1930s Fashion

In the Thirties hemlines fell as well as the economy, with the stock market crash of 1929. From now on hemlines would be seen to reflect the general state of economic affairs. The difficult years that followed for many, finished off the flippant flapper-era and ushered in a more grown up decade. 

The 1930s took over the fashion reigns from the revolutionary Twenties and the explosion of the modern, media age developed women's clothing into new, and glamorous never before seen styles. Where the Twenties nada been about suppressing a woman’s natural shape, the Thirties were all about embracing it.

Construction of clothing saw great innovations with new, manmade and synthetic fabrics and the first commercial use of the zip in clothing manufacture. Despite this, it’s still quite rare to find a zip in everyday, handmade dresses of the Thirties. Side fastenings using press studs or hooks and eyes are the most common. The popularization of bias-cut dresses, which gave fabrics more stretch provided clever new concepts for fit and drapery. 

The Thirties have been dubbed the 'golden age' of Hollywood. Every women looked to the stars of the silver screen for fashion inspiration as well as escapism. It was the first time that designers in Paris we’re not the trendsetters as Hollywood studios didn’t want their stars to be seen in dated fashions once their films were released, so designers for the studios became famous for creating looks that every women wanted. 

Large ruched and ruffled sleeves are a key feature on day and evening dresses of this era. The 1932 Joan Crawford film 'Letty Lynton' is famous for influencing this look with a dress designed by Hollywood designer Adrian.

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Ordinary girls longed for the revealing, clinging gowns of the starlets, to make an entrance at their local dance hall. Although hemlines had dropped there were still outrages to be caused: this was the first time that women’s clothing was overtly sexy and newly favoured were strappy, backless, figure hugging gowns for evening wear. 

Ruffled sleeves on what would have been a handmade dress, showing the
influence of Hollywood styles on everyday fashion.

Waists returned to the natural waistline during the Thirties and one of the most famous styles from the decade that encapsulates the era, are the pretty day or ‘tea dresses’ in feminine florals, often with bows at the neck and thin belts with bakelite buckles.

The best-dressed gals about town would take afternoon tea in this style of dress, whether they were homemade by mother or by a well known dressmaker. The outfit wouldn’t be complete without the essential matching accessories of bags, hats and gloves, especially the gauntlet shaped gloves of this period

 

Gauntlet shape 1930s glove with Bakelite detail

The ubiquitous Cloche was quashed in the Thirties, and hats became much more adventurous coming in all shapes and sizes including berets and pillbox hats, as well as more structural forms embellished with feathers or flowers. 

See Hollywood influenced gowns and some fabulous 1930s hats at our exhibition Fancy Pants: A Celebration of Style 1920 - 1945 at Worcester Museum and Art Gallery from Saturday 12th July.