The 1910s Fashion was a critical century in fashion history as it was a transition in the lavish fashion of the Victorian and Edwardian periods and gave way to more streamlined, conventional and practical designs. It was also a period of great social and political transformation and women rights movements, the First World War and technology also contributed to the transformation of fashion trends. The development of fashion in the 1910s, first as opulent dresses and the debut of outfits with a more practical purpose, and how this decade predetermined the appearance today, we will discuss in this post.
The Fashion Change: The Edwardian Period.
It was directly because of the Edwardian era that preceded the 1910s fashion. During this period the opulence and the organization of the previous decade were still seen in fashion during the early years of the 1910s. The dresses worn by women had the classic S-bend shape making them look dramatic in terms of the hourglass shape, with high collars and tight corsets. But towards the end of the decade the rigor of Edwardian style yielded to a more relaxed and natural appearance.
At the beginning of the 1910s, the corsets continued to be popular, but they were not as tight as in the preceding decades. The rising demand for female rights and liberation led to fashion designers preferring looser and flowing fashions which gave more freedom of movement. There was also the popularity of the hobble skirt during this period which was long and tight at the bottom and would make the women walk in small steps that were restricted.
World War I and the Influence of Its Fashion in the 1910s.
The fashion of 1910s was greatly influenced by World War I which started in 1914. With the increase in the war, clothes became more practical, particularly for women. Practicality has been necessitated by the fact that most women went into the workforce to assist in war efforts. The fashion designers started to focus on comfort and functionality and not on the stiff ornamental designs of the past.
Among the most prominent trends of the war years there was the revival of shorter skirts. Hobble skirts that had been dominant in the early part of the decade were substituted with the simpler skirts that were knee-length, therefore easier to move around in. The suits that women could not wear before because they were regarded as being too masculine became popular because they were the symbol of modernity and independence. The details of the military, i.e., wide lapels, structured coats, etc., were also prevalent.
Modernism in Fashion of the 1910s.
Later on as the decade wore on, fashion adopted a more modest style. The excessively dramatic, excessive gowns of previous years were replaced with simpler ones. This became more evident in the work of the French designers such as Coco Chanel and Paul Poiret.
In particular, Poiret is attributed to the change in female fashion at the beginning of the 20th century. He totally gave up the corset and created loose and flowing clothes. His style of dressing, called Directoire, with its empire waistlines and draped cloth, was a contrast to the tightness of the gowns in the past. This design was adopted by women, who were keen on shedding off the confining nature of the Victorian and Edwardian times.
The 1910s fashion for both men and women also saw the emergence of more relaxed and practical clothing, with women embracing shorter skirts and simpler lines, while men favored suits with slimmer cuts and softer fabrics, reflecting the era’s growing emphasis on comfort and freedom.
Accessories in Fashion during the 1910s.
As far as accessories were concerned, they were important in shaping the 1910s fashion. An outfit would not be complete without hats, gloves and shoes which were vital aspects of the outfits and were usually used to determine the social status of the owner. The popularity of wide-brimmed hats with ribbons, flowers, and feathers was incredible, and women of that epoch wore them to all events, both formal and informal gatherings.
Gloves too went hand in hand as an appendage, usually crafted out of fine leather like kid leather. Worn at all times, many of the women were wearing long gloves that went all the way up to the elbow. The shoes were normally simple yet exquisite with low heels and fine details. There were also ribbons or bows on shoes and they were created using such luxurious materials as satin or velvet.
The 1910s and flappers: a taste of the future.
The origin of the flapper style can be traced to the 1910s, even though the style gained popularity during the 1920s. The appearance of casual and practical clothing, as well as the freedom offered to women during the war, preconditioned the rebellious fashion decisions that were going to be characteristic of the Roaring Twenties.
Shorter skirts, bobbed haircuts, and a rise in simple and practical dresses were the order of the day in the early 1910s, which led to the flapper appearance that was to be the order of the decade of the 1920s mens fashion. Women started to have fun with their fashion and hairstyles, and broke the rules of old age and got a freer and younger appearance.
The Fashion Icon: The Gibson Girl.
Gibson Girl was a fashion personality prominent in the 1910s. It was a perfect version of the American woman coined by Charles Dana Gibson an artist and it became synonymous with the fashionable woman of the time. The Gibson Girl represented a beautiful but sportive hourglass figure who is frequently shown with long and flowing dresses and with a pompadour hairstyle.
The effect of the Gibson Girl was far-reaching and the image became the gender ideal of beauty and fashion during the 1910s. The hairdo that she had which was an upswept updo where the waves were soft was imitated by other women in the United States and Europe. She also wore her dresses that were cinched at the waist and had big bustles which became a fashion staple of the 1910s.
The 1910s Fashion of Men: Practicality of Elegance.
The fashion of 1910s in men consisted of a combination of sophistication and utilitarianism. The foundation of the wardrobes of men was the suits, which developed during the decade depending on the dynamism of tastes and more relaxed social attitudes. In the early part of the decade, men suits were still strongly affected by the Edwardian period with broad-shouldered, narrow-waisted and high-collared suits. By the late twenties of the 1910s, though, suits were less bulky and had a looser fit and lowered waistlines.
It was also apparent that military influences were reflected in the fashion of men with most of their suits having details such as epaulets, large lapels and buttoned-down jackets. The tuxedo which had been in existence since the late 19th century became popularized in the 1910s as an evening-wear formal attire. Men accessories such as bow ties, pocket watches and top hats remained one of the significant elements of a man outfit.
FAQ’s
Which styles were the most trendy of the 1910s?
The main features of the 1910s were the appearance of simpler and useful clothes, smaller skirts, loose dresses and military-like elements. The disappearance of the S-bend line of the Edwardian style was a new leap in the fashion world.
What was the impact of World War I on the 1910s fashion?
The fashion impact of World War I was the practicality and functionality of clothes. The women started to wear short skirts and suits, because most of them were taking part in the war to work. Elements of military influence appeared to dominate fashion in this period.
What were the fashion accessories in the 1910s?
Accompaniments such as wide-brimmed hats, gloves (they often reached to the elbow), shoes of the best materials which embraced satin and velvet, were in demand. These were accessories that were necessary to complete a fashionable look in the 1910s.
What was the preparatory work of fashion in the 1910s to the 1920s?
This was followed by the emergence of shorter skirts, haircuts that were bobbed and loosely fitting garments that led to the flapper appearance of the 1920s. Fashion among women was more liberated as well as younger and this is what paved the way to the roaring twenties.
Conclusion
The 1910s fashion were a revolutionary era of fashion with the following decade the Edwardian era being so restrictive, the 1910s decade being more relaxed and functional. World War I impacted fashion trends, modernism emerged, and women had more independence, which contributed to the change in fashion. The rich dresses of the early 1910s to the military influence of the war years would form the basis of many of the fashion movements that would run the 19th century.