Overview

After World War I, America entered a prosperous era and, as a result of its role in the war, came out onto the
world stage. Social customs and morals were relaxed in the optimism brought on by the end of the war and the
booming of thestock market. Women were entering the workforce in record numbers. The
nationwide prohibition on alcohol was ignored by many. There was a revolution in almost every sphere of
human activity[citation needed], and fashion was no exception.
The technological development of new fabrics and new closures in clothing affected fashions of the 20s. Natural
fabrics such as cotton and wool were the abundant fabrics of the decade. Silk was highly desired for its
luxurious qualities, but the limited supply made it expensive. In the late 19th century, "artificial silk" was first
made from a solution of cellulose in France. After being patented in the United States, the first American plant
began production of this new fabric in 1910; this fiber became known as rayon. Rayon stockings became
popular in the decade as a substitute for silk stockings. Rayon was also used in some undergarments. Many
garments before the 1920s were fastened with buttons and lacing, however, during this decade, the
development of varieties of metal hooks and eyes meant that there were easier means of fastening clothing
shut. Hooks and eyes, buttons, zippers or snaps were all utilized to fasten clothing.
[edit]Womenswear

Elisabeth Gabriele of Bavaria, Queen of Belgium, 1920

Actress Louise Brooks in 1927, wearing bobbed hair under a cloche hat

Clothing fashions changed with women's changing roles in modern society, particularly with the idea of new
fashion. Although society matrons of a certain age continued to wear conservative dresses, forward-looking and
younger women now made sportswear into the greatest change in post-war fashion. The tubular dresses of the
'teens had evolved into a similar silhouette that now sported shorter skirts with pleats, gathers, or slits to allow
motion.
The straight-line chemise topped by the close-fitting cloche hat became the uniform of the day. Women
"bobbed," or cut, their hair short to fit under the popular hats, a radical move in the beginning, but standard by
the end of the decade. Low-waisted dresses with fullness at the hemline allowed women to literally kick up their
heels in new dances like the Charleston.
In the world of art, fashion was being influenced heavily by art movements such as surrealism. After World War
I, popular art saw a slow transition from the lush, curvilinear abstractions of art nouveaudecoration to the more
mechanized, smooth, and geometric forms of art deco. Elsa Schiaparelli is one key Italian designer of this
decade who was heavily influenced by the "beyond the real" art and incorporated it into her designs.
[edit]The

boyish figure

Undergarments began to transform after World War I to conform to the ideals of a flatter chest and more boyish
figure. The women's rights movement had a strong effect on women's fashions. Most importantly, the confining
corset was discarded, replaced by a chemise or camisole and bloomers, later shortened to panties or knickers.
During the mid-twenties all-in-one lingerie became popular.
For the first time in centuries, women's legs were seen with hemlines rising to the knee and dresses becoming
more fitted. A more masculine look became popular, including flattened breasts and hips, short hairstyles such
as the bob cut, Eton Crop and the Marcel Wave. The fashion was bohemian and forthcoming for its age.
[edit]Couture
One of the first women to wear trousers, cut her hair and reject the corset was Coco Chanel. Probably the most
influential woman in fashion of the 20th century, Coco Chanel did much to further the emancipation and
freedom of women's fashion.
Jean Patou, a new designer on the French scene, began making two-piece sweater and skirt outfits in luxurious
wool jersey and had an instant hit for his morning dresses and sports suits. American women embraced the
clothes of the designer as perfect for their increasingly active lifestyles.

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