Rayon, often referred to as artificial silk, was first used in America in the early 1900s. Before rayon, only natural fibers such as cotton, silk, flax, and wool were used to make clothes. These fabrics were either much heavier or more expensive than rayon (Keist). During WWII, fabric was rationed. Wool and nylon were the main fabrics used to create military uniforms, and were therefore not in full supply for those on the home front. The decrease in these fabrics paved the way for the increase of rayon in clothing production (Monet). Similar to the response of calico fabric in the late 1800s, many women refused to wear rayon because it wasn’t “real” silk. Some women preferred only to wear the highest quality fabric. Rayon, however, allowed women to be fashionable without paying extremely high prices for certain fabrics.
Just before WWI, the interlocking metal-tooth version of a zipper was created. This zipper was included in the making of certain WWI military uniforms, such as windbreaker jackets. Although one many argue this does not relate to women’s fashion, much of the clothing women wore during this time period was influenced by military fashion. Zippers in women’s clothing became more prevalent as well. There were many names for zippers, such as “lightning plastic fasteners,” or “zip-fasteners.” Zippers were a more efficient labor alternative to the hook and eye closures previously used. Before zippers, seamstresses spent long hours sewing multiple hooks and eyes onto clothes. Zippers allowed for faster and more production, important factors while the military demanded a large number of uniforms to be sewn. Zippers became more practical, even in leisure clothing. Cuming, C.W. Cunnington, and P.E Cunnington quote a 1927 newspaper to support this claim: "Many of the new sports suits have zip-fasteners" (1927, Daily Express, 22 November). Not until the late 1930s, however, did statement zippers begin to rise. With the help of Italian designer, Schiaparelli, women saw zippers as a unique addition to their clothing. Zippers are considered to be one of the first machines people encountered in their everyday lives (Cuming, C.W. Cunnington, and P.E Cunnington 228).
During WWI, women gained more rights and took jobs previously occupied by men. Many of these jobs required women to wear uniforms, inching the military look into women’s fashion. Many women adopted the military style, which came to include tunic jackets, belts, and epaulets (Monet). Fashionable women who didn’t worry with working during the war started to wear clothing that had softer lines and followed the curves of their bodies. Fur, buttons, draping, and gathering were all accents added to women’s clothes. The use of these accents made clothing burdensome to care for. Skirts continued to shorten and were now fixated just above the ankles (Hall 152). During WWI, African American women saw more job opportunities in the industrial North, rather than in the South. Once in the North, however, they were rejected from labor unions, received lower pay, and forced to live in crowded ghettos. Because of their state of poverty, African American women dressed in the clothing of earlier periods; a common trend among poor rural people (Hall 153).
The Jazz Age influenced youthful women in the 1920s to bring about the idea of the flapper girl. Not only did the “flapper” have a distinct clothing style, but a unique lifestyle as well. Disregarding prohibition and previous moral standards, flappers smoked in public and danced with jerky movements. Their fashions included shortened skirts, deep necklines, low backs, rolled stockings below their knees, and unhooked rubber galoshes that “flapped” when they walked (Monet). Women’s bodies were exposed more than ever before. The exposure was linked to their need for freedom while dancing in addition to their opposition to traditional morals. Flapper girls created an iconic style that expressed their rebellion and freedom of expression (Ewing 90-91).
During WWII many women worked outside the home, either in offices or volunteering to sell war bonds. The suitable attire for these jobs included more businesslike, tailored clothing. A large sum of women also went to work in factories. Different from the fashions of women workers during WWI, women of the forties wore factory bonnets. Made with tough plastic mesh and a broad brim, factory bonnets protected women’s eyes and contained their hair. Factory bonnets were pragmatic because some women’s jobs were dangerous. Previously employed by men, these jobs involved risky machinery. Women had to take into consideration these precautions and adapt their clothing accordingly (Hall 168).
1930-1940. (2013). Retrieved from http://vintagefashionguild.org/fashion-timeline/1930-to-1940/
Cuming, Valerie, C.W. Cunnington, and P.E Cunnington. The Dictionary of Fashion History. Oxford, UK: Berg, 2010. Print.
Ewing, Elizabeth. History of Twentieth Century Fashion. Great Britain: Berne Convention, 1974. Print.
Hall, Lee. 1992. Common Threads: A Parade of American Clothing. Boston: Little, Brown.
Keist, Carmen Nicole, "Rayon and its impact on the fashion industry at its introduction, 1910-1924" (2009). Graduate Theses and Dissertations. Paper 11072.
http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/etd/11072
Monet, D. (2013, August 20). Women and fashions of the early 20th century - world war i era - clothing of 1914 - 1920. Retrieved from http://hubpages.com/hub/Women-and-Fashions-of-the-World-War-I-Era-Clothing-of-1914-1920
Monet, D. (2013, September 21). Fashion history - design trends of the 1940's with pictures. Retrieved from http://hubpages.com/hub/Fashion-History-Design-Trends-of-the-1040s
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Hall, Lee. 1992. Common Threads: A Parade of American Clothing. Boston: Little, Brown. (p. 169)