06:04
Nov 14, 2021
4
4
'WHAT DID MEN WEAR IN THE 1920S? 1920s Men’s Fashion History (PART 1). A 1920s man dressed for his class or his job more than for an occasion, like women did. Upper-class gentlemen dressed in the finest suits, middle-class businessmen wore similar (but not as expensive) suits, and working-class men were in laborers’ clothes. Outside of work, men wore casual sporting clothes on the weekends. MEN’S BUSINESS ATTIRE. A working family man would put his work clothes on almost immediately in the morning. He may have also put on his robe or smoking jacket while eating, reading the paper or fixing his hair. A businessman wore an appropriate 3 piece suit to the office on business calls and often to dinners and parties, too. He was not subject to the multiple changes of clothing as women were. The type of suit changed with his seniority at work and the season. Some men in upper-level positions still wore men’s formal morning suits with cutaway coats, striped pants, cravats, and vests to work. Everyone else wore the quality of suit they could afford. Usually, a man had 3 or 4 suits he would wear during the week, changing shirts daily. Business suits were purchased with an extra set of pants since they wore out quicker than suit coats and vests. Dress shirts were striped with white round or pointed collars that were detachable up until the late 1920s. Cufflinks were also necessary. Learn more about men’s shirts here. In the early years, suits were slim and plain colored. By the mid ’20s, the wide leg look with a loose suit coat made men much more comfortable. These also came in bolder wide stripes, big checks, windowpane, plaid, and tweed fabrics. Gentlemen’s suits in the summer were nice white linen or seersucker suits. Suit jacks buttoned up with 3-4 buttons to mid-chest. The jacket hung down to the upper thigh and was worn over a matching lapel collar vest. Both coat and vest lapels were quite wide. The skinny “jazz suit” was a brief fad in the very late teens/the early ’20s only. Men wanted wide, loose clothing that felt as comfortable as their weekend attire starting around 1922. Suit pants were wide, too, by the mid-20s. They fit very high on the waist and had to be held up with suspenders. They were usually flat front, creased down the center leg, and cuffed at the bottom. Men could wear a belt, too, but they were less common. Suit accessories included a necktie or bow tie in patterns of wide stripes, small dots, and paisley. They were often coordinated with the pocket square folder in the chest pocket. Some well-dressed men wore a collar pin under the necktie to hold the collar in place. In cool weather, a wool topcoat kept a man warm. Notorious gangsters and bootleggers of the 1920s wore 3 piece suits, too. What they wore was determined by their wealth, not their uh… occupation. Some well-to-do gangsters were known for wearing white spats over their boots, just like men did in the early 1900s. A walking cane or rolled umbrella was another accessory that said “old money.” Younger gangsters (the muscle and weapon men) wore whatever suits they could afford. They often did not have matching vests, and they fit poorly since they were purchased second hand. MEN’S SUMMER SUITS. In summer, an all wool suit was too hot. Instead, men turned to light flannel, striped seersucker, or linen suits. There were a few years where pastel colors were popular such as the pink suit Gatsby wore, otherwise white, ivory, or beige were the best colors. Some men paired white pants with a double-breasted blue blazer for a yachting or nautical look. Musicians and college kids often wore wide striped blazers over white pants as a summer outfit. This look was popularized by Barber Shop quartet singers, ragtime pianists, and traveling salesmen (AKA The Music Man). Some modern costumes skip the blazer and wear a striped vest, bow tie, and armbands/sleeve garters instead. A straw boater hat completes the festive summer outfit. 1920S MEN’S HATS. Men wore hats out of the house just as the ladies did, although they were always taken off inside, which led to many men losing hats when placed on a community hat stand. Popular felt hats were the round bowler or derby hat, followed by the Homburg with a center crease in the crown. The felt fedora hat was a newer trend with a more casual appearance for the middle classes. Various other hat styles were shaped from felt or straw with rolled brims or tall crowns. A hat did not need to match a man’s suit, but should not stand out either. Common colors were grey, black and brown wool felt. In the summer, men’s felt hats were tossed aside in favor of lighter straw hats. The straw boater and skimmer are what most of us think of as men’s ’20s hats. They had a round flat crown and striped ribbon that often represented a gentleman’s club or college colors. READ MORE https://wowfashiontips.blogspot.com/'
Tags: GLAMOUR , Teachingmensfashion , DW Documentary , shea whitney , Kristino Olsen
See also:
comments