1900-1910
The line was narrow shoulders, emphasized bosom, tiny waist, curved hips and floor
length. There was some confusion as to what to call this era. The "Victorian Era" ended in 1901 with the death of Queen
Victoria and the "Edwardian Era" began, however, little changes were made until mid 1900s. Fashionable women's hats were very
large, with lots of exotic trimmings. Shoes were high tops either with laces or buttons made of leather in winter and sometimes
canvas in the summer. Most clothing of this period were made at home or by dressmakers. Lace was used on underwear, nightgowns
and blouses. Women's clothing fastened with snaps, hooks and eyes and tiny buttons.
1910-1920 WWI
Styles changed drastically about 1910. The shape was longer and fuller almost shapeless.
The waist was suggested, rather than hugged and shoulders were narrow but the hips and bust still emphasized. Dresses were
usually one piece with slender skirts and women's suits had long jackets. Hats were still elaborate and large for the most
part with outrageous decorations. Ready-to-wear clothing was making big strides, but still had hand embroidery and beading
and was individually assembled and finished by hand. Dresses of this period often have very complicated closings--dozens of
tiny hooks and eyes that proceed up the side, across the middle and around the bodice and many times had an inner bodice for
shaping that had its own styem of snaps as well.
The Roaring Twenties
Clothing became very loose with no suggestion of the body shape. Waistlines dropped
to the hips and the line was straight. The Small head look came in with hats that hugged (Cloches) and very short hair. Hemlines
were still below mid-calf at 1920, but by 1925 the knee-length hem succeeded. From 1925 to 1929 all but the conservative
women adopted it. Large embroidered finged shawls of silk or rayon were used for dressy occasions. Underwear took
a big turn. Corsets were almost obsolete. Under the short, sleeveless dress a one-piece very short skimply undergarment
was adopted, the forerunner of the "Teddy".
Most women wore low heels with pointy toes and many were strapped. Women's clothes
were about half homemade and half store bought at this point.
The Thirties (1930-1935)
Long, sleek and slender. The natural body shape was emphasized with an exaggerated
lenth of line in the lower body and leg. By 1935 shoulder pads were common. In the early 30s hemlines were ankle length
again, but started rising and were knee length by 1938. Underwear consisted of wide leg underpants called step-ins or tap
pants, brassieres and long bias-cut slips. Early 30s hats were small with turned down brims and some were plain and some had
simple trims or veils. The evening sandal and saddle shoes were popular in the 30s as well as sling back heels, open toes,
wedge heels and spectator shoes.
