As the 1920’s came to a close, Wall Street’s crashing brought many changes to women’s fashions that live on today. With the onset of the Great Depression, boyish, flamboyant styles gave way to a more conservative, yet feminine, style that included empire waistlines in dresses and skirts. It seemed every woman wanted to emulate the starlet look that Lana Turner’s sweater and Greta Garbo’s trendsetting styles brought to the silver screen.
Angular shoulders were in vogue to emphasize a smaller waistline. Butterfly and puffed sleeves on tops and dresses were the new normal in fashion. For a more sophisticated yet feminine appearance, hemlines were longer. To depart from the boyish look of the 1920’s, bias cuts were introduced for dresses to drape and show off curve lines. Beach pajamas, which are known as jumpsuits today, were popular at resorts. They were often worn with a jacket, bolero, or vest.
During the 1930’s sandals were introduced as a casual outdoor shoe. Classic pumps, ankle-strapped shoes, sling back heels and peep toe shoes were staples of the period. Whether they were short or in an up do, soft curls ruled the day in hairstyles. Costume and art deco jewelry were perfect accessories to finish off each fashion choice for the lady of the 1930’s. Modern clothing today contains many of these same design elements, proving their timeless appeal to women everywhere.