What happened during the time the garment was made tells a whole lot of the piece itself, why it was made the way it was, the cut and fabrics used and countless other things!
Here's my version of my favorite decades, what happened and which things had the most impact on the fashion scene.
1920's
1920's was really revolutionary time for especially women's clothing and way of life. For the first time women were allowed to show off their legs and arms. During 1910's women only were allowed to show their hands and head so this was a crucial change in womens fashion. Though not everybody liked the way things were going. 1925 Arch bishop of Napol claimed that earthquake at Amalf was caused by improper short dresses worn young women.
In the eyes of the elder world the dresses might have been improper, but they were also practical, loose and comfortable and it was much easier for women to move and work.
Huge things that did impact the fashion were industrialism and the World War I and solders jackets: the trench coat landed in womens wardrobes and was there to stay. The idea of womens trench coat came from the soldiers' jackets made by Burberry for the British army. The waist dropped down to the hips and models and cuts were simple and linear. By the second half of the decade fabrics became lighter and more flowy and cuts became more fitted. Dresses became even more shorter than before and geometric cuts and models were hot in fashion scene.
1920's was also the time for factory made underwear and lingerie but also for makeup, which became a part of womens everyday life for the first time in centuries.
I'd say that was really inspirational decade and all the brave young women who resisted the ways of old world are brilliant role models for modern women.
1930's
Oh that time of true od Hollywood glamour, film noir and Mae West! 1930's was a decade of Hollywood's gold time, extravagant glamour and avant garde accessories that are hugely popular among vintage collectors today.
It's really curious how these things are the ones we remember about 1930's when the decade is actually in the middle of huge economical depression and World War II. But somehow they made it, or maybe just because of these things they made it the most glamorous decade of all. When the depression stroke people needed something to cheer them up and Hollywood productions got the answer.
Actresses wore more beautiful dresses and furs than ever before and these dresses people, especially women, saw on the stage and screen set the base on the decades fashion. Everybody wanted to appear like the damsels on the screen and for the first time, Hollywood showed the way of fashion.
Long limbs, narrow silhouette and strong shoulders are basic examples of 1930's fashion. One name in the fashion industry (as clothing industry has really awoken at the beginning of 1930's) shined brighter than the others. Madeleine Vionnet and her legendary way of cutting the fabric created whole new silhouette and showed off womens curves like never before. Bias cut changed the face of fashion industry for ever.
Of course the decade had her own fashion icons outside the Hollywood too. The most famous was Wallis Simpson. Simpson was to marry the king of England, who had to give up his crown to be with her, as he did. Simpson had married two times before, which was pretty scandalous for the time being, so she couldnt wear white on her wedding day. Instead we know a shade of Wallis' blue. Light cornflower blue that she wore became one of the most popular colors of the decade. Otherwise 30's favored bright colors and complementary colours.
As I mentioned before accessories were a huge thing on 30's and that may be the reason why that (and 40's) is the favorite decade of hat collectors like myself. The more squint the hat was, the better.
1940's
Depression and rationing caused by World War II are the most important things when talking about 1940's fashion. Well, early 1940's. Skirts should have been no longer than knee-length, jackets should have had only three buttons and elbow-length sleeves were also a necessity during the war and rationing, which kept going several years after the war ended. Womens suits were a lot like solders uniforms and womens hats were newly formed from mens hats everybody had lying around while fathers and husbands were fighting at the front. Dresses and suits were made out of old dresses, table cloths or curtains, suspender belts were made out of paper as well as shoes. It is true that designers made their luxury products, but only for export which was supposed to support the war efforts.
Women kept their hair long, used turban and scarfs instead of fancy hairdos and wore bright red lipstick to encourage men at the front. Even though the conditions were poor and new materials hard to find and also very expensive, 40's was the golden time of imaginative head wear and hats! Most of my favorite hat styles are from 40's, as odd as it seems!
That was for the first seven years until Christian Dior launched his Corolla line at 1947. That changed the course of fashion for more than a decade.
Corolla line, which gained a new name, New Look, quite fast, was a master piece by Christian Dior. Large circle skirts, nipped waists, strong shoulders, all feminine look which brought the corset back to womens lives. Most people were horrified of the amount of fabric in one Dior skirt but women were thrilled to have something new and marvelous after years of rationing, saving and poor conditions. Of course fashion scene had several other styles as well, structural nipped waisted suit to be the most amazing example of them.
All in all as I already stated about 30's, it being strange how fashion scene has always been and presented it's most fantastic designs under tragic situations, as 40's as well a good example of this. People need glamour, especially when things are going blue.
1950's
Christian Dior's New Look pretty much gave face to 50's fashion. That's the silhouette all pin-up girls, rockabellas and 50's vintage girls love. Including me. 1950's was the time for women to back out of their independent jobs and lives they had accomplished during the war and get back being house wives. Some did better with these changes but some didn't want to get back between kitchen table and oven (I wouldn't have backed out from independent life, for sure!). Fashion scene of 50's was all about feminine figure and women being pretty dolls in their small purse, large hems and high heels. Using makeup and doing hairdo came back to everyday life and Hollywood movie stars showed the way to fair and fragile look.
Princess fairytales were back in fashion and people got their happy ending when Grace Kelly married the Prince Rainer the III of Monaco in 1956. Her wedding gown is still one of the most admired gowns in history. Of course the decade also had it's strong female characters,her majesty Elisabeth the II to be the best example of them. The whole world followed her way to English thrown at 1953. Also her sister Princess Margaret Rose was closely followed character and was selected as the world's most stylish lady in 1955.
Royals may have been closely followed fashion icons but Christian Dior was doubtlessly the king of fashion for the whole 1950's. Almost every year he presented a new cut and line of dresses before his death in 1957.
1950 vertical, 1951 oval, 1953 tulip, 1954 H-line and so forth.
That's my version of the "world history" from 20's to 50's. Of course this is not all, a lot happened that I have not mentioned here, but I do feel that these were the main point and turns in fashion scene through out my favorite decades.
XXX
Ei kommentteja:
Lähetä kommentti