The Gilded Age
1889: Sewing machines were manufactured for home use. These newer machines used the zig-zag stitch method, which better seals the edges of seams and improves overall wear. The invention of the sewing machine allowed for women to begin manufacturing clothing in their own homes. This invention was especially helpful during wartime when fabric was rationed and buying clothes in stores was more expensive than usual. 1880-1890: Tight corsets and under dresses with long-boned bodices, tight sleeves, and high necks were brought into the spotlight. This style of dress was modest and prudish in appearance but were quite fitted to the women’s bodies. The dresses would weigh 15-20 pounds and featured many pleats. Motherhood was viewed as the most substantial contribution a woman could make to society and her own family. This was a time of anxiety resulting from the influx of immigrants to America, and women were worried that their work in the home was not recognized as important. This time was also the beginning of the feminist movement, encouraging women to defy historical morals and become more independent. 1892: The leading fashion magazine of the past and present, Vogue, was founded in France. 1890-1900: These dresses were accessorized with sleeves and showed off the hourglass shape of a woman’s body. The dresses had flared skirts, a tiny-boned bodice around the waist, and high necklines. Women during this period were encouraged to stay in the home and provide for her husband by tending to the children, cleaning the house, and always looking their best. Housekeeping was the most popular job for women in this time, and those was attempted to live a more independent life were belittled. 1900-1910: The French designer Paul Poiret was introduced in America as an influential leader in the fashion world. Victorian era came to a close, skirts and trains were elongated, slim skirt with pleating and smocking, sleeves were fitted and became full at the wrists. This fashion grew into a different style originating in Paris, slim, straight skirts with looser corsets, empire waistline with new details and appliques. The prominent fashion houses of this period include Worth, Doucet, and Lucile. 1911: Hats became a popular accessory. Wide brimmed hats with attached feathers were commonly worn during this period. 1914: New York erupted as a leader in fashion during war time. Paris had been the previous captain of industry of fashion around the world before the war began, but due to loss of communication and preoccupation during the war New York took their place. The war also caused women to transcend into previously male-dominant jobs such as ambulance drivers, factory workers, and nurses in hospitals. 1910-1920: Hobble skirts and lampshade skirts were introduced as the newest fashion. The limited boning used in dresses allowed for skirt hems to be above the ankle. The skirts of the dresses became tiered, and driving clothes were brought into existence after the invention of the automobile. The popular style for driving clothes were long, light jackets as well as hats that would spare the complexion of women drivers. Dresses became sleeker and much more loose. corsets were not as common and bustiers were coming into existence. 1920: The dress of choice during this period were not fitted and featured a dropped waist. This particular style finally allowed women to experiment with a different kind of style that was never seen before. Different types of fabric were used to make dresses during this time period, such as chiffons, light silks, and soft velvets. As fashion progressed into the late 1920’s, dress hemlines rose to knee height. Drop waist dresses often had floating panels and immense detailing that cost much more than the average dress. Glamour become the standard for women. Women began being viewed as “rebellious” and “light-hearted”. They were referred to as the “New Woman”, a view society had never seen in history. Their morals became contradictory to those of women in the past, and they blazed the trail for the first truly independent women in the United States. |