1920s “Vintage Clothing” Fashion History

In the 1920s, Fashion and the female body freed itself from the Edwardian period as the media age was beginning. People now got their ideas not from their ‘betters’ but from copying their favourite stars from the cinema and also reading about fashion in Vogue and Vanity Fair.

1920s fashion for the fist time saw the introduction of bright geometric shapes and patterns from the avant-garde, cubist and futurist art movements of the time printed directly onto fabrics and new ways of showing of the body through different cuts also came to the fore.

The technological development of new fabrics and new closures in Clothing affected fashions of the 1920s. 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.

Some of the he key looks of 1920s clothing were – The Flapper Dress, Bare Backs and Bias Cuts, The Chanel Suit, Dropped Waist and Geometrics.

Some of the notable designers from 1920s fashion were Lanvin, Paquin, Callot Soeurs, Mary Monaci Galenga, Fortuny and Chanel.
Click Here for fabulous Vintage clothing from the 1920s at My Vintage.

Thanks for stopping by and don’t forget you can visit our vintage shop in Lancashire for even more vintage goodies from the 1920s to the 1980s as well as brand new vintage style dresses, clothing and accessories.

Mv x