Urban Growth with a Flare

Edwardian Era

As people flocked to the big cities, due to the growth of urbanization, this caused new fashion trends to arise changing the whole way women presented themselves. Women primary expressed themselves through their clothing and as they achieved more freedom so did their clothing. This was primarly due to the abundance of leisure time people acquired, and their clothes needed to be functional for this. With the industrial revolution as the creation of sewing machines women were able to buy ready clothes rather than make their own. Instead of women working in factories a new figure emerged of the well educated, literate, social woman. Much known as the "Gibson Girl" a fictional character to express the new feminine ideal of a young, strong, loving, tall, slender, indepednat, charming woman all girls strove to be.

S corset

 This fashionably elegant time was known as the  Edwardian Style, "La belle époque" meaning the beautiful era. It was inspired by the lifestyle of the Royals of Britain. American middle class women always looked to the elite for inspiration on dress. The trend at the time was for the "S-curve" which was an S shaped corset to give an hour class figure. It created a bodice pouch effect much like a pigeon look. Although majority of women could not make the pilgrimages to Paris like the social elite they were still able to be influenced by the French Style. Women striving for this high class style had a giant routine they had to follow. They would first choose their day combo and put on their multiple layers of lingerie then their corset. In the mid-day they would put on their pastel colored afternoon dress and around 5pm remove their corset to wear their "lounging around" tea gown. When the night took over though they would strap back into their corset to put on their evening  dress. This long and exhausting process came to a close around 1910. Cramped tailor and dress shops containing copies of Les Modes began to show the new trends from grand contours taking fashion in a whole different direction for women.


The first designer Jacques Doucet an aspiring art collector also made many of his wealth from fashion designing. He created luxurious gowns of translucent material, light colors like a painting creating a very dreamy effect. Doucet was also the first to create techniques of using furs making fashionable fitted fur coats. His House of Doucet was a major able popular place where Americans could even buy his models to export and copy his designs, beginning the era of ready made clothes. He began to attract young designers such as Worth and Pouret (two of the most well known designers to emerge).

Worth Paris spiral dress

One of the most impactful designers of the leisurely attire was Fredrick Worth in 1845. After his first big break designing for Napolean's wife nobody began to doubt his ability. Although he created one of a kind dresses, he did not disregard the less fortunate. He would design modern dresses that could be ordered in any size. He also provided entire wardrobes from morning to evening for his clients as well. Worth's inspiration came from the Paris architecture. In the spiral ensemble shown the velvet design represents the iron fences distributed among the Paris scenery. Frederick Worth was probably the most well known designer of the time but couturiers after him changed the times.

Sportswear victorian style

John Redfern who began his career in Paris was the first tailor to produce a tailor-made two piece jacket and skirt ensemble. His designs were for the more active driven women who yachted, played golf,  horseback rider, etc. This was known as the "Sportswear Victorian Style" which was a conservation minimal embellishment type of dress with functional purposes. His styles had much of the Great War military influence with his use of buttons and braids. He Redfern designed a "transitional dress" as well with a more softer designs. This primarily led to his "walking suits" he made for women which were primarly wool and not as long or as heavy. His son Charles Pointer took over his business and really expanded it and created a more relax style for women. He did have a slight scandal when a wealthy woman posing as a traveler was caught carrying the latest Paris fashion design to him , trying avoiding customs. His strive for Paris fashion did not hurt him though, but actually caused more women to flock to him so they could have a grasp of the high life.

Hobble skirt 

The most well known designer around the world was Charles Pouret. He began his first design with Jacques Doucet beginning the renaissance era. He developed the well known "ready-to-wear system"and completely abolished the use of the S-corset to give women more freedom. He created harem pants, kimono coats, and the hobble skirt. In multiple newspapers of the time articles are seen about him designing for plays and his influence for the era emerging oriental, greek extravagant styles.
Pouret's styles were the talk of the times especially with some
of his avant garde designs. He was able to design multiple aspects of different cultures spreading throughout urbanization.

Not only were women more free in fashion but also in the work place. Lucille, Lady Duff Gordon, was one of the most renounced lady designers in the business. She was the first to stage runway shoes and every was the first to collaborate with Sears and Roebuck Co. Her "suggestive" clothing for the modern day woman revolutionized the way ladies dress with more of a risqué style. This more openness to be able to dress also pursued in leisure time on the beach. Bathing suits were no longer heavy knee length  wool fabrics covering the whole body, but were now more open to the sunlight, free, and functional. Women were now even to compete in swimming events with the new light swimsuit.

As urbanization grew more jobs were created and the more people were needing clothes which caused to designs to be created. The sewing machine from the industrial revolution was able to stabilize this high demand for clothes and could offer an abundence of products of standard sizes so people would not have to spend the money or time waiting for exclusive tailoring. To feed the market of fashion more riskier clothing was produced for women as well. Ladies were now not only able to express themselves by workplace or social status, but could show their character in their fashion to really contribute to the "American Mosaic" of individuality.




Sources

Source 1:

Bellatory.comEdwardian style: Style of the time. Very general 

Source 2:

Glamourdaze.com
History timeline of women fashion

Source 3:

Victoriana.com

History Timeline of leisurely bathings suits

Source 4:

Fashionista.com
Influential top 10 designers

Source 5:

Lilyabsinthe.com
(redfern) John Redfern designs and intro to passing on business to sons

Source 6

Recollections.biz
(Redfern sons) Charles progress of the company

Source 7

Thefashionhistorian.com
WORTH Designs which led him to popularity

Source 8

Fashionintime.org
Jacques Duchet designs and couture during the great war

Source 9

Sensibility.com
Lucille article from time describing how she designs

Source 10

Dailymail.com
Lucille trade marks and working for sears 

Source 11

Styleflair.com
Ready to wear:
industrial revolution sewing machine creates more clothes for growing population

Source 12

Chroniclingamerica.loc.gov
Article from the 1900's of paul poiret and his play costumes

Source 13

Chornoiclingamerica.loc.gov
Newspaper article of fashion week of paul pointer

SOURCE 14

Designhistorypaulpoiret.com
Design history of paul poiret