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Teen and college fashions very closely followed adult styles and trends. In
the 1920s, this included pumps, oxfords, or sandals worn with stockings.
A growing trend, however, was wearing socks instead of stockings. It was
during this time that ankle or bobby socks began their rise to popularity.
Teen and college-age boys continued to wear styles based on adult
men. Oxford styles in leather for everyday and dress and canvas shoes for
sport were common.
ACCESSORIES
The immediate postwar years saw a rise in hand-knitted goods, including
scarves for both boys and girls. Girls also tended to wear muffs to keep
their hands warm. These were made of rabbit or lamb’s wool outer por-
tions with soft inner linings. They frequently included a toy doll, bear, or
dog head attached at the top.
Accessories such as bags, jewelry barrettes and sunglasses all mirrored
trends in adult fashion. Pearls and beads were popular but not for every-
day wear. Art deco and Bakelite jewelry was popular and featured
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CHILDREN’S FASHIONS
Egyptian themes. Drawstring bags and leather pouches were fashionable,
as were decorative belts on dropped waists.
1930S,
T H E G R E AT D E P R E S S I O N
FORMALWEAR
Infant to Toddlers
As a result of the Depression, formalwear for babies was only a necessity
for christening gowns. Long white dresses with matching hats remained
standard for both boys and girls. The very wealthy who could afford to
splurge on formalwear for children tended toward white organdy for after-
noon dress-up, often trimmed with narrow piping. Alternatives included
silk smock-like dresses trimmed with embroidery or colored applique
designs of animals and flowers.
Children to Preteen
Girls’ Ensembles. Shirley Temple dresses and those worn by Princesses
Elizabeth and Margaret dominated the style for young girls aged 2
through 10. Rosebuds, knitted dresses, and fine materials such as organdy
and hand embroidery were most popular for formal attire, when it was
called for.
Boys’ Ensembles. Toddlers continued to wear two-piece suits with short
pants for formal occasions. The shirts worn under these suits were often
made of knitted cotton jersey. Pants were typically corduroy or cotton
broadcloth, among others. Older boys wore single- or double-breasted
jackets with short or long wide-legged pants. Young boys’ ties were
offered in a variety of printed silk designs that included cartoon characters
such as Mickey Mouse, Popeye, and Dick Tracy.
Celebrity, Children, and Fashion in the 1920s and 1930s
The twenties and thirties saw an increase in movie attendance, and chil-
dren were influenced by the films they saw and child stars. Not only did
popular child movie stars create or endorse their own clothing lines for
both boys and girls, but they also affected trends in general.
In the 1920s, Charles Lindbergh’s famous flight in The Spirit of St.
Louis was highly publicized through newsreels, and subsequently aviator
outfits became popular playwear. Film archetypes were also imitated,
including space men, cowboys, Indians, and baseball heroes. Film stars
Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and Jackie Coogan appeared in ads for boys’ clothes,
1930s, The Great Depression
317
eventually developing their own clothing lines. Although Buck Rodgers
and similar adult stars continued to influence boys’ clothing through to
WWII, younger stars began to have a greater influence.
A host of youthful Hollywood stars such as Judy Garland, Virginia
Weidler, Mickey Rooney, Jane Withers, and Sonja Henie had their own
clothing lines or began endorsing clothing for department store catalogs,
including the Sears catalog. By the late 1930s, Hollywood costume design-
ers such as Vera West and Edith Head were being recognized for the cos-
tumes designed for their petite stars. With the popularity of Walt Disney’s
feature-length and short cartoons, Mickey Mouse and other Disney charac-
ters appeared on T-shirts and other sportswear for both boys and girls.
Of course, the most famous child star of the 1930s was Shirley Temple,
who set the bar for all other child endorsers and merchandisers. She made
her film debut at the age of 5 in 1934, and, by the following year, she was
making $1,000 a week from merchandising tie-ins alone (Cook 2004).
Mothers everywhere dressed their children in Temple-imitating clothing.
Temple merchandise included dresses, coats, snow suits, raincoats, toys,
and accessories. However, it was the Shirley Temple ‘ look’’ that most moth-
ers were after. Her iconic hairstyle of all-over ringlets was imitated every-
where and is still recognized today. Her style of dress, frequently identified
with toddlerhood, included simple frocks made to accentuate a toddler’s
belly, with puffed sleeves and hemlines that were consistently nineteen inches
from the floor (Blackford 1936). These were trimmed with simple and unob-
trusive decorative elements, such as embroidery or applique, and lace-edged
hemlines and collars. Interestingly, conflicting fan magazine reports suggest
that Temple was both uninterested in her film costumes (Blackford 1936)
and insistent that they be of a consistent design (Martin 1936). Regardless,
her style left its imprint on children’s fashion of the 1930s.
Non-film child celebrities also drew considerable attention and
affected children’s clothing trends. The child Princesses Elizabeth and
Margaret of England affected design worldwide. The press regularly pho-
tographed the pair and reported on their preferences. Beginning in 1932,
young girls in England began wearing ‘‘Margaret Rose’’ dresses, which
were rosebud-trimmed, knitted dresses. Primrose yellow and pink were
the reported favorite colors of Princess Elizabeth, thus dresses in those
colors flew off the shelves.
Teen to College
Girls’ Ensembles. Most teens and young women were advised to keep for-
malwear purchases to a minimum when planning their college wardrobes
(Dare 1931). However, they were also told that a few formal gowns would
be needed. Crepe and other silk dresses were popular, especially when
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worn with a short-sleeved bolero jacket. Utilitarian black satin suits were
practical for street wear and formalwear. Formal attire needed to work for
such occasions as dances, teas, dinners, and attending religious functions.
Boys’ Ensembles. Teenage and college boys wore three-piece suits. Jack-
ets were fitted and typically were hip length and single breasted. Many
jackets had a half-belt in the back. Some jackets were waist length and
zipped up the front. Vests generally matched the suit, and trousers had
full, wide legs with cuffs.
CASUAL WEAR
Infant to Toddlers
Continuing from the 1920s, baby boys and girls dressed similarly for the
first few months of life. However, there was some debate over when to
begin differentiating through details such as round boyish collars or
tiny
puffed sleeves, ribbons, and sheer pastels for girls. The length of baby
dresses also continued to shorten as the
decade progressed. Initially around
twenty-four inches in 1930, it had
shortened to eighteen inches by the
late 1930s (Ewing 1977, 137). Four- to
6-month-old babies’ dresses were con-
siderably shorter to allow greater free-
dom
of
movement
for
crawling.
Petticoats for babies became less practi-
cal for wear under increasingly shorter
dresses. Generally, they were offered in
muslin and were only required under
thin cotton for modesty.
It was generally acknowledged that
the silhouette and style of babies’ clothes
changed very little over the years, and
the only novelty lay in the details. Sim-
ple, short-sleeved white dresses with
embroidery and pin tucks began to be
imported from the Philippines in a vari-
ety of lengths. These dresses were com-
mon enough, but practicality led advice
columnists to recommend that mothers
‘‘stock up on nightgowns and wrappers’
A typical toddler gown from the 1930s. [Library of Congress]
(Parrish 1934).
1930s, The Great Depression
319
Rompers or creepers were popular for crawling babies, especially in the
summer. These practical cotton garments were all-in-one with a snap
crotch closure. They were short sleeved, with short pants, and were made
of seersucker, crepe, or broadcloth. Trimming included applique, smock-
ing, and embroidery.
Separates for very young babies were all that was necessary in the
summer and included a cotton shirt, an abdominal band/binders, and a
diaper. Diapers were available in a variety of materials, including the knit-
ted cotton bird’s-eye cloth and a fine surgical-weave diaper treated to
make it more absorbent. Although prevalent in the 1920s, binders were
used less and less as the decade progressed. Silk and cotton-blend shirts
with nonbinding sleeves were recommended. Innovative underarm cuts
helped ease babies’ arms into the sleeves. In the winter, wrappers and
sweaters were used for added warmth. Slip-on sweaters were either slip-
on, open front, or a new surplice style. Kimonos and knitted jackets were
often included in layettes. These featured kimono or raglan sleeves and
were made of light flannel, silk, or cotton knit.
Whereas the previous decade saw most newborns dressed in white, the
1930s witnessed the rise in popularity of pastel colors for babies. Pale
pink, various blues, lavender, and buttercup yellow or maize were popular.
Whites and dark linen blue were also trendy, as were prints and piques.
Silk was a popular choice for baby dresses, especially in varieties such as
china silk, crepe de Chine (or pure dye silk), pongee, and crinkle crepe.
Some advice columnists even preferred silk to cotton in terms of durabil-
ity. Sheer linen, lawn, nainsook, and batiste were also heavily used for
baby clothes.
These fine materials continued to be decorated with trimming such as
smocking, shirring, hand tucks, embroidery, and lace. Button-hole stitch
edging was also popular. Cartoon character appliques and prints also
gained popularity. Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and other Disney char-
acters were particularly popular on children’s wear and especially T-shirts.
Children to Preteen
Girls’ Ensembles. Bloomer dresses, popular in the 1920s, continued to be
worn by children throughout the 1930s. In the thirties, rather than simply
being an unfitted chemise, these dresses flared over the matching panties.
Sailor-style dresses were also trendy in the early 1930s. Following adult
silhouettes, the later thirties saw a waistline begin to appear in children’s
wear. Bodices now ended at the natural waist and included a self-fabric
belt or matching sash tied at the back. The bodice was attached to a circle
or gathered skirt. Peter Pan and Bermuda collars were popular, as were
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CHILDREN’S FASHIONS
ruffled wing sleeves. Another option was the pinafore, which included a
bib or shoulder strap top, attached to a variety of skirt styles. In warm
weather, a pinafore alone was enough; in winter, it might be worn over
another dress of heavier material. Any of these dresses might be worn
with an attached bolero-style jacket.
Overalls and playsuits were popular alternatives for girls (and boys) in
the 1930s. Girls’ playsuits were generally more decorative and featured
puffed or long fitted sleeves, a Peter Pan collar, and patch pockets. Unisex
or brother and sister outfits were another option. A brother and sister
would wear matching shirts, with shorts for boys and pleated skirts for
sisters. Sweaters with V necks were also popular.
Various types of light fabrics were favored for summer dresses, such as
crepe, dimity, organdy, gingham, pique, and nainsook. Pinafores were
made to be light and were especially popular in sheers or white eyelet in
floral prints, checks, and stripes. Wool, corduroy, and taffeta and heavier
fabrics were reserved for winter wear. Overalls were made of heavy
fabrics such as these, as well as cotton broadcloth, seersucker, and khaki.
Playsuits, for both boys and girls, were made of denim, chambray, and
corduroy.
Trimmings and decoration were more varied than in the 1920s and
included lace, ruffles, binding, edging, rickrack, and piping. Embroidery,
smocking, and appliqued floral figures remained popular. Buttons received
renewed interest and often featured themes, including cartoon characters,
animals, and nursery rhyme characters, among other things. Braids, ties,
and nautical emblems were especially popular on sailor-style dresses.
Boys’ Ensembles. Boys not only wore unisex or matching brother-sister
outfits but also wore informal suits. Toddlers’ versions were a shirt and
pants combination that buttoned together at the waistline. The shirts
were either long or short sleeved, depending on the weather, with crew
necklines, or Peter Pan or Bermuda collar. Older boys wore two-piece
suits that were single or double breasted with wide-legged long pants or
knickers. Sailor suits were popular for boys as well as girls and included
long, bell-bottomed pants with a front-buttoned fall. Boys’ dress-up play-
suits continued to be popular and resembled costumes worn by cowboys,
aviators, Indians, and baseball players.
Sweaters for boys in the 1930s had crew, V, and turtle necks, and were
produced in solids and stripes. Mickey Mouse sweaters were popular as
well. Corduroy pants were popular and were even adopted for school uni-
forms, in both long and short lengths. Pants were also made of cotton
broadcloth, serge, and wool jersey. Boys’ shirts were of cotton broadcloth,
and sailor suits were of cotton poplin or flannel.
1930s, The Great Depression
321
Teen to College
Girls’ Ensembles.
Advice columns in the 1930s focused on what the
college-age girl would need in her wardrobe. College women were a
newly identified market and declared that clothing must be simple to be
fashionable.
Casual-style dresses were deemed most appropriate for wear on cam-
pus, including ‘ semi-sports type frocks’’ (Dare 1931), tunic dresses, and
one-piece dresses of sheer wool. Knit dresses came in bright patterns,
including stripes and checks. Detachable collar and cuffs were popular for
these, as were bolero-cut bodices with scarf ties at the neck. Afternoon
dresses were slightly more formal and were preferred in materials such as
silk crepe, velvet, silk georgette, or satin in bright or pastel shades.
Suits were also appropriate for college wear. Including a cardigan or
jacket, suits helped to add variety to a young lady’s wardrobe. Tweed, knit,
wool jersey, or angora suits were worn both on campus and for weekend
wear. Notched lapels and a wide leather belt and fur trim added interest
to these simple garments.
The most common, and commented-on, ‘ uniform’ for the collegian
was a sweater and skirt combination. Advice columnists told young
women, ‘ it is advisable to have as many sweaters as possible’’ (Washington
Post 1932). Sweater sets, of a cardigan and pullover, came in both solid
and modern-style pattern designs. Recommended colors included brown,
maroon, dark green, and gray. It was advised that brighter-colored sweat-
ers only be worn singly and not as a set. Popular colors included orange,
scarlet, and aquamarine. Occasionally, velveteen jackets and blouses were
worn in place of the sweater. The most popular skirt was tweed, either cut
straight or in a wraparound style. Knit jersey and plaid were also popular
options.
Boys’ Ensembles. Young men wore cardigans, sweaters, or sweater vests
over soft-collar button-down shirts. Knit polo shirts and T-shirts were
commonly worn for more active endeavors. Trousers had wide legs that
were creased and cuffed, and the waistline was narrow.
OUTERWEAR
Children to Preteen
Coats. Zippered baby bunting, basically a custom-fitted blanket, had no
arm holes and was edged with satin binding and decorated with embroi-
dery or applique. Baby coats were made of rayon taffeta, silk crepe, or
wool flannel and were decorated with smocking or applique. Additionally,