The Roaring Twenties

The muse for this post was Downton Abbey, which is now in the 1920s here in the States. If I was dragging my heels about blogging this month, Downton Abbey took care of that. So, here we are, readers - in the Roaring Twenties.
I often wonder why The Roaring Twenties or années folles (Crazy Times) as the French called it was given that name. I assume it was because of the social and artistic changes that roared in like a mighty wind as the decade dawned. The 1920s was ‘The Jazz Age,’ the decade of Art Deco and surrealistic painting. More than that, it was the decade when women were at last given the right to vote. Not a small part of these exciting changes was a show of women’s legs in public for the first time in centuries. In keeping with the fashion revolution that swept throughout every strata of society, those lovely long Victorian tresses were cut off in favor of short hairstyles. With all former restrictions thrown to the wind, the 1920s marks the beginning of the modern fashion era.

Joan Crawford in hostess pants

As women became freer so did their clothes. Lingerie drawers were filled with chemises, camisoles, all-in-ones, and bloomers (later panties) as women bade farewell to the constricting corset worn by generations before them. Simplicity and practicality now reined on the runways. Fluid shapes that fell unrestricted over the body were the mode, as were mix and match separates in practical new fabrics such as jersey. The new buttons, zippers and metal hooks and eyes made easy-to-wear clothing easy to fasten as well. Much cheaper than their silk counterparts, rayon stockings also stepped onto the fashion stage.

1920s fashion highlights

The cloche hat

The headband

A boyish, flat chested look

The shapeless chemise

Short hairstyles (the bob, the Eton crop and the Marcel wave)

Knit sportswear, Separates

The handkerchief hem, Trousers

Louise Brooks in cloche hat

 1920s fashion icons

Several famous designers emerged during the 1920s, Coco Channel, Jean Patou, Jeanne Lanvin and Elsa Schiaparelli to name a few. Because of their huge influence on the fashion of the time, and on the lifestyles of women as a result, Coco Channel and Jean Patou deserve special mention. Channel was one of the first women to toss her corset out the window. She was also among the first to bob her hair, and wear trousers. She popularized jersey knit clothing and elevated costume jewelry to heights never seen before. Jean Patou, like Channel, designed the sportswear that would free women of constricting clothes forever. His designs, created to satisfy the new trend toward the outdoor activities, were the blend of luxury and practicality that would mark the style of one of fashion's most exciting eras.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons

A VIDEO SAYS A THOUSAND WORDS - ENJOY!

Hidden things - Regency underwear

Underwear was the very last thing on my mind as I was watching those women in the clip from the movie "Pride and Prejudice" whirling and twirling and having a jolly good time on the dance floor. But since the topic for today is underwear - what did they wear under those gorgeous Georgian/Regency era gowns? Let’s take a layer by layer look.

The first undergarment our lady of the era would have slipped on was a chemise, also called a shift. Usually made of thin, white cotton, it had close fitting short sleeves, a higher hemline than her dress, and a low neckline if it was to be worn under an evening dress. Chemises served two purposes. One was to provide a layer of decency under the sheer dresses that were all the rage. The other was to protect outer garments from perspiration as they were washed less frequently than undergarments.

 Next came the corset, which was worn over the chemise, though a slender woman wouldn't have needed to wear a corset under the high-waisted dresses of the time. I'll mention here that a lady of the era would have found it impossible to get dressed without the assistance of her maid. The corset was laced together at the back - and tightly. Made of linen, it was boned for firmness and often had a long busk of wood or whalebone in the front to create the lift necessary to carry Regency fashions off. Some women preferred tight linen stays (pictured above) that had the same effect as a push-up bra. These came slightly below the breasts, though there were stays that extended to the waistline for a slimming look. Some attempts were made to design undergarments that would serve the same function as the modern bra, but I’ll save that for a future conversation.

Petticoat circa 1800

 When I look at those dresses, I can’t imagine there could have been another layer under them, but apparently there often was. It was the petticoat, a sleeveless garment that closed in the back with hooks and eyes, drawstring ties or Dorset thread buttons. Since a lady would often lift her dress to prevent the hem from getting soiled, it was certain her petticoat would show. Because of this, petticoat hems were embellished with ruffles, lace or whitework. After a long search for a picture of a petticoat of the era, I finally found one on historyhoydens.blogspot.com. Here it is on the right. It was a real find. The hem is a beautiful example of whitework.

What about panties you ask? There was no such a thing because underdrawers (the predecessor to panties) didn't arrive on the scene until around 1806. But here's what they looked like.

 Are you thinking what I'm thinking? What was the point of wearing those? According to janeaustensworld where I found the picture, they were designed to allow a woman to “attend to her business without having to remove too many clothes.” I still don’t get the point of those two tubes of cloth tied to the waist, do you?

If you're interested in learning more, visit my sources below.

http://historyhoydens.blogspot.com/2009/06/petticoats.html

http://janeaustensworld.wordpress.com/2010/11/06/ladies-underdrawers-in-regency-times/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1795%E2%80%931820_in_fashion#Undergarments