2 Calf length skirt with inverted front pleat or slightly flared at bottom 3 Bias cut tea dress – puff sleeves 4 Wide leg pants for the sporty look. 5 Bias cut floor length gown in silk satin or rayon 6 A silk or rayon slip
What was the fashion of the 1930s?
1930s clothing brings to mind bias cut evening gowns in liquid satins and silks, tweed suits, flounces and frills and topped off by a cute beret or tilt hat. 30s Fashion certainly seemed fussier than the 1920s with its relentless ornaments of bows, trims and frills.
What was the fashion industry like in the 30s?
The 30s saw the birth and rise of ready to wear clothing and the production of cheaper, man-made fabrics. Fashion was now available to most not just the privileged few and it was beautifully designed, cut and made.
What was the style of hair in the 30s?
30s hair was mostly bobbed - although the middy style (A U shape at the back) started to some into fashion in the late 30s. Styles were curly and the marcelle wave was very popular. For those who have longer hair or lack the time to get the curl - get a good hat or even a simple beret will do the job.
What were the changes in fashion in the 1920s?
Socio-economic changes can be tracked through changes in fashion and style. In the 1920s, Women had more freedom than their mothers due to economic and social change and this was reflected in their simpler and more comfortable clothing. No curves, higher hemlines, a flat silhouette and an emphasis on youth. The 1930s, represented something quite different. A more sophisticated, grown up and womanly silhouette influenced by the rise of female designers Madame Vionnet, Coco Chanel and Elsa Schiaparelli.
What was the trend in the 1930s?
Sports Causal:-. During the 1930s, sports and outdoor actvities became fashionable. Being fit and healthy was encouraged and this extended into ideas on clothing. This period saw the rise of the lounge pant and wide leg trouser heralding a chic and casual look. Further influences came from sailor and military styles.
What were men wearing in the 1930s?
When suits were worn, jackets had wide, padded shoulders and tapering sleeves. Perhaps foreshadowing what was to come, military-inspired trends such as the trench coat and the leather “Bomber” jacket also saw popularity in the 1930s as casual outerwear. An enduring image of the Great Depression are men, like those in Fig. 18, in worn boots, large overcoats, and a flat cap. For some, this was all the fashion they could afford during the thirties.
What was the fashion of the 1930s?
In the 1930s, fashion saw a profound influence from films and specifically Hollywood. Men’s, women’s, and children’s styles were based on fashions seen on screen with stars like Clark Gable, Jean Harlow, and Shirley Temple among the many who directly influenced fashion. A return to conservatism after the Roaring Twenties also marked fashion during this period.
What were the influences of men's fashion in the thirties?
Sports, physical activity, and the sun continued to have an influence on men’s fashion in the thirties as they had in the twenties. Tennis, golf, and a healthy suntan, which all saw a rise in popularity in the 1920s, continued to hold sway in the thirties (Fashion and Textile Museum).
What was the style of the 1930s?
Despite these departures from the prevailing mode of the previous decade, the popular styles of the early 1930s were similar in their simple lines to the popular garçonne look of the twenties. But while the simplicity of the 1920s created a sack-like silhouette free from curves, the simple lines of the early thirties hugged those curves, creating a soft, feminine silhouette. Cally Blackman, a lecturer on the history of fashion at Central Saint Martins, writes in 100 Years of Fashion, “By the early 1930s, the fashionable silhouette was evolving into a slender, elongated torso with widening shoulders and a neat head with softly waved short hair” (13). Though the lines were simple, the overall effect was one of complete sinuous femininity with a natural waist and skirts flaring out slightly at the ankle, as seen in a fashion illustration from 1935 (Fig. 1).
What happened in 1930?
Events: 1930 – As fashion becomes more conservative, dresses are generally styled with a lower hemline. 1932 – Flying Down to Rio pairs Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers for the first time. Astaire was an impeccable dresser on and off the screen, favoring suits made on London’s Savile Row.
What was Shirley Temple's style in the 1930s?
Shirley Temple’s little girl style made an indelible mark on 1930s culture. Her party dresses with layers of petticoats influenced formalwear while collared and smocked shift dresses were easily emulated on a day-to-day basis. Contests, like the one held in Sydney, Australia in October 1934, saw young girls turned out in their best dresses and Shirley Temple ringlets (Fig. 28). Even today, when 1930s children’s fashion is mentioned, your mind probably jumps to Shirley Temple, such was her influence on the enduring image of little girls during the Depression.
How did the Great Depression affect fashion?
However, as the Great Depression affected all areas of business and life in the US, new duties of ninety percent were imposed on the cost of these copies (Laver 246). However, toiles (a muslin or other cheap material pattern of a garment) were allowed in duty-free. Fashion historian James Laver writes, “Each toile was supplied with full directions for making it up, and although the original dress may have cost a hundred thousand francs, it was now possible to sell a simplified version for as little as fifty dollars” (246).
What was the fashion style of the 1930s?
The more narrow skirts widen softly below the hip and then stop at mid-calf. Fashion in 1930 was highly influenced by stars of the silver screen. Greta Garbo popularized the windblown look, with her side-parted hair, while Joan Crawford embraced the puffed sleeves, which emphasized her slim waist.
What did the men wear in the 1920s?
Men still dressed up nice, sporting fedoras and double-breasted overcoats. The boys wore short shorts and tall socks.
What was the fashion style of Joan Crawford in 1933?
Fashion in 1933. Joan Crawford. In 1933, the V-shape (wide shoulders to slim waist with flared skirt) placed an even stronger emphasis on the corset. There was a two-way stretch and the new, all-in-one, full-length corset with Lastex bra and six suspenders to hold up stockings.
What was the military look in 1935?
A not-so-subtle military look pervades women’s fashion in 1935. This look is accomplished with square shoulders, low heels, plumed hats and gauntlet gloves. Even Shiaparelli designed suits with a tidy look in his drummer-boy jackets.
What was the fashion style of Greta Garbo in 1930?
Fashion in 1930. Greta Garbo in 1930. With the Clara Bow flapper look becoming passe, the new rage is the sophisticated Garbo look. The silhouette is tall and slender, emphasizing broad shoulders, a small bosom, streamlined hips and a standard waistline. Both hair and hems are longer in 1930.
How to tell if something is from the 1930s?
One way to tell if something is from the Thirties is if it has initials engraved or stitched. This was a common free service that stores offered.
What shoes did women wear in 1931?
In 1931, they are deep and close-fitting with both large and small brims, and women liked them to cover one eye. Women wear their hair a little longer and loosely waved with a side part. Fashionable shoes include the black silk style with ankle strap and the white suede style with a T-strap.
1930s Fashion for Women
The young, boyish silhouette of 1920s women evolved into a conservative, sophisticated shape in the 1930s. The ideal, popular profile was tall and thin, with strong shoulders and slim hips.
1930s Fashion for Men
The male silhouette had wide, padded shoulders, a broad chest, defined waist, and straight legs. The overall trend was looser and a little more casual.
What Did Children Wear in the 1930s?
Many children wore homemade clothing or items purchased from mail-order catalogs. During the Great Depression, mothers often remade children’s clothing from other items, including flour and feed sacks. These items would have been unique and perhaps well-worn, but many were styled after prevailing trends.
Fashion in Your Family History
What did your relatives wear in the 1930s? Look for photos of them in the free, crowdsourced collections of FamilySearch Memories. Or upload your own family photos to share memories of your loved ones—and of what they wore.
Where do women's shoes come from?
Most women’s shoe styles originate in Europe. Top-notch U.S. designers adapt European styles to U.S. taste. New designs sell first in the highest price brackets, from $16 up. Within three weeks, copies appear in the $3.98 to $10 price groups.
How many pairs of shoes did Americans buy in 1938?
Americans spend a billion dollars a year on 400 million pairs of shoes. Text from Life magazine – Feb 7, 1938. Of the 417,000,000 pairs of shoes sold in the U.S. last year, 172,000,000 pairs were women’s shoes, and 50% of them cost less than $3 a pair.
How much money did Americans spend on shoes in 1937?
Americans spend a billion dollars a year on shoes. In 1937, this sum bought them 417,000,000 pairs about three pairs per capita. Of this total, women got 172,000,000 pairs, men 103,000,000 pairs, children and infants 70,000,000 pairs.
What shoes do you wear with a slim shirt?
To wear with clothes inspired by the lacy blouses and slim shirts of before- the-war fashions — Dramalace shoes combine the delicate charm of that earlier era with the well-bred simplicity that is today.
What was the most popular costume jewelry style in the 1930s?
One of the most prevalent styles of costume jewelry during the 1930s was sparkle – the more sparkle, the better! This trend was interpreted and utilized in a few different ways – the ‘white on white’ style and ‘paste’ being two of the most popular.
What were the jewelry styles of the 1930s?
Sparkling 1930s jewelry styles in the form of necklaces, pins, earrings, dress clips, buttons, buckles, and bracelets were made cheaply with faux materials such as painted glass instead of real pearls or bakelite, a form of plastic, instead of gemstones. Rich looking 1930s women’s jewelry was ...
What was the difference between Victorian and 1930s jewelry?
The main difference between Victorian and 1930s jewelry was in the variety of colored gemstones offered: ruby red, amethyst purple, topaz orange, emerald green, aquamarine blue, as well as black onyx.
Why was sparkle so popular in the 1930s?
One of the reasons that sparkle became so popular during the 1930s was the rise of the silver screen. Increasingly, more people were going to the movie theaters to see the latest releases – which would be in black and white. 1938 sequin and rhinestone brooches.
How much did a dress cost in 1928?
A dress that cost $24 in 1928 cost only $4 in 1931. Budgets were being stretched very thin, and clothing designers had to make cutbacks in design and material quality. For 1930s jewelry, the same economical reductions were being made, yet because of the glamorous Hollywood effect, more women were wearing more jewelry.
When did double clip dress come out?
The double clip began to be worn in the 1920s and continued to be worn for the next 20 years or so. Clips were available separately or as a pair, or came interlocked as a duo mounted on a brooch-backed frame. An example of how dress clips were worn, decorating the neckline.
When did stars and moons become popular?
Stars and moon shapes became popular in the 1920s but continued in popularity through to the early 1940s – as the 1941 film Ziegfeld Girl demonstrates.
