1920-1930's simplier garments, shorter hemlines

In the 1920’s when World War 1 had just ended fashion began to change dramatically. Hems of skirts started to rise, flappers became the ideal women style, people began to dress more casually. Firstly the hem only rose a few inches but when flappers became very popular in 1925 when it rose to just below the knee, by 1926 hemlines had reached the knee. As dresses became shorter shoes became a focal point.

Flappers were women of working age in the 1920’s whose hair, style, dress were very different to the previous ‘ideal women’ image of the Gibson girl from the previous generation. Flappers dress sense was quite masculine; they would flatten the chests with tightly tied pieces of cloth, and cut hair short. At this time waistlines dropped to the hipline and dresses became unfitted.

Fashion became simple, dresses and garments were simplified in manufacture but still contained embroidery and detailing. Towards the end of this era hemlines became tamed and the popularity became asymmetrical hemlines, shorter at the front longer at the back, around 1928/1929 however the hemline still never exceeded knee length.