Fashion

Fashion trends provide a social commentary on the time. After the Great War clothes were somber and sensible because attention was brought away from fashion. In the Roaring Twenties fashion boomed along with everything else. Women began to abandon restrictive clothes and opted for pants and higher hemlines. The austerity of The Depression was reflected in the clothes advertised; simple and practical was back in style, coming full circle back to pre-war fashion.

1914

The 1920s are remembered as years of exponential industry and manufacturing growth. Farmers did not enjoy the same prosperity as most urban city dwellers. Agricultural prices collapsed in 1920. This advertisement shows the influence of the Roaring Twenties, but those of Canada’s West were given an opportunity to look fashion-forward on a budget—making their own dresses! The simple purchase of this booklet will teach women how to do so.

1929

By the end of the Roaring Twenties, on the brink of the Dirty Thirties, popular fashion had undergone some very significant changes. Although this image lacks color, dresses were known for being lighter, brighter and shorter than ever before. Hairstyles were much shorter as well, with ‘the bob’ being reintroduced by female actress Louise Brooks. This is ‘one of the smart, new spring styles, and is already tremendously popular with the well-dressed girl’. Although the price point of $2.95 appears rather low, it equates to approximately $40. With the stock market crash coming months after this release it is safe to say this dress appealed to the more luxurious and wealthy consumer.

The British heavily influenced men’s fashion in 1914. This was due to the mass immigration from Britain in the early 20th century; styles were brought over as well. Canadian men were also at war fighting under the British flag in World War I. This advertisement boasts to be from the same store from Catesbys Limited London. The reference to London, England could remind new immigrants of home or seem like a posh urban store.

1923

1930

In order to survive the Great Depression nothing was ever thrown out and innovative uses for items shone through. Clothing was patched over and over and handed down from child to child, and when they became rags these were sewn together to form quilts.

Women often sewed the family’s clothing, and as we see in these ads, patterns became very popular. A trend that took off in the 1930’s was sewing the large flour and chicken feed sacks together to make dresses. This became fashionable to such an extent that flour companies began advertising their flour using the colourful patterns as a marketing tool. To add to their appeal manufacturers often alternated and even discontinued designs.