Amy T Peterson, Valerie Hewitt, Heather Vaughan, et al

by The Greenwood Encyclopedia of Clothing Through American History 1900 to the Present (pdf)

  were worn under vests or waistcoats), and either wide, ending in a point,

  or straight and narrow with a straight hem. Bow ties and ascots were

  both alternatives to neckties, especially for formalwear. Neckties, bow ties,

  and ascots were all available in a wide range of colors, including blue, lav-

  ender, red, purple, and green, and in a range of floral and geometric

  prints. Horizontal and diagonal stripes and polka dots were also popular

  patterns. Neckwear also provided the perfect canvas for patterns: Egyptian

  patterns inspired by the discovery of King Tut’s tomb, ethnic motifs

  drawn from costumes in the Ballet Russe, and curve-linear art deco

  patterns.

  Jewelry

  Men wore limited jewelry during the 1920s. Wrist watches, tiepins, and

  cuff links were worn as a normal component of daily wear, whereas

  matching sets of tiepins, shirt studs, and cuff links were worn for formal

  occasions. Some men also wore rings.

  Other Accessories

  Some men carried canes or walking sticks when dressed for business or

  formal activities. Handkerchiefs, pocket squares, and scarves were also

  accompaniments to business and formal attire. The new sport of motoring

  also required driving gloves and goggles to be donned to protect the wearer

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  MEN’S FASHIONS

  from dust and inclement weather. The popularity of smoking for both men

  and women meant that men always carried cigarette cases and lighters.

  1930S,

  T H E G R E AT D E P R E S S I O N

  FORMALWEAR

  Silhouette

  The increased informality in society, brought on by the stock market crash

  of 1929 and the Great Depression, resulted in fewer formal or even semi-

  formal events in America. For events and special occasions, men now of-

  ten wore their best suit or rented a tuxedo rather than purchasing it.

  Men’s fashions, always slow to change, showed small differences in overall

  silhouette and form from before the stock market crash until after WWII.

  For those who could afford new formalwear, the overall silhouette in

  men’s jackets continued to broaden across the shoulders, pants remained

  full through the hips and legs, and the waist was narrow.

  Jackets and Vests

  Double-breasted tuxedo jackets with either notched or rolled (shawl)

  lapels faced in silk were preferred to single-breasted tuxedo jackets.

  Lapels, whether notched or shawl, were wide and longer than in the

  1920s. Double-breasted jackets featured six buttons, four of which were

  functional, whereas single-breasted jackets featured only one or two but-

  tons compared with three in the previous decade. Single-breasted dinner

  jackets, especially white dinner jackets for summer, with shawl lapels and

  a single button, were equally as popular as tuxedos for formal events. Tail-

  coats made resurgence in popularity thanks to films by Fred Astaire and

  Ginger Rogers that depicted glamorous couples sipping champagne and

  waltzing untouched by the economic despair gripping the majority of the

  country. Waistcoats or vests were worn for formal occasions but, perhaps

  in an attempt to decrease overall costs, were transformed from full vests

  to halter-style, backless vests. Additionally, men began to substitute cum-

  merbunds, a wide, pleated waist sash, for vests.

  Shirts

  White shirts were the standard accompaniment to tuxedos and dinner

  jackets. Shirts were slim fitting with soft collars (detachable collars were

  no longer worn) and long fitted sleeves. The practice of pinning collar

  points underneath the tie knot that had dominated the 1920s was

  1930s, The Great Depression

  273

  discontinued. Standard spread collars and button-down collars were the

  norm. Some men opted for wingtip collars for formal events in the last

  years of the decade. Shirt studs were worn by some men for very formal

  events.

  Pants

  Pants worn with tuxedo and dinner jackets were full cut through the legs

  and hips, displayed a center front crease and braids on the outseam, and

  ended in a cuff. The fly zipper replaced buttons. Waistlines were narrow

  and accented with wide waistbands with tab front closures.

  Decorative Details

  Formalwear was typically black or midnight blue, except for dinner jack-

  ets, which were typically white. Braids on the outseams of pants were the

  extent of surface decoration.

  BUSINESS WEAR

  Silhouette

  The three-piece suit was the standard wardrobe for businessmen in the

  1930s. All three pieces, jacket, trousers, and vest, were constructed from

  the same fabric. Over the course of the decade, the preference for an ath-

  letic build manifested itself in broader-shouldered suits with narrow waists

  and hips creating a V silhouette. The archetype of this silhouette was

  dubbed the English drape suit, so called because, when the jacket was

  closed, the fabric from the shoulders crossed the chest with soft drapes

  flowing downward to the button stance just about the natural waistline.

  Balancing out the broad shoulders of the suit were full-cut, wide trouser

  legs.

  Jackets and Vests

  Over the course of the decade, jackets continued to grower broader across

  the shoulders and chest, emphasizing an athletic build. Jacket collars and

  lapels lengthened and narrowed slightly compared with the previous deca-

  des. Single-breasted styles with one- or two-button closures were more

  common and aligned with the prevailing English drape suit silhouette.

  Jackets also featured darts for shaping the narrow waist, welt pockets with

  or without flaps, and half-belts. Vests were still worn as a standard com-

  ponent of business suits. Vests were fitted, either single or double

  breasted, and without lapels.

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  MEN’S FASHIONS

  Shirts

  Button-down cotton shirts in white, cream, or colored pinstripes were

  worn under business suits. Shirts featured spread collars with pointed tips

  to accommodate large Windsor knots in neckties.

  Pants

  Trousers had wide legs with cuffs and pressed center front creases. Zippers

  replaced buttons on the pant fly. Waistbands sat above the natural waist-

  line with tab closures.

  Decorative Details

  Worsted wools and gabardines in solid navy, brown, and gray as well as

  checks, plaids, and stripes were used for business suits. Decorative details

  were limited to welt pockets, shoulder yokes, and half-belts on jackets

  and cuffs on pants.

  CASUAL WEAR

  Silhouette

  The popularity of sports, such as tennis, skiing, football, and swimming,

  meant that the ideal silhouette for menswear in the 1930s was athletic,

  featuring broad shoulders and chest with a narrow waist and hips. The

  increased informality in society, combined with a decrease in disposable

  income, also meant that casual wear now bore less resemblance to business

  attire and more to athletic or sporting attire.

  Jackets

  Jackets were no longer a necessity for casual wear and were often replaced

  by ca
rdigans, sweaters, or sweater vests. The Norfolk jacket and the bush

  jacket, both introduced by the Prince of Wales, were the two most com-

  mon types of casual jackets. The Norfolk jacket was waist length, with a

  belted waistband, front and back shoulder yokes, large patch pockets with

  flap closures, and extensive topstitching. The bush jacket, popularized by

  the Prince’s trip to Africa in the 1930s, was similar to the Norfolk jacket

  but featured short sleeves and was made from cotton rather than wool.

  Other hip-length single-breasted jackets were also worn, featuring half-

  belts, waist belts, shoulder yokes, or inverted pleats. Vests in matching or

  contrasting fabric were still occasionally worn with jackets.

  Shirts

  Knit polo shirts popularized by tennis-star-turned-fashion-designer Rene

  Lacoste were very popular for casual wear. Henleys and T-shirts were also

  1930s, The Great Depression

  275

  worn for casual sporting activities. Soft-collar button-down shirts were

  worn in both long- and short-sleeved styles. Cowboy or western shirts

  were new alternatives to more traditional button-down shirts and featured

  shoulder yokes and scalloped pocket flaps. Turtleneck, crew neck, and

  V-neck sweaters and sweater vests were popular, as were cardigans. Cardi-

  gan sweaters featured either wide shawl collars or were collarless.

  Pants

  Trousers for casual wear featured the same wide leg as business and dress

  trousers. Trousers typically featured pleat fronts, center-front leg creases,

  and cuffs, with a wide waistband that sat above the natural waistline to

  emphasize the narrow waist.

  Zippers replaced buttons on the pant fly. Knickers were replaced by

  walking shorts similar to those worn by the British military, paired with

  knee-high socks.

  Decorative Details

  Large-scale geometric patterns, checks, stripes, and plaids were popular

  for pants, shirts, jackets, and sweaters. Unlike business suits, jackets, vests,

  and pants for casual wear were rarely all made from the same fabric. Knit

  polo shirts and western shirts came in bright colors. Polo shirts, T-shirts,

  and Henleys featured contrast rib knit trim on the neck and sleeve cuff.

  Cardigan sweaters more commonly featured center front zipper closures

  than button closures, and often incorporated zip closure pockets. Sweaters

  featured wide multicolored horizontal stripes across the chest.

  OUTERWEAR

  Coats

  Polo coats, popularized by the British polo team in the 1920s, continued

  to be fashionable throughout the 1930s. The tan camel’s hair polo coats

  were slightly broader across the chest and shoulders than in the previous

  decade but were still double breasted, with either a belt or half-belt.

  Chesterfields and Ulsters in solid wool melton, plaid, tweed, or herring-

  bone were popular and now featured zip-in wool linings. Double-breasted

  styles were more popular in the first half of the decade, whereas single-

  breasted styles were more common in the closing years of the 1930s. Navy

  blue English guard’s coats with wide collars and lapels, inverted center

  back pleat, and half-belt, and water-repellent trench coats with zip-in lin-

  ers were new additions to men’s outerwear. Dark greens, browns, grays,

  and navys were the dominant color palette for men’s outerwear.

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  MEN’S FASHIONS

  Other Garments

  The increase in informality and sporting activities also increased the

  demand for short jackets. Leather and wool waist-length jackets with zip-

  per fronts were popular for casual events. Both leather and wool jackets

  featured shoulder yokes, welt pockets, either fitted waistbands or adjusta-

  ble tabs, and either snaps or buttons on the sleeves. Some jackets had

  knitted waistbands and cuffs. Parkas with hoods and lumberjack or mack-

  inaw jackets were also worn.

  SWIMWEAR AND SPORTSWEAR

  Swimwear

  Swimming continued to increase in popularity throughout the 1930s

  because of the continued emphasis on health and the preference for males

  to have an athletic build. Swimsuits were still predominantly knitted from

  wool jersey but also incorporated elastic for a more supportive fit. Swim

  trunks, worn either alone or with a tank-style top or braces, were fitted

  high on the waist and around the leg openings, resembling the new Jockey

  briefs. Swim trunks featured belts, fly zippers, coin pockets, and internal

  athletic supporters. Topstitching and side racing stripes provided decorative

  elements on the trunks. Navy, blue, and black were popular color choices.

  Golf

  Although ski, swim, and tennis apparel became more specialized, golfers

  continued to wear everyday apparel on the golf course. Button-down shirts,

  ties, sweaters, sweater vests, and Norfolk jackets were paired with wide-leg

  trousers or shorts. Soft crown caps with visors completed the ensemble.

  Skiwear

  The increased popularity of skiing was spurred on by the 1932 Olympic

  Games held in Lake Placid, New York, and the opening of ski resorts,

  such as Sun Valley in Idaho, that attracted movie stars and socialites. The

  increased interest in skiing brought a new demand for specialty apparel

  for the sport. Wool sweaters were still a key component, but new wind-

  resistant and water-repellant jackets were available to provide warmth and

  protection. Jackets were either hip length or waist length, with wide col-

  lars and lapels, and either double breasted with buttons or with center

  front zippers. Belts or adjustable tabs were added to help fit the coat

  snuggly around the waist for additional warmth. Knickers, popular in the

  1920s for skiing, were replaced by long pants gathered into knit ankle

  cuffs providing fuller coverage of the leg.

  1930s, The Great Depression

  277

  Tennis star Rene Lacoste (right) in a polo shirt. [AP / Wide World Photos]

  Other Activewear

  The tennis star Rene ‘‘Le Crocodile’’ Lacoste joined forces with a French

  knitwear company in the 1930s to produce a line of tennis apparel and

  sportswear featuring his namesake, the crocodile, as the line’s logo. The

  lightweight, knit shirts with short sleeves and ribbed collars and cuffs fea-

  tured longer shirt tails that stayed tucked in during athletic activity. These

  functional shirts were paired with flannel pants and shorts on the tennis

  court. White was still the only acceptable color for tennis wear.

  UNDERWEAR AND INTIMATE APPAREL

  Underwear

  Men’s underwear was revolutionized in the 1930s with the introduction

  of briefs by Jockey in 1934. The new brief was knitted from cotton, pro-

  ducing a tight fit and support for athletic activity. To promote their new

  product, Jockey hired athletes Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, and Harold ‘ Red’

  Grange to promote the athletic benefits of briefs over boxers. The desire

  for slim waist and athletic build also led some manufacturers to add

  ‘ tummy control’ panels to their briefs (Blum 1986, 111). Men’s under-

  wear was further revolutionized (or scandalized) when movie star Clark

 
; Gable removed his shirt in the film It Happened One Night (1934) to reveal

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  MEN’S FASHIONS

  he was not wearing an undershirt. Undershirt sales dropped as men

  believed this film was an indicator they no longer needed to wear under-

  shirts (Tortora and Eubank 2005, 396). Those that did wear undershirts

  opted for the more athletic tank-style shirt in ribbed knit cotton.

  Sleepwear

  Two-piece pajama ensembles continued to be preferred to nightshirts.

  Pajama tops resembled button-down men’s shirts but with a more relaxed

  fit and featured either small stand collars or convertible spread collars.

  Robes and smoking jackets continued to show Asian influence with orien-

  tal patterns and kimono sleeves.

  HEADWEAR, HAIRSTYLES, AND COSMETICS

  Headwear

  Black or brown bowlers, fedoras, derbies, and homburgs were worn for

  business wear and formalwear. During the summer, these hats were

  replaced by straw boaters and Panama hats. Soft crown tams or golf caps

  with visors in tweeds and plaids were worn for sporting activities.

  Hairstyles

  The hairstyle popularized by cinema stars Rudolph Valentino and Douglas

  Fairbanks Jr. in the 1920s continued to serve as the standard men’s hair-

  style throughout the 1930s. Hair was worn short, parted on the side or

  the middle, or combed straight back. Pomade, hair creams, and hair tonic

  were applied to keep hair slicked back into place. Some men used

  pomades to create slight waves in their hair, similar to the marcel waves

  seen in women’s hair. The majority of men were clean shaven, with either

  no or very small sideburns, but some men did sport small pencil-thin

  mustaches in the early part of the decade.

  Cosmetics

  Cosmetics for men in the 1930s were limited to hair tonics and pomades

  used to create sculpted hairstyles.

  FOOTWEAR AND LEGWEAR

  Footwear

  Oxford shoes in brown and black were standard issue for business, casual,

  and formal dress. Perforations and topstitching decorated the toe, vamp,

  and heel. Two-tone white and black or white and brown ‘ sporty’ oxfords

  1930s, The Great Depression

  279

  were popular with trendy collegiates. Toes were wide and rounded in the

  early part of the 1930s, tapering to an elongated point by the middle of

  the decade. Moccasins or weejuns were new options for casual footwear,