Calico and Lace: Fashion of American Women 1900-2000 Part 1

Monday, June 6, 2016

Fashion of American Women 1900-2000 Part 1

By the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century, women's clothing had changed quite a bit from the days of the Civil War and Pioneer ear.
As the 1870's turned to the 1880's, the full rounded skirts became slimmer, hoops became smaller, while flounces and ruffled overskirts became quite the fashion.
It was the age of the hourglass figure, as waists were cinched to an uncomfortably small size and bustles worn to complete the shape.
Many ruffles, lace and other frills adorned the skirts and collars, as well as the cuffs.

1880's

1890's

1880's-90's

Long, flowing hair was worn piled atop the head in a full, rounded fashion and adorned with fancy, flowered and feathered hats ranging in size.
Parasols were ruffly and lacy as well, always matching the woman's outfits as well as her handbag.

As the 1910's approached, women dresses in similar, more relaxed way, as the waists were loosened just a bit and less ruffles were added to the dresses.
The Suffragette Movement was now is motion, so sadly, women wished to be more 'equal' with the men, and hence the more relaxed attire of the 1910's.
Enter the Roaring Twenties when women began wearing low-waisted dressed to give them a more athletic figure, bobbed their hair to look more boyish, and began to shorten their hems.
Calling themselves 'Flappers', they also began driving, smoking, drinking, and all in all, the Twenties were not a good time in America.

1910

1910's

late 1910's

1920's. Too us this may be modest, but those bare arms and that shockingly short skirt were scandalous in those days!

1920's

See what I mean? This is what the naughty girls of the time looked like.

Oriental was becoming quite the fashion

The 1920's was a terrible time, morally, for America, and the American people seemed to have lost sight of all that was important.

Fast cars, drinking, smoking, inappropriate silent films...Things must have seemed very bad to the Christians of the time.

And then came the Stock Market Crash, beginning the Great Depression.

It always seems that the worst things get, economically, for our nation, the people begin to turn back to the things that made this country great.

The women of the 1930's began to dressing feminine again, curling their bobs and lengthening their skirts, wearing less makeup, and paying more attention to simply feeding their families each day.

They embraced their faith in God again, looking to Him for their strength to get through each long, weary day, and to simply help them survive.