The male silhouette for 1906 consisted of sack suits with varying styles of collars and ties. For more formal occasions, the cut away suit might be seen, with knickers and a Norfolk jacket for sporting. During the day, black pinstriped pants were worn, with dark browns, blacks, grays, and navy blues worn during the rest of the evening. Fabrics were mainly tweeds and homespuns for sack suits and Norfolk jackets, as well as flannel, linen, duck, and seersuckers. Pointed ankle boots were worn as footwear, sometimes with spats covering them. Collegiate men might wear a cardigan sweater and cap over their shirt and pants. Other hats could be as well, like the fedora, bowler, Panama hat, or the straw boater.
The typical female silhouette from 1900 to 1920 changed dramatically. The main silhouette for the early 1900s was the s-curve. The monobosom corset was worn to push the torso forward, while the fullness at the back of the skirts added to the effect. Deflated leg-of-mutton sleeves from the 1890s turned into bishop sleeves with the fullness around the wrists. Shirtwaist blouses or Gibson girl blouses were worn with full darker skirts with brighter contrasting sashes at the waist, while the hair was pinned in a bouffant style to give the popular “Gibson Girl” look. Women’s clothes used softer gauzes, laces without sizing, silk charmeuse, china silks, batiste, silk crepe, silk velvet, and georgette crepe in softer, floral colors. Shoes worn were French-heeled pumps decorated at the front of the shoes.
These differences in silhouettes and textures provide an interesting contrast in costuming for each character. The men in darker blues and rougher homespun fabrics will stand out against the women in their softer whites and yellows in crepes and silks. The women will have a flowing, gauzy silhouette while the men will have a sharper, more tailored silhouette. These silhouettes harmonize with each other as the men provide a solid backdrop on which to present the women.
Wow. I never realized how strong a contrast there was between the clothing styles of men and women of that period. And I definitely prefer being a woman right now as opposed to then...that looks ridiculously uncomfortable.
ReplyDeleteThis is so interesting. When I think of stage productions, I think of lights and props and actors and even the actors' costumes but Ive never thought about all of the thought and effort that goes into making the costumes. I realize now that its essential in establishing a setting and underlying mood of a story. The dates of the silhouettes are very much idicative of the time period and class in which the characters wearing them are set.
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