Amy T Peterson, Valerie Hewitt, Heather Vaughan, et al
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Jewelry
Men’s jewelry tended to be limited. Watches were worn on watch chains,
as wristwatches would not become popular until the next decade. Tiepins
held down neckties, shirt studs took the place of buttons, and cuff links
secured cuffs. Some men wore rings.
Other
Common men’s accessories included gloves and handkerchiefs. Walking
sticks were popular gifts and were often made from luxurious materials.
T H E
1910S
FORMAL WEAR
Silhouette
The silhouette continued its transformation from the thick, barrel-chested
silhouette at the turn of the century to a svelte, athletic silhouette of the
1910s. Shoulder padding decreased, the waist became narrower, and the
pants became peg topped.
Jackets and Vest
The dinner jacket and the formal suit were the most popular types of for-
malwear in the 1910s. The dinner jacket, also known as the tuxedo jacket,
was commonly worn for all types of formal occasions. Its fit narrowed,
and the waist was nipped in. The collar was faced with satin. Underneath
the jacket, men wore a low-necked vest that exposed much of the shirt
beneath.
The formal suit had a short-waisted jacket with tails. It retained the
cut of the previous decade. A black or white low-necked vest was worn
beneath the jacket.
Shirts
White shirts were worn with formal suits. Typically, they had stiff fronts
that were exposed through the vest. Sometimes the front of the shirt was
pleated.
Pants
The black pants worn with formal suits followed the fashionable cut of
the decade. They fit loose in the hips and tapered to narrow legs. The
hem ended slightly above the top of the shoe.
The 1910s
257
BUSINESS WEAR
Silhouette
The ideal silhouette for businessmen in the 1910s was slim and athletic.
The shoulders and chest tapered into a fitted waist, and the pant legs were
cut narrowly.
Jackets and Vest
As the silhouette narrowed, the shoulders of jackets became less padded.
The sack jacket, also known as the lounge jacket, became the norm. The
jacket became more fitted and ended just below the hip. During WWI,
jackets gradually shortened.
Single-breasted jackets had three buttons, and double-breasted jackets
had six. Most jackets had a notched lapel collar. The narrow cut of the
coat necessitated a vent that was placed at the center back. Most jackets
had three small buttons at the end of each sleeve, slit pockets at the hips,
and a handkerchief tucked into the breast pocket.
Vests generally matched the suit, were high cut, and had a narrow
notched collar or no lapels.
Shirts
Shirts came with either detachable or attached collars. The fashionable
style was a high collar with rounded edges. Some shirts came with
detachable, soft French cuffs that allowed the wearer to reverse them to
hide stains. Generally, shirts were white, striped, or colored.
Pants
Fashionable pants were peg-top pants. They were loose fitting in the hip
and narrow in the legs. Most pants were creased and cuffed. Although
wristwatches were becoming popular, most pants came with a watch
pocket.
Decorative Details
Most business suits were made of wool serge. Dark blue was a very popu-
lar color, but pinstripes, checks, and other dark colors were fashionable as
well. In the summer, lighter colors and lighter fabrics were marketed.
Men who could afford several suits often had summer suits made of light-
weight flannel and linen.
Military Uniforms
During WWI, American soldiers wore an olive drab uniform consisting
of a tunic-style jacket, trousers, shirt, hat, and leggings. The tunic was
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MEN’S FASHIONS
close fitting in the torso and flared out from the waist. It had a military-
style band collar and four large patch pockets with flaps. The hat had a
wide brim, and the crown was depressed on four sides of the crown. Dur-
ing battle, they wore helmets with brims and low crowns.
CASUAL WEAR
Silhouette
The silhouette for casual wear was similar to the one for other men’s gar-
ments during this decade. Both the waist and legs were close fitting, cre-
ating a lean, tall silhouette.
Jackets
The most popular jacket for casual wear was the single-breasted sack coat.
Typically, it had a three-button closure, patch pockets, and a notched col-
lar. It was available in a variety of fabrics, including wool serge, flannel,
corduroy, and linen. Military-inspired jackets were also fashionable. These
had high standing collars and were sometimes belted. Norfolk jackets
were popular as well. Fashionable jacket colors included navy blue, tan,
brown tweed, and black.
Shirts
Men usually wore a soft-collared shirt and necktie for casual wear. A new,
more relaxed shirt became popular for active endeavors. This shirt had
Men sport the new ‘ soft collar’ shirt. [Library of Congress]
The 1910s
259
elbow-length sleeves and a shawl collar that buttoned close to the neck. It
was not worn with necktie. This style was sometimes called an outing
shirt.
Pants
Men wore either long pants or knee pants for casual activities. Long pants
followed the fashionable silhouette and had a full-cut hip that tapered to
narrow legs. They were worn either creased or uncreased, and they were
usually cuffed. Some styles included buttons to keep the cuffs upturned.
Knee pants, or knickers as they were often called, were cut full in the
hip and narrow along the leg. They ended just below the knee, and the
bottoms were held in place with a drawstring, a button, or a buckle.
They were worn with dark stockings and high shoes. Sturdier fabrics
were widely used for casual pants. Serge, flannel, twills, and duck were
popular.
Sweaters
Pullover and cardigan sweaters were commonly worn as part of casual and
active wear. Brooks Brothers had popularized an American version of the
Shetland sweater, and roll neck sweaters, which resembled turtleneck
sweaters, were popular for athletic pursuits.
OUTER WEAR
Coats
Burberry trench coats were immensely popular during the 1910s. Thomas
Burberry had developed a wrinkle-resistant, waterproof gabardine and
fashioned it into a trench coat that was used by the military during
WWI. It quickly became popular among consumers. This loose-fitting,
belted coat had a notched convertible collar and straps at the ends of the
sleeves that could be cinched to keep out the elements. The coat was lined
with Burberry’s trademarked tan, red, and black plaid.
There were a variety of coats available to men during the 1910s. Wool
top coats with raglan sleeves and long camel hair polo coats were popular.
Men also wore coats with capes over the shoulders called Inverness coats.
SWIMWEAR AND SPORTSWEAR
>
Swimwear
Men’s swimwear covered the chest and extended to the mid-calf. One-
piece and two-piece versions were available. Typically, the suits were knitted
from cotton, wool, or a combination of the two. By the 1910s, suits were
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MEN’S FASHIONS
sleeveless and had round or V necklines. The typical silhouette featured a
long, hip-length tunic over body-hugging shorts. A new silhouette was
emerging; it featured a shorter tunic tucked into shorts that had a con-
trasting colored belt with a buckle. Most suits were dark colors such as
navy blue, black, red, green, and royal blue. Popular suits were trimmed
with bands of white around the armholes, neckline, at the end of the
tunic, and sometimes across the chest.
Golf
Men wore a variety of casual clothing when playing golf. Some men wore
knickers, whereas others wore long flannel pants. Typically they wore
soft-collared shirts and a casual jacket. Sack-style sports jackets and Nor-
folk jackets were common.
Tennis
When playing tennis, men would wear plain white shirts with the sleeves
rolled to the elbow. White pants made from durable cotton fabrics such as
duck, cotton, and flannel were worn. They were roomy in the hip and
thigh and tapered to the cuff. Many men wore neckties while playing ten-
nis. They wore low, flat shoes, which were usually made of canvas and
had rubber soles.
Other Activewear
As automobiles increased in popularity, so did automobile dusters, the
long linen or cotton overcoats used to keep men’s garments clean. They
were either single or double breasted and extended to the mid-calf. They
had turn-over collars and slash pockets at the hips.
Motorcycling also required special garments. A close-fitting, belted
jacket with a high standing collar was paired with full-cut breeches that
laced below the knee and gaiters that protected the calves.
Hunting and outdoor sports usually required durable suits made from
khaki material that did not show dust and dirt. Norfolk and sack jackets
were commonly worn, as were jackets with high military collars. Pants
were cuffed and cut full in the hips and tighter on the leg.
UNDERWEAR AND INTIMATE APPAREL
Undergarments
Men wore undershirts and drawers, which is what underpants were called.
These undergarments were typically made from cotton, linen, silk, or
wool. Undershirts came in a variety of styles, including long sleeve, short
The 1910s
261
sleeve, sleeveless, and coat cut, which was cut wider like a coat and but-
toned up the front. Drawers came in ankle length or knee length, and
some companies developed special varieties for especially tall or stout cus-
tomers. Many men continued to wear union suits, which combined the
undershirt and drawers together. Union suits came in a variety of sleeve
and leg lengths as well.
Sleepwear
Some men continued to wear loose-fitting, long nightgowns to bed, but
pajamas were becoming more popular. Pajama coats resembled loose-
fitting shirts with full sleeves that gathered into cuffs. Short-sleeve versions
were also available. Typically, they had a soft notched collar and buttons
down the center front. Pajama pants were loose fitting and straight leg-
ged. They were secured with a drawstring or elastic.
Other garments
Men continued to wear smoking jackets when they were relaxing. They
would change into these boxy sack jackets after they returned home. Typi-
cally, these jackets would have a quilted shawl collar and a simple sash or
cord belt to close the jacket. Dark red was a popular color for this style of
jacket.
Bathing and lounging robes were worn. These robes were long with
shawl collars and a sash or belt closure.
HEADWEAR, HAIRSTYLES, AND COSMETICS
Headwear
Many of the hats men wore during the 1910s were similar to those in the
previous decade, but some styles, such as the derby, became less common.
Typical hats were gray, black, brown, or olive green and were made from
felt or fur felt, which had a nap to it. They had soft crowns, which were
creased, flat, or rounded. Brims were generally narrow and upturned at
the sides, although straight brims and brims that were upturned on all
sides were available too. During the summer, straw boater hats remained
fashionable. Hatbands were usually made of silk or petersham ribbon and
matched the color of the hat.
Caps remained popular for casual occasions and active sports. They
consisted of a soft, full crown and a brim over the eyes. Sometimes caps
were made from eight crown sections stitched together and decorated
with ventilation holes and a cloth-covered button at the top.
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MEN’S FASHIONS
Hairstyles
Generally, men wore their hair short and parted. Hair became shorter
during WWI because military cuts were shorter and easier to care for on
the battlefield. The frequency of beards and facial hair diminished during
war partially because it interfered with gas masks, which were very impor-
tant during a war that relied on attacking the enemy with mustard gas.
Cosmetics
Men used hair tonics and pomades to style their hair. They used shaving
creams and aftershave tonics for their facial hair.
FOOTWEAR AND LEGWEAR
Footwear
During the 1910s, men typically wore leather lace-up shoes or boots for
most day and evening occasions. Both shoes and boots had stacked heels.
Black and brown were the most common colors, but the details varied.
Both pointed and blunt tips were available. Most shoes and boots had
some sort of decorated toecap, including wingtip toecaps. Topstitching
along the toecap, heel, or apron was a common embellishment.
Sports required special sport shoes in either canvas or leather. They
had rubber soles to help grip the playing surface, and they laced up. Some
leather sport shoes had vents to cool the feet.
Slippers were another specialty shoe. These had not changed signifi-
cantly from the previous decade. They were made from leather or silk and
had cutaway sides. Usually, they had some kind of decorative trim.
Legwear
Men wore knee-length neutral-colored socks that were suspended from
garters around a man’s upper calf.
NECKWEAR AND OTHER ACCESSORIES
Neckwear
Collars and cuffs came attached to shirts and as detachable accessories. By
using the detachable variety, men could wear the same shirt for several
days and simply change out the collar and cuffs. Disposable collars were
very stiff, and softer attached collars became the norm during WWI and
after.
Bow ties and four-in-hand ties from the previous decade remained
popular during the 1910s. Ties were made from silk, wool, or cotton, and
they usually had patterns on colorful backgrounds like lilac, red, green,
1920s, The Jazz Age
263
blue, gray, and brown. Bow ties were tied by the wearer. Although clip-on
&n
bsp; bow ties became available, they were not considered fashionable. Four-in-
had ties tended to be wide, and, at the extreme, they were scarf-like.
Regardless of the width, four-in-hand ties had pointed hems.
Jewelry
Before the 1910s, men had worn pocket watches attached to watch chains.
With the rise in automobile driving and WWI, wristwatches became a
popular, more convenient way to check the time. Tiepins, shirt studs, and
cuff links continued to be widely used.
Other
Walking sticks fell out of favor as more people began using automobiles.
Scarves, handkerchiefs, and leather gloves were common accessories.
Gloves were closely fitted and fastened at the back of the wrist by a snap,
a button, or two buttons.
1920S,
T H E J A Z Z AG E
FORMALWEAR
Silhouette
Prohibition changed the nature of social gather-
ings in the 1920s, although the increased prosper-
ity of the 1920s meant that people could work
less and socialize more. Whereas gentlemen in
past eras attended formal receptions and balls in
morning jackets and cut-away or tail coats, men
in the 1920s attended society parties and went to
speakeasies to drink and dance the blackbottom
or the Charleston. Formal suits with top hats,
tails, and fitted trousers were not congruent with
the new youthful social scene. Tuxedo coats and
dinner jackets paired with trousers and vests (or
waistcoats) provided dashing alternatives to past
conservative styles. Formalwear now had a relaxed
fit with soft shirts rather than starched fronts to
A man models his walking suit, c. mid-1920s.
allow dancing all night.
[Library of Congress]
264
MEN’S FASHIONS
Jackets and Vests
Morning jackets and tail coats were worn only
by older, wealthy men for very formal occa-
sions. Tuxedo jackets and dinner jackets were
now the standard components of formalwear.
Tuxedos
were
typically
double
breasted,
whereas dinner jackets were typically single
breasted. Tuxedo jackets featured either rolled
or notched lapels, faced in silk. Dinner jackets,
a popular alternative for night clubs and soci-
ety gatherings, typically featured shawl or
rolled lapels and had a single-button closure.