1930s FASHION,
THE GLAMOUR OF THE INTER-WAR YEARS.

*Cant see what you are looking for? go from 1930s fashion and Try the sitemap to find it fast.
Join me on facebook @ Bad kitten creations by Lilly

In the 30s, fashion saw a return to the feminine form, after the wild and brash boyishness of the 1920s. There were rounded busts, waistline curves and softer hairstyles.

Hats changed from the large cloche style to a much smaller and delicate form, designed to sit pretty on the newer better hair perms.
The overall look was simple femininity by day and pure sophisticated glamour by night. (To see any of the fashion images on this page larger, and to find out more about them, just click on the image and it will open the vintage fashion art gallery in a new window)

*The 1930s makeup guide*

It should be noted here that most of this article is from a Brittish POV, as I am. The decade saw the depression and the dust bowl in America which had an impact on everyday fashions. But the shapes and styles of the clothing are essentially the same.
The 1930's have been called the forgotten decade, stuck as they are between the depression (which lasted until 1933)and the second world war. You can view them now as an uneasy intermission between great tragedies. But in Britain there was some level of stability, at least politically, and new industries for new materials like plastics gave hope to the suffering job market. The national grid was completed and for the first time women had the vote equally to men and moved from work in domestic service to the office. The disposable income from this shift turned women into the advertisers best friend and the consumer age was born.

NEW AGE NEW LOOK
The change in look from the 20s to the 30s was, as always, a result of social change and industrial advances. It was not until the 30s, for example, that fashionable women had any need for practical day wear. Their lives were for the first time much more full and active thanks to women's rights reforms, the after effects of the first world war, and a new trend for physical fitness.

Art and design changed dramatically too. The old fussy styles of the past had been roundly rejected, and replaced with the greatest design style ever devised by mortal man; 'Art Deco'.
Art Deco was the first style to insist on everything in your life being designed down to the last detail, and is characterized by clean lines and luxuriant materials or reflective surfaces.

1930s fashion designers responded to these changes with clothing of simpler construction, that allowed more freedom of movement for daywear and eveningwear of sheer glamour never before imagined.
With luxurious looking gowns made from the fashionable man-made fabrics of the new industrial age, like metallic lame -for its fluidity- and accented with glass beads and plastic sequins for extra sparkle.
Do not however confuse this version of elegance with the flamboyance of decades past though, no. The fashions of the 1930s were of a more refined, simple and 'modest' personality. The reason for this has to be the depression...so is goodbye to long ear-rings, hello studs...goodbye to dripping with diamonds, hello simple string of pearls/glass beads... goodbye yards of fringe, hello sleek clean lines ...and so on. "Conspicuous display" was a 1930s fashion no-no.

MADELINE VIONNET

Hollywood became hugely influential in 1930s fashion. This special relationship between film and fashion is something we now take for granted, but it is said that it began here. The story goes along the lines that a Hollywood, now in its first full bloom, got cold feet over the frequent nudity in films of the 1920s. So to cover themselves so to speak, they embraced the bias cut satin gown....a dress that is actually more naked than naked!.

Whatever the reason though the bias cut dress is the icon of 1930s fashion.
Bias cut, also called cross cut, gives clothes a flirtatious feel through the way the fabric drapes and clings to the curves of the body, shifting provocatively with every move.
The effect is achieved by cutting the fabric on a 45 degree angle rather than on the straight grain, which makes it stretch.
The method was made famous by French fashion designer Madeleine Vionnet. Vionnet is often credited with inventing the method, but this is unlikely as it is probable that it has been used since medieval times, however she certainly made it a fashion phenomenon. She also popularized other 1930s fashion staples like; the halterneck and the asymmetric and handkerchief hemline, two of my personal favorites, and all styles that still look fresh even today.

The best fabrics for this look are satins, crepe, silk, chiffon and lame. They hang well and reflect the light. You might find that these dresses look like nothing much on the hanger but when you slip them over your curves, they come alive like nothing else!.

***It all started in the 20s, if you want to find out more about Vionnet and the decade that made it all possible....Discover 1920s fashion and music like never before. The Roaring Twenties was full of stylish characters and great sounds. Find out why the 1920s roared.***
(will open in a new window)

Chicago World's Fair, 1933

Glen C. Sheffer

Buy From Art.com

Other key features of evening styles of 1930s fashion were Greek goddess inspired lines, spaghetti thin straps and very low open backs.
This was both to soften the severity of the close fitting gowns and because of the fashion for sunbathing, women wanted to show off their toned bronzed skin as much as possible.

The firm and toned athletic body was desirable in the 30s, following the streamline forms of art deco, and also because the bias cut fashions were unforgiving of lumps and bumps!, so fitness routines were essential. This was made easier for women to achieve and maintain however because of social acceptance of contraception, so they didn't have to bear child after child as their mothers had.

ELSA SCHIAPARELLI
other than Vionnet there was another designer to create an iconic look. The Italian designer Elsa Schiaparelli was very much connected to the surrealist and cubist art movements, often collaborating with the likes of Dali and Man Ray. She was somewhat the opposite of the style of Vionnet, using more clean strong lines and bright colours, a very 'couture' look and is largely responsible for the little black dress. Think Marlene Dietrich and you have the look, its powerful but feminine and very wearable.
Something we take for granted today is the zip or zipper. But it was actually Schiaparelli who introduced plastic zips to popular fashions. Metal zips already existed but were not really used in fashion at all, Schiaparelli made the coloured plastic zip...even non-functional zips, a decorative feature, one which has never left us, and the punk movement owes allot to!.

For me these two women are the most important 1930s fashion designers..Vionnet's daring near nudity in the bias cut satin dress and Schiaparelli's daring use of form and modern materials to make a statement were key in the birth of what we know as fashion today.

WWII...THE PARTY IS OVER.
In 1939 war came to Europe and fashion designs had to accommodate both rationing and an even greater need for practicality, while still helping to keep public morale up...no mean feat. It was at this point in history that fashion proved its self as being more than just a vain frivolity, the contribution of fashion designers to the 'war effort' is sadly underestimated. I will go into this in greater detail in the 1940s fashion page.

Dior's so called 'new look' actually first appeared in the late 30s but war put an end to it until afterwards, in 1947, it was finally resurrected for a new age of optimism

.The advances made and lessons learned in fashion during the war made it possible for the mass production of clothing we know today.

GETTING THE LOOK

A great 1930s fashion source book available from Barnes&Noble, click image for more info

Getting the 1930s fashion look is actually pretty easy as many of the key elements of the style remain staples to this day, and it is a very wearable style.
Simply think soft clean lines, lightweight fabrics and slinky femininity, coupled with quality tailoring. Finish off with dramatic geometric jewellery or strings of beads or small elegant hats, and small beaded or chainmail purses.
The colours of evening wear were silvers, black and white, pastels and iridescent finishes, anything that reflects light to enhance the line of your curves is a good choice. Also consider vibrant colours like turquoise and scarlet red teamed ofcourse with the little black dress which was born in the 30s and much loved.The colours for day and beach wear are navy,white,cream,black and touches of red.
For day wear the most important element is the hemline of your skirts which is much longer than the in the 1920s. The increase in length is due to an attack of prudishness but the 1930s fashion designers disguised the change by using asymmetric and handkerchief hemlines.
For beach wear you will want a one-piece suit or swim-dress in pale or nautical colours with a very very low back, a floaty wrap or robe with a Japanese inspired design and a hat so big you could hide a donkey in it.

Remember that in the 1930s man made fabrics were new and exciting, not like today where they are associated with cheapness. Even humble cotton got a 30s makeover when Channel started using it, taking it from cheap working clothing to the heights of couture fashion.

Makeup was subtle with smoky eyes and strong lips. See the pinup makeup pages for more details.

A useful place to get authentic looking 1930s evening gowns and wedding gowns (and 1920s,40s and 50s too) is Unique Vintage. They specialize in prom/evening dresses and wedding dresses styled by fashion era, for very reasonable prices.

Go from 1930s fashion to the fashion of the 1940s
* 1930s makeup guide
Or go to the vintage fashion art gallery

pinups star lne

return to retro glamour home page for more pinups style
Explore more pinup art and style, return to the home page
Contact me directly.

Thankyou for reading 1930s fashion, here are some other articles you may enjoy:
Greta Garbo Biography
Pinup hairstyling masterclass
The pinups guide to perfect red lipstick.
1950s fashion
Seamed stockings

© Copyright notice...
All original text and images displayed on this site are the intellectual property of Lilly F Elliott (Bad kitten creations) unless otherwise stated. All photos of What Katie did products are used with kind permission. Product image links are provided by my affiliate partners

Click here to read our privacy policy, thankyou

*I am proud to be an affiliate. Products for which I receive commission are very carefully selected. Sponsors have no influence on the writing of these pages. Thankyou for using these links, your support keeps this site free.Click for more info.

Get the 1930s fashion look

The 1930s fashion look is quite easy to get today as it requires only afew simple staples that you can still find in modern clothing lines like slip dresses, Aline or asymmetric skirts, wide leg trousers, camisoles, and shoulder shrugs/boleros.
Here is a selection of more specific items and source books to help make your look more authentic. Plus some art to set the scene

Vintage Semi Nude Sensuous French Model print

Vintage Semi Nude Sensuous French Model by FrenchPostcards
See more Sexy Posters

La Dormeuse

Tamara De Lempicka

Buy From Art.com

Galone 2 - Black Patent Heels.com offer free 2nd day shipping in the US, free shipping on returns, good value international shipping rates.

Adult Long Black Satin Gloves

Marcel wave brown wig (other colours available)
Brooks bob blonde wig (other colours available)
Sometimes it is just fun to wear a wig, and sometimes you want a new look without a big change. I love wigs and use CostumeDiscounters.com because they have a huge range of fun wigs with a price guarantee and same day shipping!

This striking new collection from What Katie Did is inspired by Art Deco design .

This daring sheer peach lingerie is inspired by the actress Jean Harlow and though the pattern is adapted from a 1940s one the fabric choice and look is much more 30s!

Amazon.co.uk is a great place to find the best resource books and more.

1930s FASHION, THE GLAMOUR OF THE INTER-WAR YEARS.

Get the 1930s fashion look

1930s FASHION,
THE GLAMOUR OF THE INTER-WAR YEARS.