1930’s in fashion for women. What did women really wear in the 1930’s? The trends, dresses, hairstyles and makeup and where to buy them.
The influence of Hollywood and Art Deco modernism on women’s fashion was never greater than in the 1930’s.
Costume designers names were almost as well known as the Paris couture designers. The crash of 1929 and the Depression which followed, only slowed the inevitable rise in consumerism and ready to wear clothing. Makeup and stockings sales steadily rose through the decade. Women’s day-wear became more tailored with single buttoned jackets and matching gored skirts.
Hems dropped to just above the ankle in 1930 and rose to below the knee by the mid 1930’s.
The gored skirt ( made from several triangular gores) created a more feminine flare at the hem.
Curves returned and newer synthetic foundation girdles were worn by women of all ages. Brassieres now came in cup sizes and 1930 saw the seamless bra go on sale.
In hairstyles, the Marcel wave replaced the 1920’s crop and bobbed hair look. Good for the hairdressers but hard on the pocket for a young woman of limited means. Makeup was now commonly worn in day time and the sale of swivel lipsticks and mascara pots soured.
These are just some highlights of the fashion trends in the 1930’s. Jump in to our time machine archive of posts on 1930’s fashion history.
The 1930s – The Golden Age of Glamour for Women’s fashion. Often regarded as some sort of stop gap between the 1920s and the 1940s, the 1930s fashion era is often overlooked as a significant decade for style. Despite the Depression, it is remembered as the era of escapism, glamorous Hollywood starlets adorning billboards and …
1930s Fashion – The Definitive Sourcebook Long overdue and very welcome comes this visual treat for all 1930s fashion fans out there. If you are not yet sold on the glamor and Art deco resplendence that was 1930s style, then this book will give you an epiphany! Published by Goodman Feill for £30 – it’s …
A while ago I stumbled across a vintage costume designer by the name of Anushka Tay. In the admittedly self indulgent and rather fluffy realm of vintage fashion blogs this girl caught my attention. In the course of her third year research she has devoted some considerable time and energy to studying and recreating – …
A Short History of 20th Century Women’s Fashion – 1900 to 1970. Glamourdaze have just published a concise history of women’s dress styles from the Edwardian era to the late 1960s. Read about the massive changes which came about in women’s fashion before, during and after the First World War. How women escaped from the …
Just a heads up to our regular readers and any newbies of course – that Glamourdaze will be producing a ‘ How to’ make-up guide in the near future with detailed step by step instructions on how to achieve the beauty looks from the 1920s , 1930s makeup styles to the 1960s look of Twiggy …
How to be chic on a low income.Schiaparelli extolls the virtue of one suit for all seasons. Acutely aware and empathetic of women on lower incomes, the famous fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli gave her cents worth of advice to Photoplay magazine in 1936. A woman can dress within her income and be chic almost no …
American women from South Dakota, way back in 1939, show they can match any New Yorker for style! Time Shift – Women’s Street Styles filmed in 1939. The theater projectionist was well known for his ‘local films’ taken in all seasons of the local citizens going about their daily lives. The films were shown at …
The 1930s ‘green evening gown’ in the film Atonement – worn by Kiera Knightly. Ok – there are probably other ‘most beautiful dresses’ in films that could beat this one – Audrey Hepburn’s Givenchy dress in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” for starters. But that green dress worn by Kiera Knightly,designed by Jacqueline Durran in the Oscar …
The 1930’s Sartorialist – Ivan Besse Did New York’s Scott Schuman – better known as The sartorialist – perfect the art of time travel?This rare film showing the vintage dress and hairstyles of ordinary women on the street in the 1930’s certainly qualifies as a sartorial. Filmed by Ivan Besse in the small South Dakota …
A re posting of an archive 1930’s fashion film clip from our YouTube vintage fashion film archive. It was filmed during the making of the Marx Brothers ‘Animal Crackers‘ and features some of the women extras in the film, wearing fashionable clothes from 1930. Note the new lower hem lengths that began to typify the …