1920s Evening Fashion: The New Nakedness

April 9, 2005 – September 30, 2005

The exhibit is open for regular tours Saturday and Sunday 2-5 p.m.
or call 254/753-5166 to schedule a special tour.

Introduction

Evolution of women’s fashions from the stayed and constricted Edwardian to the freedom of the Flapper tells a dynamic story. The United States emerged as an imperial world power. During WWI, hemlines rose out of practical necessity. After 1918, the socio-economic impact of WWI rapidly changed clothing styles resulting in the knee high dresses of the mid 1920s.

It was in eveningwear that the innovations of the twenties style first appeared. By 1926, women who grew up in a modest era, that barely acknowledged knees, were very nearly wearing their dresses above them. This is when the modern fashion concept of the flapper first appeared. The name 'flapper' - meaning a young modern woman who went out on dates without a chaperone, wore fashionable clothes, make-up, and possibly had a job - had already made appearances as early as 1919.

Greater mobility, independence, economic changes, mass production of clothing, moving film, new fabrics and a new spirit are the basis for the revolutionary changes in dress.

No bosom, no waistline – no problem?

How did women achieve that coveted flat chest and boyish figure?

During WWI, the “flat” look came into vogue. Though a long corset produced the boyish figure, flappers refused to wear tight corsets, and from 1920 and 1928 corset sales declined by two thirds.

The bra was the next undergarment advance. Early in the 20s women had homemade bras - simply bust bodices, and many bras in stores were camisole-like, which offered no support.

Endowed women bound their breasts or tried dieting to loose the extra inches. One popular garment, the Symington Side Lacer, was a bust bodice. It laced on both sides and could be tightened to achieve the desired shape.

For young women with youthful figures the typical bra was a four-sectioned lace bandeau bra. Unlike today, shape and support were not the issue; the bra’s primary goal was halting bust movement.

Attainable Fashion

High fashion until the twenties had been for high society. Due to the comparatively simple construction of a flapper's dress, women were much more successful at home producing this style. Using a Butterick dress pattern enabled quick production of this style garment. The flapper style flourished amid the middle classes and diminished the differences between themselves and the truly wealthy. The upper class, however, continued to wear beautifully embellished silk garments for evening, but the masses reveled in their newfound sophistication of very fashionable flapper styles.

Other influences encouraged the rise of women's ready-to-wear fashion:

More women were wage earners
Women desired to save the time spent on fittings necessary for custom garments
Class distinctions blurred during the 20s, and fashion as a status symbol diminished
Inexpensive fashionable designs became readily available as America advanced in the mass production of contemporary style clothing

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1920s Evening Fashions
Pale Green Halter Dress HWF 0910 Donor: Mrs. P. E. Tealing Date: Circa 1925 Type of fabrication: This pale green, silk creep, overdress has a halter style sleeveless bodice. It fastens around the neck by a continuous lap of six snap closures. The dress is open from the waist on the sides and in front and back creating four panels that make up the bottom half of the dress. Ornamentation: The dress has five different types of beads that vary in shapes and colors. Along the edges of the dress are bright gold glass beads that form small scallops outlining the body of the dress. There are also muted gold beads with fluted detail. White bugle beads are used to form small rectilinear motifs. Green luminous satin stitching mirrors the line of the bugle beads, which contrasts against silk crepe. Pearls form flower petals detail on the halter bodice. A "belt" effect is created with fluted gold beads. Different types of beading add variety and texture to this dress. Demographic: Young women in their 20s with disposable income. These young women were "flappers" Today's Trends: The "flapper" style has been reinterpreted in the Spring 2005 collection of designer Pegah Anvarian. Flowing panels and halter style bodices inspired the collection. The fabrics are soft and free flowing.



Pink Evening Dress HWF 4518 Donated by: Mrs. Joe A. Hunter-Form the estate of Margaret Barclay Megarity who wrote the dress to the Cotton Palace Ball on November 3, 1926 Date: 1926 Type of Fabrication: The heavy cotton net backing with heavy sequin and bead application. The ecru colored net backing of the dress is printed in pink where sequins and beading are absent. Knee length skirt hem and vents are outlined in bugle beads. Ornamentation: Overall swirling pattern of gold, silver and transparent sequins. The neckline is ornamented with attached bugle beaded straps terminating in an oval medallion featuring rhinestones and bugle beads. Demographic: Young women in their lat teens and twenties who were middle to upper class. Today's Trends: Heavy embellishment has seen a marked revival in today's fashion. This dress by Sue Wong Features beaded overall silver design. Beaded banding enjoys the emphasis today demonstrated by the accents on the bodice at the neckline.



Knee-length Black Women's Evening Dress HWF 1559 Donated by: Norma Rhodes Date: 1926-1928 Type of Fabrication: The black chiffon over dress is made up of four separate panels sewn together, with a slip lining made of black satin. Spaghetti straps are made of nude silk as is the insert at the neckline outlined in rhinestones. Bias-cut, knee-length, double layer skirt is also made of the black chiffon. The dress' label reads "Milgrim Chicago, New York, Paris." Ornamentation: This evening dress is decorated with antique glass beads arranged in a row of 10 with 7 round rhinestones in between, alternating to create pattern around the neckline and across waistline. Demographic: Young women in their teens and twenties who were middle to upper class Today's Trends: In today's trends, designer Clements Ribeiro revives this style. He took inspiration from the flappers of the early twenties and infused them into his dresses for the runway. He used the dropped waistline and bias cut, layered skirt. His version also uses rhinestones and beads outline the neckline and skirt ruffles.



Black Lace Evening Dress HWF 2369 Date: 1920-1921 Type of Fabrication: This dress is made of Chantilly lace and is adorned with satin and ribbon flowers and embroidery. It has a v-neckline in front and a slightly lower v-neck in the back. The entire dress is made of one panel of lace with the skirt gathered on either hip. The bodice has two side seams to allow for the hip detail. Ornamentation: This dress showcases many hand-made flowers made of several shades of pink satin, sewn to the skirt. The smaller yellow blossoms are made of grosgrain ribbon and the leaves of picot ribbon adding detailed embellishment. The embroidery thread appears to be pearl cotton and makes up the motif of stems and vines. Demographic: Women in their late teens to early thirties of middle to upper class. Today's Trends: In today's fashion, this type of dress is reinterepted through different variations of lace uses and ribbon, satin, and embroidery embellishments.



Long Black Evening Dress HWF 3107 Donated by: Lavonia J. Barnes Date: Circa 1929 Type of Fabrication: The dress consists of black crepe dechine, netting, and a black double-faced satin as the foundation which lies beneath. Sleeves are made of crepe de chine with netting at the elbows. The dress has many flounces, which drape longer at the back with an added train like piece drawing the eye down from the front. Ornamentation: The crepe de chine sleeves are ornamented with bugle beads sewn onto an oval inset at the elbow. Demographic: Young, adult women who were able to enjoy the freedoms, which the twenties provided. Today's Trend: Ralph Lauren reinterpreted a version of this 1920's dress. He uses flowing fabrics in black to give his dress the same sort of movement as the exhibited dress. Klein's neckline also resembles the scoop neck of the original dress.