Pre-revolutionary fashion. The history of fashion design. A beautiful era - a time of luxury

The last century is the time of crinolines, bustles, "polonaise", dolman, abundant ruffles and frills of all kinds. The century that followed, in the midst of the era of beauties (the beautiful era), is characterized by simplicity and common sense, and although the details are still carefully worked out, the frilly dressing and unnatural lines gradually fade into the background. This desire for simplicity became even stronger with the outbreak of the First World War, which clearly proclaimed the two main principles of women's dress - freedom and comfort of wearing.

A beautiful era - a time of luxury

In the 1900s, if you were a sophisticated young English lady who belonged to the elite of society, you were supposed to make a pilgrimage to Paris twice a year with other women of the same kind from New York or St. Petersburg.

In March and September, groups of women were seen attending studios at rue Halevy, la rue Auber, rue de la Paix, rue Taitbout and Place Vendome.
In these often cramped shops, with seamstresses working feverishly in the back rooms, they met their personal salesperson, who helped them choose their wardrobe for the next season.

This woman was their ally and knew all the darkest secrets of their life, both personal and financial! The survival of these early fashion houses was entirely dependent on their powerful clients, and knowing their little secrets helped them to do just that!

Armed with replicas of Les Modes, they scanned the latest creations of great couturiers such as Poiret, Worth, the Callot sisters, Jeanne Paquin, Madeleine Cheryuy and others to come up with a wardrobe that would outshine friends and foes alike!

Decades passed, and these horrible magazine images of static women, where every seam and every stitch is visible, were superseded by the looser and smoother Art Nouveau style, which used new photographic methods of imaging.

Together with the salesperson, the women chose a wardrobe for the next six months: lingerie, homewear, dress for walking, alternation in clothes, suits for traveling by train or in a car, evening dresses for leisure time, outfits for special occasions such as Ascot, wedding, visit to the theater. The list is endless, everything here depended on the size of your wallet!

Edwardian Lady's Wardrobe (1901-1910)

Let's start with the underwear. It consisted of several items of underwear - day and nightgowns, pantaloons, knee-highs and petticoats.

Women began their day by choosing a combination, then put on an s-shaped corset, over which there was a bodice.

Next came the daytime ensemble. Usually it was a formal morning dress that could be worn when meeting friends or when shopping. As a rule, it consisted of a neat blouse and a wedge-shaped skirt; in cool weather, a jacket was worn on top.

Returning to lunch, it was necessary to quickly change into day clothes. In the summer, it was always some kind of colorful clothes in pastel colors.

By 5 o'clock in the evening, it was possible, which was relieved to be done, to take off the corset and put on a tea outfit to relax and receive friends.

By 8 o'clock in the evening, the woman was again pulled into a corset. Sometimes the underwear was changed to fresh. After that, it was the turn of an evening dress for home or, if necessary, for going out.

By 1910, such dresses began to undergo changes under the influence of the work of Paul Poiret, whose satin and silk dresses, inspired by oriental motives, became very popular among the elite. The big hit of 1910 in London was the ladies' trousers as a fancy dress evening gown!

During the day, it was also necessary to change stockings at least twice a day - cotton - for wearing during the day - in the evening they changed to beautiful embroidered silk stockings. It was not easy being an Edwardian woman!

Edwardian silhouette - myth and reality.

1900 - 1910

Until 1900 every high-society lady — with the help of her maid — was forced daily to pull herself into tight corsets that made it difficult to breathe, as her mother and grandmother did. It was very painful for a woman! Certainly, the sale of snuff was very lucrative in that era.

The purpose of the corset [if the illustrations are to be believed] was to push the upper body forward, like a pigeon, and to push the hips back. However, Marion McNealy, comparing the illustrations to photographs of women in the 1900s. in their daily lives, suggested in Foundations Revealed that the real purpose of s-shaped corsets was a defiantly upright posture designed to emphasize the curves of the hips and chest by lifting the shoulders back, causing the chest to lift and the hips to be rounded.

My opinion on this issue is the following: there is a tendency, as in modern fashion illustrations, to over-emphasize lines. Comparing the 1905 picture of Lucille couture house above with Edward Sambourne's beautiful natural photo of a young woman from London proves that women did not tighten their corsets too much!

It was most likely an idealized version of the Edwardian woman of the time, popularized with illustrations by Charles Dana Gibson and postcards featuring Gibson's girlfriend Camilla Clifford, resulting in a highly exaggerated impression of Edwardian feminine form.

Fashion in dresses - 1900-1909

Women began to wear jackets in a strict style, long skirts [slightly raised hem], high-heeled ankle boots.
The silhouette gradually began to change from an s-shaped in 1901 to an Empire line by 1910. Typical colors for everyday clothing for an Edwardian woman were a combination of two colors: a light top and a dark bottom. The material is linen [for the poor], cotton [for the middle class] and silk and quality cotton [for the top class].

In terms of detail, in Belle Epoque, lace ruffles signaled a woman's social status. Numerous ruffles on the shoulders and bodice, as well as appliqués on skirts and dresses.

Despite the ban on corsets, women, especially from the new middle class, began to feel more social freedom. It has become quite normal for women to travel abroad on bicycles - for example, to the Alps or Italy, which is perfectly captured in the melodramatic film "A Room with a View", based on the book by E.M. Forster, which he published in 1908.

Popular casual wear consisted of a white or light-colored cotton blouse with a high collar and a dark wedge-shaped skirt starting under the bust and going down to the ankles. Some skirts were also sewn into the corsetry from the waist to under the bust. This style, a simple blouse and skirt, first appeared in the late 1890s.

Often there was a single seam on the skirts, as a result of which even the most hopeless figures acquired a pleasant harmony!

Skirts and dresses were sewn to the floor, but so that it was convenient for women to get into the carts. By 1910, the hem was shorter and ended just above the ankle. Initially, bulky shoulders were present in the silhouette of the blouses, but by 1914 they had significantly decreased in volume, which, in turn, led to more roundness of the hips.

By 1905, with the increasing popularity of automobiles, fashion-conscious women began wearing a raincoat or semi-long coat in the fall and winter. These coats were very fashionable, going from the shoulder to the waist, which was about 15 inches long. In such an outfit, and even in a new short skirt that did not even reach the ankles, the woman looked very bold! If it was damp or snowing outside, you could put on a boot on top to protect your clothes from dirt.

The afternoon dress, although it was made in various pastel shades and with numerous embroidery, was still quite conservative in the 1900s, as it was worn for attending formal dinners, meetings and conservative women's gatherings - here the dress code was influenced by women with a Victorian outlook on life!

The tea dresses, which women, if they were at home, usually donned by 5 pm, were excellent: they were usually made of cotton, white and very comfortable. This was the only time an Edwardian woman could take off her corset and breathe normally! Women often met and entertained friends in a dress for tea, because one could afford to be extremely informal!

In Edwardian Britain, women were given the opportunity to showcase their finest outfits from Paris during the London season, which ran from February to July. From Covent Garden, royal receptions and private balls and concerts, to horse races at Ascot, the elite of society showed off their latest, best and worst outfits.

Evening gowns during the Edwardian period were pretentious and provocative, with a plunging neckline that exposed a woman's breasts and jewelry! Evening dresses in the 1900s sewn from luxurious material. By 1910, women began to get tired of large evening dresses, especially French women who decided to abandon the trains on the dress and switched to the Empire style from Poiret, inspired by the Russian Seasons.

In 1909, when the Edwardian period was already coming to an end, a strange fashion arose for narrow skirts with interception below the knee, whose arrival is also attributed to Paul Poiret.

Such tight skirts tightly pulled the woman's knees, making movement difficult. Combined with the increasingly popular wide-brimmed hats (in some cases up to 3 feet) made popular by Lucille, Poiret's main American rival, it seemed that fashion had gone all the way by 1910.

Hairstyles and ladies' hats during the Edwardian period 1900-1918

Fashion magazines of that time began to pay great attention to hairstyles. The most popular were then considered curls, curled with tongs in the style of "Pompadour", as it was one of the fastest ways to style hair. In 1911, the 10-minute Pompadour hairstyle becomes the most popular!

These hairstyles carried surprisingly large hats that overshadowed the hairstyles to which they were pinned.

By 1910, Pompadour hairstyles had gradually changed to Low Pompadour, which, in turn, with the onset of the First World War, had evolved into simple low-set buns.

To take advantage of this hairstyle, the hats were worn lower, right on the bun, the wide brims and bright feathers of previous years were gone. Wartime norms did not approve of such things.

"Russian Seasons" 1909 - Wind of Changes

By 1900, Paris was the fashion capital of the world, and the fashion houses Worth, Callot Soeurs, Doucet and Paquin were among the top names. Haute couture or haute couture - this was the name of the company that uses the most expensive fabrics to sell them to the influential elite of Paris, London and New York. However, the style remained the same - Empire lines and Directory style - high waist and straight lines, pastel colors such as the greenish color of the Nile water, pale pink and sky blue, reminiscent of tea dresses and evening dresses of the elite of society.

It's time for a change. This was preceded by the following events: the influence of the Art Deco style, which emerged from the modernist movement; the onset of the Russian Seasons, first held in 1906 in the form of an exhibition organized by their founder Sergei Diaghilev, the phenomenal performances of the Russian Imperial Ballet in 1909 with their sumptuous oriental-inspired costumes designed by Leon Bakst.

The dancer Nijinsky's harem pants caused a huge surprise among women, and the master of opportunism Paul Poiret, having considered their potential, created the harem skirt, which for a while became very popular among young people from the British upper class. Poiret, perhaps influenced by Bakst's 1906 illustrations, felt the need for more expressive illustrations for his creations, as a result of which he recruited the then unknown Art Nouveau illustrator Paul Iribot to illustrate his work "Dresses by Paul Poiret" in 1908. It is impossible to overestimate the influence that this work had on the emergence of fashion and art. After that, these two great masters worked together for two decades.

The emergence of modern fashion - 1912 - 1919

By 1912, the silhouette had acquired a more natural shape. Women began to wear long, straight corsets as the basis for tight-fitting daytime outfits.

Oddly enough, a brief return to the past in 1914 was just nostalgia: most of the fashion houses, including the Poiret fashion house, presented temporary stylish solutions with bustles, hoops and garters. However, the desire for change could no longer be stopped, and by 1915, in the midst of a raging bloody war in Europe, the Callot sisters present a completely new silhouette - an unbound women's shirt over a straight base.

Another interesting innovation in the early years of the war was the appearance of a matching blouse, the first step towards a casual style that was destined to become the main element of a woman's suit.

Coco Chanel adored ladies' shirts or shirt-cut dresses and thanks to her love for the popular American jacket or sailor blouse [loose-fitting blouse tied with a belt] she adapted the jumpers worn by sailors in the popular seaside town of Deauville (where she opened a new store), and created the women's cardigan with bold everyday belts and pockets that foreshadowed the 1920s fashion image 5 years before it became the norm.

Like Chanel, another designer Jeanne Lanvin, who at this time specialized in clothing for young women, also liked the simplicity of the chemise and set about creating summer dresses for her clients that heralded a move away from restrictive dresses.

The outbreak of the First World War in 1914 did not end the international displays of Parisian collections. But despite attempts by Vogue editor Edna Woolman Chase to organize charity events to help the French fashion industry, Paris was justifiably concerned that America, being a competitor to Paris, intended to capitalize on the situation in one way or another. If you are fortunate enough to have trendy French vintage periodicals of the time, such as Les Modes and La Petit Echo de la Mode, note that there is rarely any mention of war in them.

Nevertheless, war was raging everywhere, and women's dresses, as in the 1940s, became more military by necessity.

Clothing became sensible - jackets of strict lines, even warm half-coats and trousers acquired special female outlines if they were worn by women who helped in the war. In Britain, women have joined volunteer medical teams and served in the army's nursing service. In the United States, there was a reserve of female auxiliary personnel of the MP, as well as special women's battalions.

Such military groups were intended for women of the upper class, while women from the working class in various countries, especially in Germany, worked in military factories. As a result of such a shake-up of social classes, when the poor and the rich, men and women all together, like never before, has grown such a phenomenon as emancipation in a woman's dress.

1915 - 1919 - New silhouette.

It was the time of the Art Nouveau figure

Now the emphasis in women's underwear was not on shaping the female figure, but on her support. The traditional corset has evolved into a bra that is now indispensable for the more physically active woman. The first modern bra came from Mary Phelps Jacob, a creation she patented in 1914.

The traditional bodice was replaced by the fashion for a high waist, tied with a beautiful wide scarf belt. Fabrics such as natural silk, linen, cotton and wool were used, and artificial silk began to be used - twill, gabardine (wool), organza (silk) and chiffon (cotton, silk or viscose). Thanks to young designers like Coco Chanel, materials such as jersey and denim have come to life.

In 1910. there was a horizontal look at the design of dresses. Alternatively, vertical capes were used, such as the popular Poiret kimono jackets, which were worn over a set of jacket and tailored skirts. The hem of the casual wear was slightly above the ankle; the traditional floor-length evening dress began to rise slightly from 1910.

By 1915, along with the appearance of a flared skirt (also known as a military crinoline), a reduction in the length of clothing, and, consequently, with the appearance of now visible shoes, a new silhouette began to appear. Lace-up shoes with heels have become a nice addition to models for the winter - beige and white colors have joined the usual black and brown colors! With the development of hostilities, evening dresses and clothes for tea began to disappear from the collections.

Annette Kellerman - the swimsuit revolution

Swimsuit designs from the Edwardian period led to the overthrow of public mores when women on the beach began to show off their legs, albeit wearing stockings.

Aside from the Australians, especially Australian swimmer Annette Kellerman, who in some way revolutionized swimwear, it should be noted that swimwear changed gradually from 1900 to 1920.

Kellerman caused quite a stir when, upon arrival in the United States, she appeared on the beach in a tight-fitting swimsuit, as a result of which she was arrested in Massachusetts for indecent nudity. Her trial marked a turning point in swimwear history and also helped to break the outdated regulations that led to her imprisonment. She created the look for the beauties in swimwear from Max Sennett, as well as the standards for sexy swimwear from Jantzen that came later.

The birth of the Charleston dress look

It is difficult to pinpoint exactly when the low-waisted tomboy dress style emerged and became the norm by 1920. The image of mother and daughter created by Jeanne Lanvin in 1914 attracts attention here.

Take a close look at your daughter's little hipster rectangular dress and you will recognize the Charleston dress that will dominate just a few years later!

Black was the standard color during World War I, and petite Coco Chanel decided to get the most out of it and other neutral colors, as well as from wartime clothing, and thanks to Chanel's love of simplicity, a shirt dress with a belt at a low waist was created. , whose models were shown at the Harpers Bazaar in 1916.

This love of her more sporty and casual dresses began to spread quickly from the seaside town of Deauville, where she opened a shop, to Paris, London and beyond. In the 1917 edition of Harper's Bazaar, it was noticed that the name Chanel simply did not leave the lips of buyers.

Paul Poiret's star began to fade with the onset of the war, and when he returned in 1919 with numerous beautiful models in a new silhouette, his name was no longer so admirable. Accidentally bumping into Chanel in Paris in 1920, he asked her:

"Madam, for whom do you mourn?" Chanel wore her signature black colors. She replied: "For you, my dear Poiret!"

There is no designer who has never quoted his predecessors. Putting a well-forgotten old into a new way is a favorite technique of Jeremy Scott, Karl Lagerfeld and Nicolas Ghesquière. In order to guess the couturier's allusions at a glance at the silhouette and cut, it is worth understanding the history of fashion of the last century.

1910: PARIS DICTES A NEW STYLE - ART DECO

Belle Epoque (translated from French - "beautiful era") with the characteristic hourglass silhouette is replaced by Art Deco. The new canon of beauty - natural, unrestricted forms of the female body. Europe is dressing up in exotic outfits, inspired by the ballet Scheherazade, presented by Diaghilev as part of the Russian Seasons in Paris.

Fashion designer: Paul Poiret is a fashion reformer, it was he who freed women from corsets and bustles, offering loose tunic dresses in the ancient Greek style, as well as capes, montoes and harem pants inspired by the East. Poiret introduced exotic and orientalism into fashion, cultivating luxury and abundance in clothes: expensive fabrics and a lot of decor are the hallmarks of his creations.

Styles: a dress with a high waist, a skirt narrowed to the bottom, a skirt-trousers, harem pants, a kimono cape, a dress-sari, a turban, a pouch-pouch.

Fabrics and decor: brocade, silk, velvet, taffeta, oriental ornaments, gold thread embroidery, precious stones, batik.

Style icons: Isadora Duncan made Poiret's loose tunic dress famous all over the world, appearing in a translucent outfit on stage - an unheard of insolence. Another fashionable icon of the era - Ida Rubinstein, the star of the "Scheherazade" ballet - did not leave the image of an oriental beauty even outside the stage, choosing silk kimonos for every day.

1920s: EMANCIPATION AND JAZZ

An emancipated woman drives a car, writes novels, smokes, and dances the Charleston in a comfortable straight dress with a low waist - a symbol of the era. Coco Chanel's discreet elegance is juxtaposed with the excesses of the "jazz era": feathers, boas and fringes. The garcon style (translated from French - "boy") got along with art deco, which is still popular.

Fashion designer: Coco Chanel dressed women in men's clothes and proved that a little black dress, complemented by a string of pearls, is an evening version no worse than a beaded dress. Jeanne Lanvin was responsible for a more feminine fashion direction.

Styles: cylindrical dress, fur monto, jacket, cardigan, loose canvas pants, beach pajamas suit, cloche hat, headbands and hair bands with abundant decor.

Fabrics and decor: lace, silk, velvet, wool, boucle, jersey; basic colors - black, white, gray, cream, beige; pearl jewelry, a minimum of decor - at Chanel, a maximum - at the rest (embroidery, feathers, bows, bugles).

Style icons: Silent film actress and dancer Louise Brooks became famous not only for her freedom of morals, but also for her love of cloche hats. Tennis player Susanne Lengle introduced the fashion for sportswear for women.

1930s: HOLLYWOOD'S COLD FEELING

The new era decisively abandons the androgynous style of the dress, which hides sensual curves. Fashion designers proclaim a different silhouette - an accentuated waist, from which a flowing long skirt extends. Following the athletes, the girls begin to wear jersey. The luxurious decor of the past decade has been forgotten - the Great Depression and the feeling of an imminent war set completely different moods.

Fashion designer: Elsa Schiaparelli invents a sweater dress, a jumper with a print, for the first time uses viscose and a zipper. She is the first provocateur and surrealist from fashion. What is even a dress with a lobster and parsley or a hat in the shape of a shoe!

Styles: a floor-length dress with an accentuated waistline, a sweater dress, a jumper, pleated tennis skirts, polo dresses, sweatpants, silk gloves to the elbow, trains, the first bathing suits.

Fabrics and decor: tulle, silk, velvet, wool, knitwear; noble saturated and pastel colors - dark blue, burgundy, pearl; lace trim.

Style icons: Women of cold beauty, Hollywood stars - Marlene Dietrich and Greta Garbo, alluring from the screens with perfection and sophistication.

1940s: Wartime dictates its own rules

The war breaks out, and the girls are forced to abandon luxurious elaborate outfits. Clothes in the military style appeared - women's things, sewn from the same fabrics as the uniform of the military. While fashion in Europe is constrained by the limitations of World War II, the United States creates its own "haute couture".

Fashion designer: The main "trendsetter" of the decade is the shortage of fabrics, buttons, decorative elements. It is he who determines the innovations in the women's wardrobe: shortens the length of the skirt, prohibits fluffy frills due to the high consumption of fabric, deprives of stockings and stilettos, and girls have to wear hats and scarves to hide untidy hair.

Styles: a fitted jacket with overhead shoulders, a double-breasted coat, a pencil skirt, a blouse with lantern sleeves, a shirt-cut dress with an emphasis on the waist, a nautical-style dress, a hat with a veil, a belt, brooches, beads.

Fabrics: dark green, khaki, brown, gray, dark gray, black, blue, white, light yellow, red; wool, cotton, flannel; cage, polka-dot print.

Style icons: America's sex symbol, Hollywood actress Rita Hayworth and pin-up models Betty Grable and Betty Page. Images of beauties were so fond of American soldiers that they repeated them even on airplanes.

1950s: The rise of Parisian fashion and new femininity

Paris is returning the title of fashion capital. New look - the new look of a woman, proposed by Christian Dior, is gaining popularity. During the war years, everyone was too tired of hardships! Girls strive to look as feminine as possible and spend a lot of time and money on toilets.

Fashion designers: Christian Dior lavishly spends yards of fabric on one high-waisted full skirt (outrageous and delightful luxury!) And again tightens women into corsets. Cristobal Balenciaga takes a different path and prefers a straight silhouette and architectural experiments with Dior's "buds" and "hourglass". Coco Chanel returns to the world of fashion and presents a tweed jacket with a skirt, while Hubert Givenchy creates elegant, aristocratic outfits for his muse Audrey Hepburn.

Styles: a bustier dress to the floor, a flared pleated skirt, a short narrow jacket at the waist, an A-line coat with three-quarter sleeves, gloves, a small hat, a clutch bag, pointed toe shoes, pearls, necklaces.

Fabrics and decor: velor, flannel, wool, silk, satin, suede; embroidered flowers, lace, small floral pattern, horizontal stripes.

Style icons: Marilyn Monroe, Grace Kelly, Sophia Loren, Elizabeth Taylor and Audrey Hepburn dictate fashion from the screens, showcasing the latest models of the most popular designers.

1960s: Riot in fashion and art and the sexual revolution

Freedom of morals is the fashionable anthem of the era! A mini-skirt, jeans, a trouser suit, a-line dresses and A-line coats appear in the women's wardrobe. Fashion designers, following contemporary artists, experiment with might and main and create clothes from vinyl and synthetic materials.

Fashion designers: British designer Mary Quant gave the world a mini skirt. André Courrez and Yves Saint Laurent almost simultaneously presented a short trapeze dress, which became an absolute hit. In addition to Haute Couture, couturiers are starting to create pret-a-porter collections.

Styles: miniskirt, high-waisted trousers, jeans, a-line dress, coat with a round collar, peasant-style shirt, sundress, knee-high boots, bag with a long strap, wide-brimmed hats.

Fabrics and decor: cotton, denim, knitwear, wool, viscose, stripes, checks, polka dots, small patterns; strings, bows, collars, lace trim.

Style icons: Brigitte Bardot made the sensual look ultra-trendy: her tousled brushed styling and bright black arrows were copied everywhere. Jacqueline Kennedy has reconciled trends and timeless classics in her stylish looks and has served as a model of elegance for thousands of women from all over the world.

1970s: Youth subcultures choose their heroes

The denim boom is sweeping the world: blue and blue, ripped and frayed denim are at the peak of their popularity. Following the growing movement, hippie couturiers are turning to folklore and ethnicity. Unisex style is gaining ground - men and women dress in the same, simple and comfortable clothes. Contemporary music dictates its dress code - this is how the disco style emerges. Shocking punk - the style of rebellious youth - was adopted by Vivienne Westwood. New fashion centers appear - for example, in the first Milan Fashion Week, Giorgio Armani, Gianni Versace and the Missoni family presented their collections.

Fashion designer: Yves Saint Laurent gave fashion a feminine tuxedo, sheer blouse, safari style, abstract prints, African motifs and much more. "Japanese in Paris" Kenzo Takada was an apologist for Asian sensuality and street style. Sonia Rykiel made a sweater dress from fine knitwear her trademark, and Oscar de la Renta opened a brand in New York.

Styles: turtlenecks, shirts, jeans, bell-bottomed trousers, sundresses, knitted sweaters, cardigans, hats, ponchos, canvas bags, baubles, overalls.

Fabrics and decor: linen, cotton, wool, silk, denim, bright colors, colorful ornaments, embroidery, oriental and floral patterns, beading.

Style icons: Jane Birkin shocked the audience with revealing outfits, for example, a mesh dress worn over a naked body. Model Lauren Hutton showed off how to dress in safari style in everyday life, and Jerry Hall was a disco fanatic and advised adding glamor to any outfit.

1980s: The Age of Strong Women

The business woman is the new ideal of the era. Designers come up with a whole wardrobe for an independent and successful woman. And then they go further, presenting defiantly sexy outfits that prove what power the so-called weaker sex has over men.

Fashion designer: Karl Lagerfeld becomes creative director of Chanel in 1983 and launches the House's first ready-to-wear line. Japanese designers Yohji Yamamoto and Rei Kawakubo declare themselves a completely new trend in fashion - deconstructivism, which transforms and breaks the usual silhouettes of clothes.

Styles: classic trousers with arrows, jackets and tuxedos with overhead shoulders, sheath dresses, dresses and sweaters with bat sleeves, leather jackets and raincoats, leggings, bustier tops, mini and midi leather, platform shoes, boots.

Fabrics and decor: leather, mohair, velor, velveteen, suede, silk, satin, viscose; rich and neon shades, animal prints, vertical stripes.

Style icons: Grace Jones, who did not change her boyish short hair and leather outfits. Madonna and her aggressive sexual image.

1990s: Minimalism, theatricality and street style

The fashion world is divided into two camps. The first advocates the principles of minimalism that entered the industry with the Jil Sander collection. The second - enthusiastically follows the crazy experiments of Alexander McQueen and Jean-Paul Gaultier and supports their couture frenzy. The mass market is spreading all over the world, penetrating even into the USSR - already disintegrated, but still closed. Sports style, grunge and punk are relevant to young people around the world.

Fashion designers: Marc Jacobs showcases a grunge collection at Fashion Week on behalf of Perry Ellis. John Galliano shocks critics with his theatrical shows. Calvin Klein brings androgyny back into fashion.

Styles: T-shirts, pullovers, denim jackets, low-waisted jeans, denim skirts, sundresses with thin straps, hoodies and sweatshirts, sneakers and sneakers, rough boots.

Fabrics and decor: cotton, denim, leather, flannel, viscose, chiffon, all colors, prints with logos and names of famous companies.

Style icons: Supermodels Linda Evangelista, Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, Christy Turlington, Claudia Schiffer and Kate Moss, who became not just faces of the era, but role models for millions.

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Undoubtedly, Paris is one of the brightest and most famous fashion capitals, and even a hundred years ago it also caused admiration and surprise of the whole world for its bold design decisions and its exquisite style. If now the most interesting is happening on the catwalk, then in 1910 it was enough to come to the hippodrome to see with your own eyes the most fashionable dresses and accessories.

By 1910, the silhouette of a woman's dress had become softer and more graceful. After the tremendous success of the "Scheherazade" ballet, a craze for oriental culture began in Paris. Couturier Paul Poiret(Paul Poiret) was one of the first to bring this trend to the fashion world. Poiret's clients were easily recognizable by their brightly colored pantaloons, flamboyant turban hats and colorful dresses in which women resembled exotic geishas.

At this time, the art deco movement was formed, which instantly found their reflection in fashion. Felt hats, tall turban hats and an abundance of tulle became fashionable. At the same time, the first woman couturier, Jeanne Paquin, appeared, who was one of the first to open her design offices abroad in London, Buenos Aires and Madrid.

One of the most influential fashion designers at the time was Jacques Doucet. His designs were different from the rest - they were pastel-colored outfits, with a surplus of lace and jewelry that glittered and shimmered in the sun. He was a favorite designer of French actresses who sported his dresses not only on theater stages, but in everyday life.

In the early twentieth century, high-waisted dresses were popular. However, by 1910, tunics over a long skirt were in vogue. This layering of outfits was observed in the collection of almost all couturiers of that time. Later, in 1914, skirts, strongly tapered at the ankles, became fashionable. It was quite difficult to move around in such outfits, but fashion, as you know, sometimes requires sacrifice.

As if in a time machine, we continue to return to the most significant decades for the history of fashion of the 20th century - and the next is 1910-1919. In that era, European fashion succumbed to colossal influence from the outside: this is the widespread popularization of sports, and the expansion of the Eastern, and then the national Russian styles (along with Diaghilev's Russian Seasons), and, of course, the First World War, which divided the decade into two periods and made people take a fresh look at fashion and the entire clothing business in general.

1910-1913: sporty style and new colors

The main discovery for the history of fashion in the pre-war era was the new color scheme. In 1905, at an exhibition in Paris, bright multi-colored paintings by the Fauves (Matisse, Derain and others) were demonstrated; in 1911, Sergei Diaghilev, as part of his ballet tour “Russian Seasons”, staged the ballets Scheherazade and Cleopatra with colorful costumes by Leon Bakst in London. made in oriental style. Orientalism, with its vibrant colors and rich décor, is emerging as a new fashion trend in the early 1910s, bringing vibrant colors of spices and outlandish plants to the catwalks instead of pastel shades. The famous French couturier Paul Poiret was also considered the trendsetter for Orientalism. He pioneered this era: Poiret freed women from corsets by highlighting a new silhouette with straight vertical lines and high waists. He also simplified the cut of the dress, making the silhouette soft and natural, and adding vibrant color and ethnic-inspired décor.

At the same time, the early years of the new decade draw inspiration from the 1900s that have not far gone from the history of fashion. For the ladies at beau monde, the daily routine still means four changes a day - morning, noon, tea and evening dinner. Girls prepare for a marriage, which is obligatory in this era, by collecting a dowry in advance. It included at least twelve evening dresses, two or three evening capes, four street dresses, two coats, twelve hats, ten home - "tea" - dresses and dozens of pairs of shoes and stockings.

In 1913, sportswear was added to the lady's already extensive wardrobe. The passion for sports spreads throughout Europe from England, where horse riding and cycling are extremely popular. Ladies start playing golf, croquet and tennis, skating, horses and in open cars instead of horse carriages - all these active activities required getting rid of a corset with metal rods and abandoning overly fluffy dresses with long skirts in favor of light dresses with straight, slightly fitted silhouette and ankle-length skirt.

The lady is allowed to take off her corset during the traditional in England five o'clock: "tea" dresses had a lace bib with a high collar, puffy sleeves and a long skirt with a floral pattern that freely fell from the chest and today would remind us of our grandmothers' nightgowns. But the evening dress code was still strict: ladies competed in the luxury of their hats, and silk dresses sparkled with expensive trimmings of lace, embroidery or fur ...

1914-1919: the military of modern times

In August 1914 Germany declares war on France. A general mobilization begins in the country, and haute couture fades into the background: the entire light industry is thrown into the needs of the front. Evening dresses practically disappear from seasonal collections (only the United States remains their main customer in the war), and the ladies no longer need, as before, to change four times a day. Dark colors that were previously used only for outerwear are coming into fashion: black, gray, navy blue and khaki.

Since 1914, women's clothing begins to experience the influence of the military style: the silhouette of day dresses becomes minimalistic, the length of the skirts is shortened almost to mid-calf, and pockets appear on them. A work suit for a woman consists of the main must have of this era - an elongated fitted jacket with large buttons - and a long narrow hobble skirt, which has become the "grandmother" of the modern pencil skirt. During these years, the British brands Burberry and Aquascutum earned a name for themselves by introducing a military cloak - a trench coat into women's wardrobe.

With the change in the length of the skirt, the role of shoes becomes more and more important - in this era, leather shoes with an ankle strap and ankle boots with buttons or lace-up, but always made of leather of two colors, are in fashion.

It was during the war years that Coco Chanel's finest hour falls: having opened its first store in Deauville in 1913, Chanel is actively recruiting clients. Her simple but elegant jersey suits, consisting of a white blouse with a V-collar, a loose sweater with a belt and a turn-down collar (which Coco borrowed from sailors) and a fluffy mid-calf skirt, were incredibly popular and allowed Chanel already in 1916 year to join the ranks of the couturier and demonstrate his first haute couture collection.

The war gives a tremendous impetus to the development of the ready-to-wear industry - companies that worked for the needs of the front and produced military uniforms during the war, already in peacetime begin to switch to the production of clothes and prêt-a-porter shoes for daily wear.

This period is characterized by a feverish search for new expressive means and forms. The fashion of that time reflected current political problems, the development of social movements, the struggle of women for equality. The Russo-Japanese War and the rise of colonialism led to the emergence of exotic elements in fashion.

The new looks of the decade are based on elements of pre-war fashion. Despite the economic crisis, rising inflation and an acute shortage of fabrics and accessories, they amaze with their luxury.

Social events of the period 1910-1920, which most influenced the development of fashion:
World War I 1914-1918

Silhouettes 1910-20:

Disappeared:
Corsets.
Lame skirts.
Complex hairstyles.
Big hats.
Embroidery, applique, lace.
The skirts have been shortened.

Appeared:
Functional details of military clothing: high "aviator stands", patch pockets, turn-down collars (like a service jacket).
Suit: Widened skirt with front closure + baggy jacket with patch pockets and a turn-down collar or with an aviator stand collar.
Fluffy skirt + military-style jacket - with an abundance of lacing, high uniform collars, strict lapels, metal buttons.

Handmade knitwear-jackets, cardigans, jumpers, scarves, hats.
Casual dresses only reached the calf and are worn with high lace-up boots.
Ash (a small skirt-like addition previously sewn to the men's doublet or vest, later to the women's bodice, somewhat lengthening the garment below the waist line). Another name: Basque.
Barrel-shaped silhouette.
Leggings, felt hats, mufflers.
Short hair for women.

The influence of military uniforms was felt in everyday high fashion. The elegant models retained the elements of the pre-war fashion:
Turbans with feather aigrette.
Dresses in oriental style with a high waistline (their skirts have become wider and shorter).
"Military crinolines" - wide bell-shaped skirts, which took a lot of fabric to sew. Instead of the traditional crinoline hoops, numerous petticoats were used here. The price of such a product was quite high despite the poor quality of the material and finish. "Military crinolines" - a manifestation of the romantic style, as a result of war weariness.
The pannier skirt is wide at the hips, flat in front and back (Panier-basket in French).
Spanish style (Spain did not fight and everything Spanish was associated with a peaceful life): high combs and mantilla, tango shoes with webbing and ties, Spanish dresses in the style of "flamenco".

Dresses in the style of those worn during the era of King Louis XV: a very narrow bodice and a wide skirt with ruffles on the sides, emphasizing the line of the hips.

In 1909, Chanel began her career in the fashion world, offering women:
Jersey sports dresses.
Sweaters.
Blazers.
Pleated calf-length skirts.
Shirt dresses.
English cotton blouses
Knitted suits.
Pajamas in which you can go down to the bomb shelter.

This was the time of the cult of the operetta, which was not only fun entertainment, but also introduced new types of clothing. In addition to the operetta and the always fashionable drama theaters, revues and cabarets with famous artists such as Mistenget in Paris or Lucina Messal in Poland played a similar role. They introduced not only the Argentine tango dance, but - along with it - the skirt-trousers.

It is also worth mentioning the role of ballet in shaping fashion and new approaches to clothing design. The trap of the past and classical ballet, which turned choreography into graphic signs, into the so-called writing of dance, which in the 19th century inspired many artists (Degas, Toulouse-Lautrec, etc.), faded into the background in the 20th century.

New theories proclaimed that value lies not in skillful design, but in natural, expressive body movements. The embodiment of this new idea was the work of Isadora Duncan, who had a considerable influence on the fashion of her time.

The desire for reform and simplification in dress was most clearly manifested in ballet, which surprisingly strongly influenced public taste.

The revolution in fashion was caused by the tour in Paris of the Russian ballet Diaghilev with the famous dancer Nijinsky and the ballerina Karsavina. The costumes for the ballet, made according to Bakst's sketches, were distinguished by great originality, as well as the scenery of the ballets.

These performances marked the beginning of theatrical reform and the end of naturalistic performances. The music of Debussy, Ravel, Prokofiev and Stravinsky, fantastic costumes and new reenactments of the works Scheherazade, The Rose Fairy, Petrushka, Tamara and others were wonderful lessons that were enjoyed in the salons until the First World War.

Costume designers Bizet and Radius wrote that 1909, in which these ballets appeared on the stage, became a significant date in the history of fashion. This year has sparked a burst of enthusiasm in the creation of richly embroidered fabrics and the use of transparent, smoky, as haze, muslins.

Along with this, the banner of eastern luxury, the wealth of the palaces of the sultans and the gardens of the caliphs, was raised. Already in 1910, their influence on fashion was noticeable. Exotic elements appeared not only in the composition of clothing itself, but also in the entire art of decor.

Later, in the 1920s, a love for decorative fabrics arose, which was a definite echo of this influence.

Costume by L. Bakst for the ballet "Daphnis and Chloe" staged by Diaghilev, 1912. Parisian dress model, inspired by the costumes by L. Bakst

New theories proclaimed that value lies not in skillful design, but in natural, expressive body movements.

The embodiment of this new idea was the dance of the sandal dancer Isadora Duncan, an American by birth, who arrived in Europe in 1900 at the age of 22 and revolutionized both choreographic art and theatrical costume (which formerly consisted of tutu, i.e. That is, pantaloons and gas skirts worn over them, the number of which sometimes reached twenty).

At first she danced barefoot, barely dressed in a transparent shirt and shawl. Plastic techniques were drawn from classical sculptures, images on ancient Greek and Etruscan amphoras, and reliefs on the pediments of temples. Isadora Duncan embodied her concept, gleaned in the ritual dances of the Vestals, in the living plasticity and rhythm of Isadora Duncan.

Her dance was sculpture, melody and movement accentuated by the evolution of the sheer shawl. This dance became the basis of the theory of rhythmic dancing.

Already the initial masterpieces were rewarded with resounding fame. Touring all over Europe since 1900, at the beginning of her artistic career exclusively in private houses and palaces, and later on the stages of theaters, Isadora Duncan instilled a love for antique simplicity by performing classical dances in antique clothes and charming personality.

Her dance influenced the fact that the first costumes of a new, strict line, introduced by Paul Poiret, had a stylized antique character. The desire for reform and simplification in dress was most clearly manifested in ballet, which surprisingly strongly influenced public taste.

The flourishing of exotic elements in fashion was facilitated by the acquaintance of Europeans with the folk art of the colonial countries, the countries of the Near and Far East, which led to a new approach in the ornamentation of fabrics and the appearance of various shawls, foulard scarves, kerchiefs, etc.

The exoticism was also reflected in the dances of that time. Brazilian maxime and negro cake-walk laid the foundation for a number of new dances, which ultimately include tango. Chanting of the rhythm was characteristic of the music of these dances.

Argentine tango, which became fashionable at that time in Europe, was born from an exotic dance, largely owing its form to the Spaniards.

In the course of its development, tango has undergone many changes, then it finally got the look we are used to, so different from the original.

During the years in question, tango caused a huge protest from the conservative part of European society, just as in the 18th and 19th centuries. such a protest was evoked by the waltz, considered a shameless dance, in the 1920s - the Charleston, and later - rock and roll.

Tango was at first only a stage dance, and the old clothes were not suitable for its performance. For this dance, a special costume was invented in the form of Turkish trousers or draped skirts, in the cut of which the legs were visible.

The Drecol and Beschoff fashion house in Paris demonstrated in 1911 various models of trouser dresses, for example, the so-called jupe-culotte (skirt-trousers), which, however, did not take root everywhere. Only female dancers performed in them, as a result of which the new tango dance was called "trouser dance".

A small number of women who dared to appear in these dresses on the street were ridiculed, and therefore such a costume quickly disappeared.

In accordance with the general line of fashion, they also tried to wear just trousers, but they did not take root, because they went against the accepted norms of public morality.

In 1908-1914. the ideal was a woman with white matte skin, with brown hair, who took part in sessions of spiritualism and shone like an angel. Previously, the fresh, infant blush had to disappear, and women from a young age tried to create the impression of experienced and knowledgeable.

Pale as a statue and melancholic woman, dressed in transparent gas and muslin, she surrounded herself in the interior with light, pastel colors close in tone, where everything shone from gilding, mirrors and sunlight. She wanted to be loved and was waiting for the oath of allegiance.

In 1913, noisy performances of emancipants began in England, seeking to direct the lives of women on a different path. But most women only wanted to have fun and be loved.

Sports did not yet occupy a significant place in the life of women, but nevertheless, it was during this period that the influence of sports on fashion began to manifest itself quite strongly, in connection with which a turn towards freedom and simplicity began.

There were no longer so many folds and stripes of laces, many previously used decorations. Hairstyles became smoother and lower, the neck, arms and legs were exposed.

Linen began to undergo huge changes: underskirts, bodices, shirts, pantaloons and covers.

The tren disappeared, the boots became lighter and were replaced by different shoes. Women, exhausted by the bondage of corsets, willingly got rid of the terrible pressure in the belt. A wide variety of forms of clothing have emerged.

This and the subsequent period, which lasted until 1923, is characterized by frequent changes in fashion trends, caused by the search for new means of expression and convenience.

The new forms not only did not emphasize the anatomical structure, as it was in 1901-1907, but also tried, albeit timidly, to tone it down.

Between 1908 and 1914, there are (theoretically) several stages in which fashion was influenced by different styles.

The influence of Greek costumes can be traced around 1909, the Empire style around 1911, and oriental clothing around 1913.

Dresses based on Greek clothing:
1 - French model, Poiret project, 1903;
2 - Polish model, 1911; 3 - English model, 1910

Clothes based on oriental motives:
1 - dress and headdress, Poiret project, 1911;
2 - dress in the style of "narrow fashion", Paris, 1914;
3 - dress with a skirt pulled up at the hips, Poland, 1914

Empire style dresses:
1 - Polish model; 2 - French model;
3 - English model.

1911-1914 brought samples of the return of "narrow fashion". During the described period, there were predominantly pseudo-style solutions, and the fashion became more and more uncertain.

Fashion 1911-1914 characterized by the softness of the lines, emphasizing the natural bulge of the silhouette and at the same time giving it a feminine character, but not as pronounced as before.

Soft, flowing lightweight fabrics fell freely, giving the garment a distinctive character that was defined as mode lingerie at the time.

This period includes the abandonment of rigid shemizettes that fit the neck, a neckline is introduced that exposes the shoulders (the so-called “nude fashion.” Silk linings, which strengthened even very thin fabrics in the previous period, are no longer used.

Moderation has come in the main lines. The former "bell" shape and "curved" lines gave way to strict lines, and the silhouette began to be called "cue".

The waist rose high, as in the fashion of the First Empire, and the messengers of this turn were very wide belts of silk fabric; they were called "bayadera".

Gone are the big sleeves; the sleeve became narrow, sewn smoothly below the shoulder, or kimono. Asymmetry was one of the foundations of the overall composition, which found expression in asymmetrical draperies, flaps, gussets, fancy tunic hems, linings, etc.

The influence of oriental clothing was manifested in the linings that widen the dress below the hips, and in the use of expensive fabrics, colored, transparent, with fabulous ornamentation.

The Parisian name is Leon Bakst. In 1910, Paris saw the ballet Scheherazade in the Russian Seasons program organized by Sergei Diaghilev. The ballet was staged by the famous Mikhail Fokin, and the scenery and costumes were made according to Lev Bakst's sketches. He creates his own special Bakst style. Paris forgot that Bakst was a foreigner, that he had his roots in Russia. The name Leon Bakst began to sound like the most Parisian of all Parisian names. They began to imitate his productions, his ideas varied indefinitely. In Diaghilev's ballets, the artist was a full-fledged partner of the director and choreographer. Thus, Bakst worked closely with the famous Fokin, and then with the no less famous Nijinsky, when staging Stravinsky's ballets. His principles of pictorial design were unconditionally accepted by critics. Bakst designs performances not only in Paris, but also in London and Rome.

Parisian fashion lawmakers began to promote the "Bakst style". He was approached with orders for sketches of costumes. This fascinated the artist immensely and he creates a series of gorgeous costumes as well as fabric designs. "... Bakst managed to grasp that elusive nerve of Paris, which rules fashion, and his influence is now being felt everywhere in Paris - both in ladies' dresses and at art exhibitions," M. Voloshin wrote in 1911.

Paul Poiret began working for Doucet and Worth, and in 1903 opened his own fashion house.

Poiret created a powerful fashion empire. Nowadays, fashion houses produce different products under the same brand, but then it was sharply different from the generally accepted norms.

The silhouette he created freed women from the corset: a falling skirt that does not reach the floor, a high waistline. This went against the rules of decency. But only two years passed and this innovation was accepted. In 1909 Sergei Diaghilev brought Russian art, including ballet, to Europe. Thanks to the first Parisian season of the Russian Ballet, France discovered the beauty of the East. The ballet Cleopatra was dominated by a riot of colors: a combination of violet and emerald, pink with yellow and black. This cultural event influenced the work of Paul Poiret: he included oriental motifs in his collections and began to create clothes in new colors on a new silhouette - harem pants, turbans, bright colors and ornaments: pink, gold, canary yellow, poisonous green, azure blue. Clothes have never been so colorful. It was more than exotic. Paul Poiret won over the audience.

Paul Poiret invented the lampshade tunic - a tunic-like garment about knee length. Another of his inventions - a "lame" skirt - it narrowed below the knee. It was possible to walk in it only in small steps, which is why it got that name.

Poiret successfully renewed the fashion for a combination of trousers and skirts, trousers and tunics.

The inspiration and muse of Paul Poiret was his wife Denise.

Two of the best illustrators worked with Paul Poiret - Paul Irib and Georges Lepap, who embodied Poiret's models in illustrations.

In 1911, Paul Poiret released the first designer perfume "Rosina" (named after the eldest daughter). Everything from start to finish: the creation of the fragrance, design of the bottle, packaging, advertising, distribution - was invented and carried out by the designer himself. This meant an invasion of a new market, which at the time was the monopoly of French perfumers. Paul Poiret, together with Raoul Doufy, are actively working on the creation of fabrics. Paul Poiret once said: "The couturier, like the fabric, speaks many languages ​​with one goal - to glorify female beauty." Paul Poiret was a passionate admirer of modern art and closely associated with such geniuses of the 20th century as the painters Henry Matisse and Pablo Picasso, the poet Jean Cocteau. Paul Poiret was a philanthropist. In 1911, he opens the Martin studio (named after his youngest daughter) in Paris. There, girls from poor families were taught not only to sew, embroider, but also art history, drawing.

Paul Poiret became a legend during his lifetime. Understanding the relationship between fashion and advertising, organizing events and performances. He was more than just a couturier. Poiret became the founder of the modern concept of "fashion as a lifestyle". He practically invented and used marketing and PR (Public relation) strategies, which are now common practice and the norm. His houses, salons, celebrations that he organized became an amazing performance and spectacle, where his works - dresses played the main role. One example: to advertise his fashion house, he hired fashion models, dressed them in his outfits and took them around Europe and to Russia. All this was accompanied by high-profile articles in the press and photo reports.

Art Deco style. ERTE (ERTE real name and surname TYRTOV Roman Petrovich 1892 - 1990) - Russian artist, representative of Art Nouveau, luminary of graphic design and famous fashion designer. Having abandoned his traditional family career, he settled in Paris in 1912, becoming a correspondent for the St. Petersburg magazine "Ladies Fashion". He did not receive a systematic art education; he did not visit the Academy of R. Julien for a long time. Compiled the pseudonym "Erte" from the first letters of his first and last name. Lived in Paris and Monte Carlo.
Art Deco style - abbreviation of the name of the exhibition "L" Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs et lndu-striels Modernes "-" International Exhibition of Contemporary Decorative and Industrial Arts ", held in 1925 in Paris) - Artistic style of interior design, decorative and applied products art, jewelry, fashion design, and industrial product design and applied graphics.

Coco Chanel - with the help of Capel in 1910, Coco opened her first boutique in Paris - the famous salon on rue Cambon, and three years later - the first branch in Deauville. Soon she had a real Model House in the fashionable resort of Biarritz. What was the secret of such success? Before Chanel, women were buried under kilometers of fabric and lace: tight feather skirts, huge bustles, dust-sweeping trains, and giant hats that looked more like cakes. Chanel herself did not fit dresses that emphasized the wasp waist and a magnificent bust - she had nothing to emphasize. Moreover, such toilets hampered movement. She offered women completely new, unprecedented outfits, often borrowed from the men's wardrobe. For example, a sailor suit with a deep neckline and a wide turn-down collar or a leather jacket in the style of a jockey. She was always inspired by what she liked personally and was comfortable. It was a real revolution. Chanel re-created fashion, regardless of what is accepted and what is not.

"Men's" women's clothing - late 1910s

“Once I put on a men's sweater, just like that, because I got cold ... I tied it up with a scarf (at the waist). I was with the British that day. None of them noticed that I was wearing a sweater ... ”This is how a new women's fashion appeared - flannel blazers, loose-fitting skirts, long jersey sweaters, sailor suits and the famous suit (skirt + jacket).

"Shackled in a corset, chest out, butt exposed, so pulled at the waist, as if cut in two ... to contain such a woman is the same as managing real estate" - Chanel knew what she was talking about. Working, independent, active women simply could not walk in corsets and shuttlecocks.

Chanel Little Black Dress Rules:
- the dress must necessarily cover the knees
- the dress should not have any decorated details: frills, embroidery, lace
- definitely a clear cut accent on the waist
- shoes - closed pumps (not sandals!)
- no large decorations
- small ladies' bag

1914 - World War I

Describing the fashion of 1915-1923, we can safely say that it was a continuation of the search for new means of expression, necessary with such rapidly replacing forms. The main feature of the fashion of these years was a kind of freedom ("saggy") and fantasy. Blouses hung loosely on the shoulders, their peplum and wide belts did not fit the waist. There were short and wide sleeves, sometimes of fantastic outlines, elongated at the front, reminiscent of the Gothic. Ruffled skirts and aprons attached to them, trains, shawls, scarves, etc. hung down.

The spaciousness in clothing, which reached its highest point in 1922, masked the natural outline of the figure. The woman of that time "hung on" a dress. This effect was enhanced by the use of soft tissues, whose plastic properties led to the creation of soft, vague shapes. All of this was a complex resistance to the harsh and refined forms of clothing of the early 20th century.

This period brought important achievements to women in the struggle for equality and, in connection with this, new achievements in the field of dress reform. The reason for this was the First World War, which played a much more significant role in the struggle for equal rights for women than all the previous efforts of emancipants. Left alone, women were forced to bear full responsibility for themselves and their families; they took the place of men in industry, in offices, hospitals, etc., and felt confident in their physical strength and intellectual value.

During the First World War, women began to lead a masculine lifestyle, became conductors in trams, freight forwarders, and some even ended up in auxiliary military services and put on the appropriate uniforms. For example, nurses and American field mail workers wore khaki sports shirts and caps. With the outbreak of the war, the fashion houses were closed, and women themselves more or less skillfully directed the fashion movement, freeing themselves from many ridiculous fantasies that were imposed on them as canons of fashion. Unnecessary jewelry was discarded, and clothing was designed to provide the necessary comfort at work. Reform-style casual clothing became so popular and so firmly established that tailors, returning to their jobs in 1917 and wanting to once again have a dominant role in establishing fashion, had to adopt the garment, and attempts to reintroduce crinoline, or "tight fashion" defeat. At the same time, trins, rigid corsets and excessive jewelry disappeared.

The army, not only European but also colonial, also had a great influence on fashion. She brought the atmosphere of distant lands and the exoticism of beautiful native art. Patterned decorative fabrics from Morocco and Tunisia, beautiful shawls, scarves and other exotic items that charmed Europe appeared. Fashion immediately absorbed new elements of the cut and decoration of Chinese, Arab and Indian costumes.

It may seem paradoxical that, along with the emergence of simple, practical, rational clothes, the love for an abundance of patterns, lace, appliqués, knitting, beads, etc. increased again. This was explained by the activities of Parisian tailors, who, not wanting to completely lose their influence, protested against a simple cut and began to introduce fantastic additions to dresses of simple, forms. From a magazine article of that time: "... dresses of simple cut and without adornments caused displeasure among the ladies. They tried to influence the artists who create the models in order to introduce decorations, even in excessive quantities. For a long time they had not seen dresses so embroidered, embroidered with pearls, hemstitch trimmed with gathered ribbons, appliqués made of cloth, embroidered with thick wire and a huge number of thin ribbons that formed complex patterns on the bottom and on the sleeves of woolen dresses and even covered entire planes ... ". A few years after the outbreak of the war, despite the ongoing struggle at the front, life in the rear returned to normal; balls and parties began to be given again.

Revue theaters, adopting the fastest and boldest of all new forms of clothing, have become at the forefront of fashion. In the revue, there were great differences of opinion on the need for a fantastic framing of plastic, designed by the most famous decorators and tailors, who were influenced by Russian ballet and who decided everything on the contrast of black and saturated colors. In 1921 Poiret designed scenography and costumes for the Casino de Paris revue, operating mainly in black and yellow. This fact led to the widespread penetration of black into women's toilets. In Paris, a special white and black ball was established, which caused stormy protests from tailors. As a rule, the figurative costumes of the actors had an impact on the adoption of certain forms of clothing in life, but the attempt to revive the fashion of ostrich feathers, which were filled with all the costumes of the revue, failed. But the fashion of the Spanish shawl took root thanks to the Argentine dancer Isabella Ruiz, who changed her shawls in every dance.

The changes in fashion were gradual. During the war, suits were widely worn. In the shape of the jackets, the influence of the military uniform was obvious, and the wide skirts, pleated or flared, opened the boots to the bootleg. A moderately narrow sleeve was buttoned up to the cuff, the waist, somewhat lowered at first, returned to its place. The hats were of medium size. In 1917, costumes receded into the background, women took out their pre-war dresses and for a while returned to the fashion of the pre-war years. Attempts were made to lengthen the dresses and even to swaddle the legs, but this did not take root. The skirts, which became narrower and longer, were rounded at the hips and narrowed downwards. The silhouette resembled a spindle. The waist was highlighted. Many assemblies were done in dresses and coats.

J. Lanvin offered her customers shirt dresses.
In 1917-1918, a new silhouette appeared - a dress with two waist lines: high and low, on the hips.

In 1918, the dresses were shortened again and widened thanks to frills that were sewn across the skirts. The expansion was also provided by soft free belts and gathered basques, as well as tunics, which were shorter and wider than skirts (see Fig.).

"Cute girl".

Selfless Mother.

"Exotic vamp woman."

Three completely different ideal looks.

By 1900, the use of makeup was already widespread. However, it was applied so that the result looked as natural as possible. At this time, the pink powder of Helena Rubinstein came in handy, since before the faces covered with white powder looked too artificial. At the same time, her American rival Elizabeth Arden opened her first salon, and soon the two queens of cosmetics began to fight for clients, releasing more and more new products. They recommended that women visit beauty parlors regularly. We started with deep cleaning of the skin with steam - just like today.

During the war, it became unacceptable to waste time and money on cosmetics. A little lipstick on the lips, a drop of shiny Vaseline on the eyelids - that's all. Hair, which had previously been curled in flirty curls a la Mary Pickford, began to be separated by a clear parting. The men at the front should have known that their women had abandoned all coquetry, behaved modestly and cordially, like Lillian Diana Guiche.

Photo: "Sweet Girl" Lillian Diana Gish was fully consistent with the tastes of the time. The silent film star, who never found herself in sound films, has been on stage since the age of five.

Selling cosmetics to these selfless women was not easy. Therefore, most cosmetics have been declared beneficial to health.

Vaseline, with the help of which they gave shine to the lips and eyelids, was considered an ointment; at the same time, the majority of women did not realize, however, as well as today, that it was a problem of selling goods. Since what has to do with medicine should not look frivolous, women are more likely to resort to cosmetic surgery than to use cosmetics. Surgery to smooth out wrinkles by injecting paraffin under the skin has become common.

Photo: Teda Bara - an exotic beauty with an inviting look and a small heart-shaped mouth was considered the embodiment of sins and presented on the screen the hidden fantasies of prim America in the images of Salome, Madame Dubarry and Cleopatra.

After the war, virtue was finished - everyone wanted to look mysterious and fatal.

Photo: Gloria Swenson angel and devil rolled into one. The image of an exotic vamp woman. His ideal embodiment was called Gloria Swenson (1899-1983), who, on the one hand, behaved like a socialite, and on the other hand, appeared without hesitation in erotic outfits such as satin lingerie, silk kimonos and luxurious furs. She played in scandalous and risky roles, the theme of which was betrayal, threesome love and sexual liberation of a woman. And she did all this with great elegance.

Hair was cut like a boy, eyes were drawn with an eyebrow pencil, lips were painted very brightly, and the exoticism of accessories knew no bounds, which in 1910 Poiret called for with his harem style.

From 1914 to 1918, women and men had only one ideal: the selfless sister of mercy. This was especially true of the Red Cross sisters, whose uniforms were designed by couturier Radfern. Admiration for unselfish service went so far that society ladies immortalized themselves in the guise of nuns or sisters of mercy and sent these photographs to their husbands at the front.

Photo: Ida Rubinstein - Sister of Mercy in a Paris hospital during the First World War.

Style: Art nouveau, Art Deco
Designers: Coco Chanel (beginning), Jeanne Paquin, Jeanne Lanvin, Léon Bakst, Jacques Doucet
Illustrators: George Barbier, George Lepape
Music: Tango, Waltz Boston, Ragtime, Jazz (start)
Art: Ballets Russes, Fauvism, Cubism, Dadoism, Futurism.