Part One: 1919—1924

In 1919, people in Europe and America, exhausted and depleted by World War I, longed to return to what they considered normalcy, to the way of life they had known before the war. Fashions reverted to those of 1913—1914, as though they had only been dropped for the duration. A new view of how women should dress had begun around 1909 and the course toward freedom, youth and equality was established even before 1914. By 1920, after a few steps backwards, the movement was accelerated by the experience and changes brought on by the war. During the next several years, the fashion ideal became younger and younger and proceeded to divest itself of many of the physical and mental trappings of the nineteenth century.

Growing urbanization, increased affluence, shorter working hours and paid vacations allowed for more leisure time and extra energy. As a result, interest in sports escalated, necessitating a whole range of special clothes designed for active and spectactor sports. Gradually this freer concept of dressing crept into daywear. Clothes became simpler and lighter in weight. Feminine curves, long a symbol of a woman’s frailty, were negated by the fashion for the new streamlined vertical lines. These six years were essentially a transitional period in women’s fashions. The new style was to emerge fully in 1925.

By 1919 pregnancy was no longer veiled in gowns for déshabillé or at-home robes. Maternity dresses designed in the styles of the period, along with maternity corsets, were illustrated graphically with explicit text explaining their function and virtues (page 7).

When one compares the fashions shown by Sears, Roebuck and Co. during this period with those in a French magazine such as L’Art et la Mode or with the American Vogue or Harper’s Bazaar, it is interesting to note that there is only about a one-year lag in the overall aspect of the mail-order fashions. Yet, although the styles were not exactly the dernier cri or as handsomely presented as those in the high-fashion magazines, many fashions shown by Sears in 1919—24 reveal a surprising amount of chic and elegance. Not all of the clothes were inexpensive. Some coats and suits sold for almost $50, while some “better” dresses were priced over $30. Considering the purchasing power of a dollar in those days, it is apparent that those who could afford these prices were not confined to large cities and that mail-order catalogs catered not only to the rustic needs of farmers or the meager purses of the poorer classes. During these six years, the range of cost and taste was rather wide; the fashions presented must have been aimed at a broad spectrum of Americans.

1919

(pages 5-14)

The hobble skirt of the prewar period took on the “peg-top” look (pages 5 and 6) and the 1913 “barrel form” was shown along with pyramid shapes popular in 1915—16. The waistlines were either high or undefined. The bust retained the earlier low monobosom look. By our standards, the figure was quite full. The use of decorations, such as a proliferation of buttons, tassels and braid, was also a holdover from past fashions.

Although the current silhouette actually required little constriction, women, except for the most liberated, continued to wear corsets. There were even corsets for “children up to 12 years” (page 8). White cotton, trimmed with eyelet and lace, was popular for lingerie. Very pointed high shoes, laced or buttoned, with solid or spat tops and Louis or military heels were preferred. Stockings, which showed only when pumps were occasionally worn, were generally black or dark gray, although white was sometimes worn with white shoes. Hats, which had large crowns to accommodate long hair, were worn low, just above the eyebrows.

Male fashions reminiscent of the Edwardian styles are shown on models with large, square-jawed heads, and hair neatly plastered down. Their clothes had narrow shoulders and were slightly high-waisted, like the women’s fashions. For sports there were Norfolk jackets and knickerbockers for golf or hiking and suits for riding.

The cosmetics available were limited to rouge, face powder and discreet lip rouge. One could buy a pencil to darken eyebrows, lashes and, for the men, beards and mustaches. For the nails there were cuticle removers, nail whites and polishing pastes.

1920

(pages 15-34)

Skirts became a little shorter, figures somewhat slimmer, bosoms smaller and the waistline was more naturally placed. Suits appeared sleeker and more tailored. Middy and over-blouses, now an important item, figured prominently in modified forms into the 1930s. Lingerie—petticoats, chemises, bloomers — were shown in a profusion of colored silks in purple, flesh, blue, green, plum and black. Bandeaux or brassieres began to displace the camisole.

Automobile dusters were included in the menswear section. Although jackets for youths and boys were similar to those for men, suits for boys 9 to 17 were shown with knickerbockers.

1921

(pages 35-48)

There was a further simplicity this year. Dresses on page 38 were designed to fall in an unbroken line from shoulder to hem. Worn loose, slightly belted at the normal waist, this was to be the silhouette of most of the decade. Although dresses remained below calf length, coats became shorter. Heavy trimming began to disappear. Some hair was obviously cut but was kept soft-looking with side curls (page 38). High shoes and spats were still worn but there was in increase in the popularity of pumps and oxfords. Stockings remained dark. The Japanese-style kimono as well as sleeping suits (pajamas for women) made their appearance. Men’s outerwear included chesterfields, town ulsters and reversible rubber interlined raincoats. Shirts with detachable collars were popular. The separate collars could be either stiff or soft, and some, called “rubber collars,” were made of celluloid.

1922

(pages 49-66)

Skirts reached mid-calf length. Coats continued to hold to the earlier style with full or dolman sleeves and were trimmed with some braid, tassels, embroidery and buttons. Suits, however, generally had a more male look. They were worn either beltless or with belts placed a little below the waist. Dresses showed the effects of the styles by the French designer, Paul Poiret — especially his use of peasant-type embroidery (page 50). Touches of Jeanne Lanvin can also be detected in the dresses worn by the two center figures on page 50. The echoes of Chanel’s designs are too numerous to mention since much of the knitwear and classically simple clothes of the 1920s must be attributed to her influence.

Moving toward the new slimness, foundations began to accent hip and bust flattening. As hemlines rose, footwear became decorative: T-strap slippers and fashions for gaiters, galoshes and “arctics.” Stockings, though still on the dark side, developed clocks and fancy heels. Rayon stockings made the silken look for legs available at a low price (78¢ as opposed to $2.69 for a pair of silk stockings with clocks.)

Sweaters for men were featured in a wide range of colors, patterns and details, such as shawl collars and turtlenecks. Sports clothes received added attention. For bathing, men were offered one piece knit suits with attached skirts while women could choose from several dressmaker-type costumes that were worn over an undergarment. There were also suits for football, hockey, skiing, golf and shooting. Underwear for men took on an athletic tone in the form of boxer shorts.

1923

(pages 67-76)

The waistline now has slipped down to the top of the hips. But, as though there was still some doubt or uneasiness about the future, this year’s fashions harked back not so much to those of 1913 but all the way to those of 1909. A matronly silhouette — with wide sleeves, tassel and braid trimming, lower hemlines nearly ankle length — seems to have come back. In dresses, Lanvin’s robe de style, with its low-waisted bodice and long full skirt, was shown in many adopted versions (page 69, right figure). Accessories now included mesh purses and silver-plated compacts.

1924

(pages 77-84)

Fashions this year were a blend of the old and the new (page 78). The waistline descended to the hips. There was a hint of the surface decoration and geometric insertions that would serve to break up the stark simplicity of the coming rectangular silhouette (page 77). Beltless jackets were shorter and worn with slim untrimmed skirts. Page 83 shows sports pants outfits; page 82 advertises “Bob” hats for women with bobbed hair.