1930s Decades in Fashion

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Introduction: A Highlight in Fashion Swing music took storm in New York and architectural giants were erected. It was no coincidence that the tallest New York building in the world in the 1930s was also the most popular high-waisted skirt of the 1930s. The 1930s was largely associated with the Great Depression, the repeal of Prohibition, and technological advances. All of these factors, seemingly unrelated, affected the way women, men, and children dressed during this decade. Media and Lifestyle The art on the silver screens transcended onto the clothing that woman wore to personify a certain independence. Woman felt stylish and sophisticated even under the unstable economic climate. Technicolor, colored film, was also breaking through, allowing audiences to see the colors that are in style for the season. The color champagne became a red carpet classic for Hollywood favorites such as Jean Harlow and Loretta Young (figs 1-2). Children’s fashion was influenced by what Shirley Temple would wear in her films (Chancey, fig 9). At this time, films were beginning to incorporate voices of the actors, known as ‘talkies.’ In the United States, they helped secure Hollywood's position as one of the world's most powerful cultural and commercial systems. Until this point, it was unprecedented that woman sought fashion trends through film. Originally woman looked for trends through advertisements in newspapers and magazines (figs 5 and 7). Woman indulged themselves in fur and silk, if they were wealthy enough. These types of clothing were reserved for the evening, to be worn with elbow length gloves, and daywear included such things as dresses with bow tie collared shirts with a matching jacket (Thomas). Fitness and activities became more popular in the 1930s. Woman increasingly sunbathed to have a golden glow about their skin (Thomas). Swimsuits were designed to be lower

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