History of Women’s Swimwear and Sports Fashions
This article claims that Annette Kellerman was groundbreaking in making more practical swimwear acceptable… and did you know that shorts for women were invented in the 1930s?
fashion history
How World War I and World War II influenced womens fashions
Pictures of women in World War I and World War II. How early feminism and wars influenced women’s fashions.
Last pages of The Language of Fashion
What a cool treasure, to find a fashion book published at the dawn of World War II. It’s been interesting to expand my fashion vocabulary, and to learn so many new things about the history of fashion.
timeline of Historical Fashion silhouettes thru the ages – Types of Satin continued
I find this fashion dictionary’s timeline of silhouettes thru the ages to be interesting, because people in certain eras interpret describe history differently than at other times. History is subjective, to a degree, if only because of the process of curating and deciding what to include or exclude in a synopsis. It’s interesting to see what a fashion expert writing this dictionary thought was important, and the descriptions they used, as compared to more modern historical perspectives.
3 more scans from the Language of Fashion, a 1930s fashion dictionary
My scanning got interrupted today. Here are just 3 pages defining such things as robe d’intrenieur (a hostess gown), ruche, rumba costume, saque (and the 1930s sack garment), different types of sashes, ending with defining the various types of satin.
Nets thru Robe de Style, and information about Rayon
As I’m recovering from my wonderful New Years celebrations last night… I’m posting 18 more scans from the 1938 fashion dictionary, The Language of Fashion. These pages cover nets (continued) to Robe de Style, with several informative pages between, including a lengthy and informative page about Rayon. Did you know that (in 1938) there are four different processes for making Rayon …
Décolletage, dots, Types of dresses, and other fashion definitions
These pages contain many useful fashion terms and definitions! Illustrated is a directoire costume, Dolly Verde Costume (1870), different types of dots (differentiating between those applied chemically, woven, or embroidered), and more.
Cope thru Debutante – from The Language of Fashion
Yay! The end of the fashion terms beginning with the letter “c” and on to the letter D! These pages cover corset covers, cuffs, curves, cross stitching, culottes, cottons and more.
Types of Blouses and More from The Language of Fashion, a Fashion Dictionary (Blouses thru Caps)
The illustrated “blouses” section was pretty interesting, especially since I sell vintage clothes. It’s nice to have precise definitions, general illustrations on how the garment was worn, and approximate dates for when the look was fashionable!
The Language of Fashion by Mary Brooks Picken 1938
I am so excited to get The Language of Fashion by Mary Brooks Picken (1938 edition) as an early Christmas present! I am even more thrilled by my friend’s thoughtfulness. Even more excited that this book’s copyright has apparently expired (according to my search on the U.S. government copyright site)…. so I can scan the pages!
Early 1900s Summer Fashion Illustrations
These fashion illustrations show what women wore in 1913, and what was in style. Apparently, embroideries were the rule, and placed where there was the smallest excuse for them. This illustration shows three fashionable early 1900s women and a little girl. On the right side is an advertisement for a Venus adjustable dress form. The text includes detailed descriptions and how to order the dress patterns to make the fashions the models illustrated are wearing.
Edwardian Fashion Photos from 1913 and an Ivory Soap Advertisement
Isn’t this Ivory Soap ad a classic? “Yes, it will wash if you use Ivory Soap and a little care… Ivory Soap 99.44% pure”.
Following that advertisement is a page of photographs illustrating and describing fashionable embroidered frocks for the summer season. I made a few scans, to make sure that I got all the wording and details!
1920s Toy Advertisement & Misc Ads
Here are 2 miscellaneous advertisement pages from the 1924 Fashion Pageant that I just scanned. They contain ads for Dolls, Toys, & Holiday Goods at Fabricius Mercantile Company, American Lady Bobbed Hair Nets, Ladies Linene Dresses (stamped flat for embroidery), Stein-Poulson Manufacturing Company Trimmed Hats, Bertha Hat Company, and Wardle Company (Ribbons, Laces, and Neckwear).
1920s St. Louis Fashion Advertisements
The St. Louis Fashion Pageant – 1924, Pt 2
1924 St. Louis Fashion Pageant Program – pt 1
1920s Ready To Wear Fashion Show – by the St. Louis Wholesale Garment Association
What a fascinating glimpse into the history of ready to wear clothing in America (and St. Louis’s little known fashion history)! This illustrated spread begins the program and schedule for the 1924 St. Louis Fashion Pageant of ready to wear clothes, presented in Forest Park August 7-24.
1920s Women’s Fashions Advertisements
St. Louis advertisements for women’s dresses and hats from the August 1924 Fashion Pageant.
I like the illustration on the Gold Medal Hats advertisement, the best. The lady in a cloche hat and bobbed hair is draped with a shawl coming seductively off her shoulder, holding a feather fan. The birthmark on her cheek is in the shape of a heart.
Full Color 1920s Fashion Ads
This full color advertisement section of the 1924 St. Louis Fashion Pageant was delightful! There’s a full page ad for International Shoe Company with a lady wearing a green and yellow drop waist dress, a full 2 page spread for Rice-Stix, and finally a full page red and black advertisement for Garrison Wagner Printing Company.
1920s advertisements – mainly mens fashions
These illustrated fashion advertisements from 1924 are so interesting! These ads seem primarily directed to retailers, rather than the consumer…. I’ve not peeked thru the pages further than I’ve scanned them, and I’ve not researched the Saint Louis Fashion Pageant yet, so maybe it was more of an industry thing like NYC Fashion Week?
St. Louis Fashion Advertisements from 1924
Here’s the cover and first few pages of the August 1924 issue of the St. Louis Fashion Pageant, a local society and fashion magazine. This whole issue is filled with fashion illustrations and fashion photography from the mid-1920s…. flapper girls and cars! The roaring 20s were well underway, even in the slower paced midwest, and St. Louis was a major city.