FASHION During 1900-1910
This was known as the Edwardian period. The S-bend corset
was fashionable during the 1900s. This pushed the hips backwards and forced the
chest forward creating a curved shape. Frilly blouses that were often
embellished with decorations like lace collars and broad ribbon ties also
became very popular. Very deep high lace fabric collars that reached
right under the chin elongated the neck. High necks were usual by day, but by
night exceptionally low sweetheart, square and round low-cut necklines allowed
women to wear quantities of fine jewellery and no cleavage was visible.
A tight hairstyle
was worn under broad-brim hats with low crowns, and adorned all over with
flowers, lace, ribbons and feathers.
Men wore a
three-piece lounge suit with bowler or cloth cap. Jackets were narrow with high
lapels. Most collars were starched and upstanding, with the corners pointing
downwards. Some men wore their collars turned down, with rounded edges and
modern knotted ties.
Mainly older men had beards, and younger men
had neat moustaches and short hair.
This dress is typical of very early 1900s eveningwear. The torso is moulded
by a rigid whalebone corset into an hourglass shape with a straight, flat
abdomen. The dress exposes the, shoulders and arms, and the long skirt is
fitted around the hips and fluted towards the hem.
This man is
wearing a jacket, waistcoat, high starched 'winged' collar, and sports a
fashionable curled moustache.
Though male
fashions did not change as rapidly as women's, waistcoats became fastened lower
on the chest.
Traveling suits were also necessary since motor cars became
popular. Along with the ladies' traveling suits, loose topcoats in leather were
worn, or special motoring coats from Burberry or Aquascutum.
