1930s_1940s

`In the 1930 women wear for the evening was a long silk dress (because is the only one that could cut on bias), not like in 20s like the flapper girls that wore skirt for dancing day and evening.

Now each person was copying Madeleine invention cutting across the weave of the fabric, it was clever because it gave elasticity before the invention of the Lycra; so this meant that bust, waist and hips were exposed once again and the bare back .

This trend was comparing it to American movies. Hollywood showed the bare back and was imitated everywhere.

Dancing was still the entertainment in the 30s (they started to dance the swing, rumba, foxtrot and tango remained popular).

Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers  were the top dancers of the film world.

Hollywood exaggerations were not approved by high society dancers. Evening dresses showed a reserved elegance, stressing a slim long silhouette yet flattering the feminine figure. The low-cut back was often accentuated by single string of beads; one of the most unusual backless dresses was Vionnet’s halter neck.

When it was a bit cold instead of sleeves, they accompanied their dresses with a fur or silver fox (most preferred). Wearing two whole animals was chic but not that glamour having a cloak made all of white fox, but people that couldn’t afford this had only a velvet cloak or bright coloured chiffon.

 If someone can’t manage to get this?  That’s why Coco Chanel added cotton dresses in her evening jersey. If they don’t have enough money to buy new dresses they take their old ones and make it longer.

The hemline was oscillating around the mid-scalf, short skirt were putted tot the right length adding ribbons, trimmings, insets and fur; after all fur meant luxury.

With some of the fur it was obligated to put it like the princess style, so that didnt have a waist seam and was held together by a belt, giving a soft, slim, sleek-fitting silhouette.

The 1930s was known for the amazing original shapes of the headgears.

The most famous renowned creator of hats was Elsa Schiaparelli!

The  sleeves were long and narrow, often with flared or ruffled cuffs

• Gloves
• godets  skirts
• suits with slim waist emphasized by belt
• broad lapels with low neckline
• blouse were worn below
• big bows and loosely tied scarves .

the American firm Warner was the first to introduce  brassieres with different cup of sizes

stockings made of real or artificial silk ,only in the 1939 were replaced by nylon.

Clutch purses, small pouches and bags with frames and claps made of plastic.

Political upheaval 

Sunglasses latest thing

1938 extreme shoulder pad pants were still not acceptable  in public, but in the 1939 Vogue showed women In pants and sweater for the first time.

1939 when WW II fashion brock up, it seemed that they had an anticipate catastrophic. Nearly the end clothes  started do give military characterize of a uniform.

ELSA SCAPPARELLI

She was born in 1890, she was lucky in going to school  because at that time it was really uncommon.

Elsa was interested in music, theatre, futurism and art. She made a volume of poetry ”arethasa”.

Her carrier began when she met Paul Poiret, they were having a really nice friendship, when Paul encouraged Elsa  to produce her own designs.

1933 Elsa designed he first evening  gown, a slim column of white crepe de Chine, to be worn with a dress-coat with tails that crossed on the back. It was colossal success and was copied worldwide.

She turned Surrealism into fashion, taking an ordinary thing and change it in a different context.

Salvador Dali helped her to develop the ripped fabric, and he designed a black velvet purse in a telephone shape with golden dial embroidering; he painted the giant lobster motif which Elsa, as her friends now called her, used one white evening dress.

She was perfect to collaborate with artist (because of her surrealism humour and her wish to shock), like Picasso that inspired her to print fabrics with newsprint, Jean Couture drew poetic embroidery patterns. Having a link with the most exciting artist, she could do amazing staff so they were a source for her collections.

1938 she launched the most successful perfume called Shocking. She was aiming for putting:

Plastic, beetles, and bees were used in costume jewellery

Zippers decorated “haute couture” evening gowns

Using synthetics to create dresses of cellophane and rhodophane

Buttons for her were boring, so she made theme into little models of crickets, circus ponies, trapeze artist, sugar cubes and crowns.

Schiaparelli designs were quite simple and wearable.

 Her pants and suits were often bottonless, box-shaped jackets, catted like soldier’s uniform but with round lines and soft silhouette. Elsa famous Boleros were woren like luxury items; they protected the breast and shoulder.

She died in 1973.    

FASHION DESIGNERS of this period:

Nina Ricci

Alix Gres

Maggy Rouff

Marcel Rochas

Mainbocher

Augustabernard

Louiseboulanger

IDOLS OF DECADE:

Amelia Earhart

Vivien Leigh

Leni Riefenstal

Lee Miller

Greta Garbo

Marlene Dietrich

  Leni Riefenstahl

Jean Harlow