Existing comment:
Fashion of the Great War:
In the early part of the Edwardian period (1901 to 1914), men's and women's fashions tended to be very formal with strict rules for the appropriate attire for every occasion. Women's clothing had blousy bodices and fitted waistlines to emphasize the high-desired small waist and ample derriere. Dresses were floor-length statements of elegance that emphasized an S-shaped line as the height of fashion.
By 1914, a dramatic change occurred in fashion. Due to the need for women to work in factories and perform other jobs traditionally reserved for men, clothing became more informal. Women's hemlines became shorter, going from ankle length to mid-calf. It became acceptable for women to wear trousers and short hair, which previously had been considered sinful and unattractive. More people wore somber colors as a result of a shortage of dyes and fabrics and to show respect for soldiers who died in the war. |