Men Suit In The Early 1900's

The 1920’s fashion was a period of liberation, change, and even more importantly a movement towards the modern era. Fashion in the 1920’s varied throughout the decade but one could see the noticeable change from the previous fashion statements and eras. At the start of the decade, women began emancipating themselves from the constricting fashions by wearing more comfortable apparel. As women gained more rights and World War I forced them to become more independent, flappers came to be, mass-produced garments became available, and artistic movements increased in popularity, one can see how the fashions from the roaring twenties characterized the time and redefined womanhood. (1920s clothing 1)

The Great Depression caused woman to want to save money and not spend much on clothing. All over people were struggling to keep money in their pockets, so no one would spend big bucks on designer outfits. Women tended to make their own new clothes from other clothes they already had. “The life motto of many was to ‘Repair, reuse, make do, and don’t waste anything’; therefore, any creativity was apparently confined to those boundaries.(The Vintage News, 2016)” During this time no one wanted to out shine others so they dressed very conservative. Shoulder pads and butterfly sleeves were coming into trend.

The Victorian Era is well known for puffy skirts and restricting formal garments while the Progressive Era was known for its more flamboyant attire and the World War II Era for its more conservative style to ration for the war. The history of clothing and fashion calls to question its importance in distinguishing identities of different groups of people as well as marking the different stages of the country’s cultural, political, and economic history. How are the different clothing styles reflective of the values and lifestyle of the multicultural United States and more importantly, how did it contribute to the creation of the American identity? 17th century inhabitants of the North American continent exhibited vastly different wardrobe choices

Men began to wear suits, silk shirts, bow ties, suspenders, black leather shoes, spats, trilby hats, and baggy trousers called “Oxford Bags”. Men also wore shorter suit jackets and vests and began using handkerchiefs. Men’s hair styles also changed during the Twenties. Many men had “patent leather hair”, which was the hair parted either on one side or down the middle and slicked down. Women’s fashion also changed tremendously.

However, many men still dressed in clean formal attire. At the end of the 1920s, the leather jacket and cap was a popular

Carle will display the audiences how outfits were used as an adjunct and as something. Carle will choose a wide range of items to display how they were used, what they were used for and, most significantly, when it was, or was not, appropriate to wear the product. During her efficiency, she will discuss her ideas and describe the way of life, etiquette, etiquette and traditions of men, as well as children from the mid-nineteenth millennium to the turn of the 20th millennium. Carle has accumulated a remarkable assortment of genuine Edwardian outfits and components that date to this period and are sure to interest the audiences.

Compared to now, it is very conservative. Men typically wore jackets and suits to work, while the younger boys at school typically wore an Ivy League type fashion of a cardigan or vest, and pants that were on the dressier side. The dress style for men now is a lot more casual. Usually just jeans and a shirt out of work. Women in the 1950’s wore billowy skirts with high buttoned shirts, or dresses.

Clothing and How it Relates to the Affairs of the 1940’s Ever felt the burn of blisters left by shoes that don’t quite fit; or felt the humiliation of tattered and worn clothes that smell like the sweat of someone you do not even know? Throughout history the clothing people wear often has had an effect on how we view them. People of power usually wore extravagant clothing and servants, serfs, and peasants wore less than pristine garb. During this time World War II, inflation, and the Holocaust had a huge effect on the clothing we wore and vice versa.

Leather jackets were the key to knowing who was tough and often would show who was the greasers and the ones that were not. There were women, who changed fashion, and it was in a way that became trendy such as jean shorts, and pants that were considered scandalous to some, but most felt beautiful. Stripes and polka-dots, were highly in fashion, making clothes enjoyable to wear. Though there were many new things being brought in, there were still old fashion from the previous decade, with some poodle skirts. Tight waisted dresses, with an apron skirt was a great way of saying “I am classy” and creating the new trend for young women.

Woman in particular began to abandon the more restricting clothing and started to dress in more comfortable clothing. Iconic fashion staples for the 1920’s would be the Cloche hat and the Flapper dress.

“Men wore well-tailored pinstriped suits, tuxedos, silk shirts and handkerchiefs, racoon fur coats, fedora hats, suspenders, bow ties, black patent leather shoes and spats” according to, (Alchin par. 1). In the 1920s, mens fashion was modern and neat. 8th Point: The iconic, important outfit the 1920s fashion presented, was a mans suite and tie. Suites had previously made an appearance, but in the Roaring Twenties, it was modernized. Before the suites consisted of broad-shouldered, it then changed in the 1920s and cut the suite to make the men look slim, as stated in the article, “(Jennings par.3).

In the late 1800’s to early 1900’s dress among women was far more formal and conservative. They wore tulip bell shirts and dresses that came at least to the ankle if not past. Women were always wearing a corset whether it was a part of their blouse or simply placed under their top. A corset was meant to suck in their stomach and give the illusion of a more slim waist.

Consumers get bored, curious, and have a need for self-assurance. These are important factors as to why fashion is always in a continual change. There are very few apparel items that endure time and these particular items are considered classics. For men’s apparel, khakis and button-ups will forever be definitive in the apparel industry. In the South, they took these classic styles for men’s wear and added extra color to create a bold statement.

“For the workplace or most daily businessmen of all ages wore suits (Jennings).” Suits were the most popular type of clothing in the 1920’s due to its style and formal feeling. What made a change in men’s suits during the 1920’s was the material and fit. Men desired a snugger and tight-fitting suit that gave them a more boyish look during the 1920’s. Ties and bowties became more popular and more casual with the suit attire though it was very different from the silk that had been so prevalent.

The Years between the 1950’s and 1960’s was an explosive time in fashion. The 50’s represented an out coming of the new generation. People began to gain their own personal style and appearance, influenced by films and singers (“Vintage Fashion”). Their styles incorporated leather, jeans, corduroy, and the ballet shoes for the girls. Men’s wear began to drastically change. Men would wear a leather jacket, with jeans that narrowed at the bottom, and a simple t-shirt (Peacock 210-211). This was the first time in history that jeans were not just worn by the working class but by all men (“Brief History”). The man’s lust for flesh grew during this time, so women’s skirts began to get shorter and the bikini was invented. Clothes were made to glorify the female body and emphasize every curve. It wasn’t until the Barbie doll was created in the late 50’s that young girls began to have a separate fashion from their mothers. Young girls would wear sweaters with full skirts or pants