1930s Fashion Trends
- Mid-length bias-cut dresses
- High waisted sailor pants and wide-leg beach pajamas
- Old Hollywood evening gowns
- Fur collar winter coats.
- Casual sports clothes
- Slouch hats, tilt hats, knit berets.
- Oxford shoes
What was fashion like in the 1930s?
Fashion in the 1930s was just as glamorous as the 1920s, just in a different way. Read more about the fashion trends of the 1930s with our year-by-year timeline below.
What was life like in the 1930s during the Great Depression?
The 1930s Lifestyles and Social Trends: Overview. After the stock market crash of October 29, 1929, started the Great Depression of the 1930s, Americans cut back their spending on clothes, household items, and cars. Instead of seasonal changes of wardrobe, consumers bought clothes that could be worn for years.
What caused the Great Depression of the 1930s?
After the stock market crash of October 29, 1929, started the Great Depression of the 1930s, Americans cut back their spending on clothes, household items, and cars. Instead of seasonal changes of wardrobe, consumers bought clothes that could be worn for years.
What were the major political changes of the 1930s?
This change in attitude led directly to the major political changes of the 1930s. From the rise of the labor unions to the Social Security Act (in which the government provided money for people in old age), American politics reflected a growing sense of the nation as a community working together.
What was the 1930s era known for?
The consumer economy ground to a halt, and an ordinary recession became the Great Depression, the defining event of the 1930s.
What was 1930s style called?
Art deco styles were still popular during this decade and dress fabric of this era reflects this. Fabric prints are an iconic style feature of this time and came in cubism influenced geometric pattern, dots, lettering and even picture prints of popular objects or animals.
What influenced 1930s fashion?
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.
What was it like in the 1930s?
With the Great Depression, children and their families were greatly impacted—millions lived in poverty and had very little to eat, let alone money to spare for entertainment. Read more to compare and contrast how Annie may have lived in the 1930s, versus how you live today.
What were 4 fads of the 1930s?
Fads & Trends of the 1930sradio shows.miniature golf.music.monopoly/board games.movies.Master 3-D viewer.jigsaw puzzles.Drive in theaters.
What was the most popular color in the 1930s?
One of the most popular colors of the era was bright orange. Orange was often paired with cream or green, the latter of which can be seen below. The intense greens were influenced by the knock-your-socks vibrancy of the Emerald City in the Technicolor feature The Wizard of Oz.
What was the most popular thing in the 1930s?
Among the many forms of entertainment that Americans engaged in during the 1930s, there is probably none more easily identifiable than the jazz, swing, and big band music that was wildly popular throughout the decade.
What was considered attractive in the 1930s?
Women in the 1930s tended to emphasised their curves. They flaunted their bodies by wearing close-fitting dresses. Curved body with slim waist was the desired type in the 1930s. Women in the 1940s moved from the unattainable curves to a carefree attitude of the flappers.
What products were popular in the 1930s?
5 Inventions during the Great Depression of 1930s. Necessity is the mother of invention. ... Sliced Bread (1930) Photo by Waldemar Brandt on Unsplash. ... Toll House Cookies (1933) ... Nylon Bristle Toothbrush (1938) ... Scotch Tape (1930) ... First Car Radio (1930)
How did popular culture change during the 1930s?
Many factors such as technological advances, new dance styles, forms of music, radio programs and major events all contributed to the change of American culture during the 1930's. These particular changes influenced the everyday lives of many Americans and also introduced new values that challenged traditional ways.
What did people like to do in the 1930s?
People found unique and inexpensive ways to entertain themselves during the Great Depression. They listened to a variety of radio shows or took in a cheap movie. They also took part in sports, fads, or fun contests that didn't cost anything at all.
What is a 1930s design style?
In homes, a 1930s interior is characterised by striking colour combinations; usually golds, oranges and blue shades and, of course, monochrome. Bold geometrics appeared in tiling, parquet flooring, door panels, lighting and metalwork.
What design period was 1930s?
Art DecoArt Deco, also called style moderne, movement in the decorative arts and architecture that originated in the 1920s and developed into a major style in western Europe and the United States during the 1930s.
What is the vintage style called?
RetroRetro, short for retrospective, or "vintage style," usually refers to clothing that imitates the style of a previous era. Reproduction, or repro, clothing is a newly made copy of an older garment. Clothing produced more recently is usually called modern or contemporary fashion.
What is Great Gatsby style called?
The go-to dress style of the 1920s is the 'Flapper.
What was Frank Lloyd Wright's inspiration for building?
Like Walter Gropius, American architect Frank Lloyd Wright (1867–1959) was interested in building high-quality, low-cost housing. But unlike the Bauhaus founder, Wright drew on nature, rather than machines, for his inspiration. Wright used the idea of building in sympathy with the environment in many of his projects. The best known of these is Fallingwater (1936). Built over a waterfall in Mill Run, Pennsylvania, Fallingwater is one of the most important buildings of the twentieth century. The rocks of the waterfall are part of the house. Many of the walls are glass, opening out on concrete porches. The whole building is surrounded by trees.
How did Americans get the look of expensive Paris fashions without paying the high prices?
One way Americans managed to get the look of expensive Paris fashions without paying the high prices was bootlegging. In 1936, buyers from major American department stores attended the Paris fashion shows. They bought hundreds of dresses and brought them back to the United States. But instead of selling them, they had copies made. American stores sold perfect copies of dresses by Chanel and Vionnet for about $100—one fifth of the cost of the originals. The stores also took advantage of export laws. If they returned the original dresses to France within six months, they paid very little import duty. Once the dresses had been copied, the originals went on sale in the backstreets of Paris.
Why did people spend money on the World's Fair?
In many cases, World's Fairs were an attempt to boost the economy of the host city. The exhibits were forward-looking and optimistic. Corporations used World's Fairs to show off their products, while the fair site often included permanent new buildings. Many people thought that spending money on World's Fairs could help to put an end to the Depression.
What was the third major religious group in the United States in the 1930s?
Jews formed the third major religious group in the United States in the 1930s. They were divided between Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox communities, and between German and Eastern European origins. The question of whether American Jews should support the Jewish settlement of Palestine was a major issue. With the Holocaust still an unimaginable nightmare, many American Jews feared that Jewish immigration would trigger anti-Semitism (hatred toward Jews ) among Christian Americans. However, as German leader Adolf Hitler 's extermination program began to gather pace in Germany, European Jews fled to the United States anyway.
What were the churches doing during the Depression?
Most churches were involved in charity work during the Depression. While some were intolerant of the poor and unemployed, claiming they brought hardship on themselves, this was not true in all cases, even among white Protestant denominations that had traditionally supported conservative Republican values and traditions. The Methodist Episcopal Church was one of the most outspoken critics of President Hoover's economic policies. In 1932 it produced a report stating that capitalism was sinful because it tolerated poverty. "Private ownership," the report went on, "has failed to keep industry functioning." Some feared that the Methodist Episcopal Church had gone socialist.
What were the religious groups in the 1930s?
Religious communities were divided along political lines. While most African Americans voted Democratic, white Protestants were mostly Republican. White Roman Catholics supported Democratic New Deal programs. Herbert Hoover's 1928 presidential election victory over Catholic Alfred E. Smith (1873–1944) was reassuring for conservative Protestants. But the times were changing. The fastest growing Protestant groups, including the Pentecostals and Southern Baptists, were small, fundamentalist groups. The major religions were in decline. In the 1930s, Protestant dominance began to give way to a more diverse, more democratic religious influence.
What are the two tallest buildings in New York City?
Two buildings in New York City offered hope for the future: The Chrysler Building (1930) and the Empire State Building (1931) were the two tallest buildings in the world. Designed by William Van Alen (1883–1954), the Chrysler Building was inspired by machines and streamlining. Its stainless steel pinnacle makes it one of the most recognizable buildings in the world. The Empire State Building opened on May
History of the 1930s Fashion
In the 1920s, women’s styling looked more boyish, and in the 1930s, stylists replaced it with a more modest style. The subtle and form-fitting style with high waist, fitted hips, high neckline, broader shoulders, floor-length hemline, and linger mid-calf were trendy in the 1930s women.
House Dresses of the 1930s
Women usually wore casual dresses at home or when they went to visit a neighboring lady. House dresses were made of cotton, followed the trends in silhouette, displayed with bold and bright prints. The most popular look for house dresses was Hooverette. It had a wrap-around waist, puffed sleeves and was easy to wear at home in a slim-fitting style.
Afternoon Dresses of the 1930s
In the 1930s, women didn’t wear house dresses outside the house; they would wear an afternoon dress to shop, run errands, attend a tea meeting or see a friend. The bright afternoon dresses were made of rayon crepe or silk, but cotton was a big no for these dresses.
Night Dresses of the 1930s
Elite women of that era specially wore evening gowns or evening dresses. The fabric used for these dresses was silk that enhanced the beauty of the dress more. Hollywood stars like Jean Harlow, Katherine Hepburn, Greta Garbo, and Ginger Rogers were styling with these beautiful nightgowns, and women were following them religiously.
Women Pants in the 1930s
Before the 1930s, rebellious women started wearing pants on different occasions. For sports activities, sometimes they just came and saw the game, and for other times, they used to wear sportswear like sailor middy and overalls for hiking, picnic, ski, and tennis.
Blouses and Sweaters
Blouses and sweaters were best combinations with skirts and pants, part of every woman’s wardrobe. These blouses had short puffed sleeves, a modest neckline with small collars, and decorative details such as shirring, buttons, ruffles, and pintucks that gave them a girly, delicate and aesthetic look.
Accessories
Every woman loves to wear accessories, and we know our closet is nothing without these accessories. Like today’s women, the women of the 1930s were also admiring these accessories by wearing them and making them part of their fashion.
What is the bias cut?
To cut fabric on the bias means cutting the fabric 45 degrees against the weave , creating a fluid, body-skimming garment (Morton).
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.
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.
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 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 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 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.
What is black out fashion?
From Europe, come “black out” fashions which include tailored suits, white hats, flashlights and boxes for gas masks. Pinguet re-inspires the square shoulder, which stayed in some level of popularity for almost another decade.
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.
How long does it take to apply makeup to Joan Crawford?
Once again, women follow Greta Garbo in the new “man’s” evening suit, while mimicking Joan Crawford’s makeup: bright lips, eye shadow and artificial eyelashes — which take a salon two hours to apply.
Why were the Hoovervilles called Hoovervilles?
The shantytowns that were popping up as more and more people lost their homes were nick named “ Hoovervilles ” as an insult to the president’s hands-off policies. The crisis worsened, and life for the average American during the Great Depression was challenging.
Why did President Roosevelt turn his attention away from domestic politics?
Growing Congressional opposition made it difficult for President Roosevelt to introduce new programs. At the same time, as the threat of war loomed on the horizon, the president turned his attention away from domestic politics. In December 1941, the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor and the U.S. entered World War II.
What was the second New Deal?
President Roosevelt’s early efforts had begun to restore Americans’ confidence, but they had not ended the Depression. In the spring of 1935, he launched a second, more aggressive set of federal programs, sometimes called the Second New Deal. The Works Progress Administration provided jobs for unemployed people and built new public works like bridges, post offices, schools, highways and parks. The National Labor Relations Act (1935), also known as the Wagner Act, gave workers the right to form unions and bargain collectively for higher wages and fairer treatment. The Social Security Act (also 1935) guaranteed pensions to some older Americans, set up a system of unemployment insurance and stipulated that the federal government would help care for dependent children and the disabled.
What was the stock market crash of 1929?
The stock market crash of October 29, 1929 (also known as Black Tuesday) provided a dramatic end to an era of unprecedented, and unprecedentedly lopsided, prosperity. The disaster had been brewing for years. Different historians and economists offer different explanations for the crisis.
What did swing music encourage?
Swing music encouraged people to cast aside their troubles and dance. Bandleaders like Benny Goodman and Fletcher Henderson drew crowds of young people to ballrooms and dance halls around the country. And even though money was tight, people kept on going to the movies.
What were the most popular shows during the Depression?
The most popular broadcasts were those that distracted listeners from their everyday struggles: comedy programs like Amos ‘n’ Andy, soap operas and sporting events. Swing music encouraged people to cast aside their troubles and dance. Bandleaders like Benny Goodman and Fletcher Henderson drew crowds of young people to ballrooms and dance halls around the country. And even though money was tight, people kept on going to the movies. Musicals, “screwball” comedies and hard-boiled gangster pictures likewise offered audiences an escape from the grim realities of life in the 1930s.
How long did the strike at GM last?
Workers grew more militant: In December 1936, for example, the United Auto Workers started a sit-down strike at a GM plant in Flint, Michigan that lasted for 44 days and spread to some 150,000 autoworkers in 35 cities.
What is the difference between a 20s woman and a 30s woman?
In this way, while the 20s woman was bold and loud and fun, the 30s woman was delicate, reserved, and mysterious. It was a fitting juxtaposition of the Roaring Twenties and the Great Depression.
What were the most popular lipsticks in the 1930s?
Popular lipstick looks from the 1930s include: 1 The Noir red: a deep plum red from the early 1930s, popular with the dramatic nightlife scene 2 The Carmine: a daytime orange-red with shine from 1931 3 The Merlot: a daywear dark brown-red from 1933 4 The Cherry red: a classic rich cherry red from the late 1930s 5 The Tango red: a subtle peach-pink for daywear from 1939
What was the woman of the 30s like?
In summary, the woman of the 30s was classy, elegant, and fun, but not too fun. The times had changed and she changed along with them. Most of the elements of her look would actually fit right in with what we have today. Except for the pencil-thin eyebrows, perhaps.
What colors were popular in the 30s?
Lipstick colors saw a massive renaissance in the 30s. The most popular ones were maroons and dark reds, although oranges and raspberry tones were also common.
Why did women draw pencil thin eyebrows?
Pencil-thin eyebrows were also very popular in the 30s. Some women plucked their eyebrows away entirely just so they could paint them on with kohl. Again, this was largely influenced by the Hollywood actresses of the time. Back then, it was believed that high brows were more emotionally expressive on screen. So actresses often drew pencil-thin eyebrows a bit higher than usual on their faces when they appeared on the screen.
When did pan cake foundation come out?
The Pan cake foundation was popularized by Hollywood makeup artist Max Factor who used it on many actresses. It finally became commercially available in 1937, much to the joy of many women .
Is cake mascara waterproof?
It was different from today’s mascaras in several ways. For instance, because it was wax-based, it did not dry out or c lump up, and it was completely waterproof. The only drawback was that the preparation process could get rather messy and had a steep learning curve to it.
1930s Jewelry Trends – Flamboyance and Glitz
When the stock market crashed in October 1929, the world was taken aback. The Great Depression changed the world which included the fashion industry too. Every sector from clothing to jewelry began to struggle as necessities of life became a priority and luxuries were given a back seat.
Key Trends of the 1930s
In the 1930s, as Hollywood movies became increasingly popular, actors and actresses became the most influential fashion figures. Sparkling clear jewels and gems looked better on the screen than colored stones and gems. Therefore, to stand out on screen, actresses covered themselves in glittering jewelry from head to toe.
1930s Costume Jewelry
The ‘bobbed’ cut faded with the end of the 1920s. The women returned to a more feminine look by growing their hair longer with soft waves and curls, a look which accentuated their beauty. Long hair resulted in fuller hairstyles which were decorated with accessories inspired by Hollywood.
Conclusion
Sparkling, glittering flashy accessories first replaced color and later got subsided as color returned. The Art Deco’s geometric lines gradually gave way to floral designs. By the end of the decade, yellow gold tones also began to make a comeback.
Where to Shop for 1930s Jewelry
While the information and knowledge about 1930s jewelry trends must have left you impressed, the million-dollar question is where to buy it from in the present era!