Key Takeaways
- The 1930s are considered the Golden Age of menswear, marked by distinctive wide lapels and full-cut suits.
- This era saw a shift towards more casual and practical clothing, influenced by the socioeconomic impact of the Great Depression.
- Hollywood played a significant role in shaping fashion trends, with movie stars setting popular styles.
- Hairstyles in the 1930s were typically longer, with the side part being particularly popular, styled to a glossy finish with pomade.
- The decade introduced a variety of eyewear styles, larger lenses, and diverse materials, including celluloid and backlight frames.
- Shirts evolved to feature softer, attached collars, and a wider range of colours and patterns, reflecting the casualisation of men's fashion.
- The 1930s saw the introduction of untipped ties and bow ties with little to no interlining, contributing to the era's elegant yet relaxed aesthetic.
- Waistcoats became less mandatory, with double-breasted designs offering a fresh look.
- Jackets featured a drape style with fuller cuts and wide lapels, accommodating the growing interest in sports and physical fitness.
- Trousers included multiple pleats and high-rise cuts, with innovations like the Hollywood waistband and the widespread use of zippers.
The Golden Age of Menswear: Exploring 1930s Fashion
We believe the 1930s stand as a pinnacle in the history of men's fashion, often referred to as the "Golden Age" of menswear. This era is frequently showcased for its iconic styles, admired by classic fashion enthusiasts worldwide. The wide lapels and full cuts of the suits from this period, as depicted in vintage fashion illustrations, exude a distinctive elegance that remains unparalleled.
1930s Menswear: From Prosperity to Depression
The lead-up to the 1930s was marked by significant improvements in the quality of life for many men. Post-World War I, there was a surge in new products, enhanced working conditions, and improved class relations. The advent of the weekend allowed men to dedicate more time to personal leisure and style. However, this period of prosperity was abruptly halted by the Wall Street Crash of 1929, which ushered in the Great Depression, affecting lives globally.
Impact of the Great Depression on Men's Fashion
Despite the economic downturn, Hollywood stars of the era continued to exude glamour, influencing public fashion trends. However, for the average man, the 1930s necessitated a shift towards more practical and less ornate attire. This decade saw a move towards casual wear, sportswear, and a decline in the use of stiff hats and starched collars, reflecting the dire circumstances many faced. The following exploration delves into the quintessential elements of 1930s menswear, highlighting how style and practicality were seamlessly blended during this transformative period.
How Hollywood Shaped 1930s Men's Fashion
We believe the 1930s stand as a pinnacle in the history of men's fashion, often referred to as the "Golden Age" of menswear. This era is frequently showcased for its iconic styles, admired by classic fashion enthusiasts worldwide. The wide lapels and full cuts of the suits from this period, as depicted in vintage fashion illustrations, exude a distinctive elegance that remains unparalleled.
Movie Stars and Their Role in Fashion Trends
The lead-up to the 1930s was marked by significant improvements in the quality of life for many men. Post-World War I, there was a surge in new products, enhanced working conditions, and improved class relations. The advent of the weekend allowed men to dedicate more time to personal leisure and style. However, this period of prosperity was abruptly halted by the Wall Street Crash of 1929, which ushered in the Great Depression, affecting lives globally.
Despite the economic downturn, Hollywood stars of the era continued to exude glamour, influencing public fashion trends. However, for the average man, the 1930s necessitated a shift towards more practical and less ornate attire. This decade saw a move towards casual wear, sportswear, and a decline in the use of stiff hats and starched collars, reflecting the dire circumstances many faced.
Hollywood's golden era played a pivotal role in shaping the fashion trends of the 1930s. Movie stars' choices in clothing were rapidly adopted by the general populace. This period arguably laid the foundations for many aspects of contemporary suiting culture. Although fashion varied across countries, our focus primarily lies on the trends in the United States and Europe. Men still wore hats, but the younger generation began to occasionally forego this tradition without significant societal backlash.
The Evolution of Men's Hats in the 1930s
In the 1930s, hats remained a staple in men's wardrobes. Among working-class men, the flat cap was particularly prevalent, evolving into larger styles such as the pancake flat cap and the wide-brimmed Fedora. In England, the Bowler hat and Homburg were popular among the upper and middle classes, while the Fedora dominated in the United States. The Fedora, with its soft felt, wide brim, and high crown, became synonymous with middle-class fashion. Vintage Fedoras from this era are highly sought after today, often commanding high prices on platforms like eBay.
Classic 1930s Hairstyles and Facial Hair Trends
In terms of grooming, the 1930s saw men typically sporting clean-shaven faces and neatly styled hair. This look complemented the overall elegance and sophistication that characterised the fashion of the decade. The meticulous attention to grooming further emphasised the refined aesthetic of the era, making it a defining period in men's fashion history.
The Side Part and Clean-Shaven Look of the 1930s
The 1930s were marked by a significant shift in hairstyles and facial hair for men. The clean-shaven face was prevalent, with many men adopting a baby-faced look, while older gentlemen often sported delicate, elegant moustaches reminiscent of David Niven's style. Notable figures like Clark Gable and Vincent Price popularised the thin pencil moustache, a defining feature of the era.
As hats became less ubiquitous, men's hairstyles gained prominence and evolved beyond the simple, brushed-back styles of the 1920s. Hair was typically longer and styled with pomade to achieve a glossy, well-groomed appearance. The side part emerged as the most popular hairstyle, with some men even shaving the part to accentuate it further. This shiny, perfectly waxed look defined the decade, moving away from any contemporary hipster styles.
The Rise of Stylish Eyewear in the 1930s
The 1930s saw a transformation in eyewear, with glasses becoming wider, bigger, and more decorative. The materials used in eyewear also diversified, with celluloid and backlight frames becoming more common alongside traditional gold-plated and silver wireframes. Glasses began to feature elevated bridges and nose pads for better fit and comfort.
Functional and Fashionable: Eyeglasses of the 1930s
Eyeglasses in the 1930s were primarily functional, aimed at improving vision. While the pince-nez and monocles persisted, they were mostly relegated to actors and older gentlemen. However, sunglasses gained popularity, particularly in the United States, where those who could afford them wore them frequently. The decade also saw young women taking an interest in more fashionable eyewear.
The Shift to Casual Shirts in the 1930s
Shirts in the 1930s underwent notable changes, with attached soft collars becoming the most popular style. This shift was part of a broader trend towards more casual attire. While formal occasions still demanded starched detachable collars, everyday shirts featured softer, sometimes still detachable, collars for ease of washing.
Collar points grew longer, giving rise to the spear point collar, which could be held in place with a collar clip or tabs for a sleek look. Although these shirts might appear elaborate today, they represented a fresh, more relaxed approach to menswear at the time. The era also introduced a wider range of colours and patterns in shirting, with darker tones, jewel tones, and interesting stripes becoming fashionable.
From Starched to Soft: 1930s Shirt Evolution
Open-collar shirts for sports gained traction, reflecting the growing popularity of sports like tennis, cricket, and golf. The polo shirt, popularised by René Lacoste in 1933, became a staple in the men's sporting wardrobe, blending comfort with style. This period offered an unprecedented variety of tasteful colours and patterns, making men's fashion more creative and diverse than ever before.
The Distinctive Ties and Bow Ties of the 1930s
Throughout the 1930s, men continued to wear ties and bow ties, though ties were significantly shorter than modern counterparts. This change in length reflected the evolving fashion sensibilities of the decade, aligning with the overall trend towards practicality and understated elegance. Ties and bow ties of the era often featured bold patterns and colours, adding a touch of personality and flair to men's outfits.
The 1930s thus stand out as a transformative period in men's fashion, where practicality met elegance, and classic style elements were redefined to suit the changing times.
Untipped Ties: A Casual Elegance of the 1930s
In the 1930s, ties adopted a distinctive diamond shape and were typically untipped, meaning they lacked the lining found in most modern ties. This design made them elegant yet less stiff, aligning with the overall trend towards a more casual approach to suits and outfits during this era. Untipped ties, often hemmed by machine or left unhemmed, were economical due to lower labour costs and the high expense of fabric at the time. Today, untipped ties require hand rolling, making them more expensive to produce than their tipped counterparts. Bow ties of the time had very thin or no interlining, resulting in a different tying style compared to modern bow ties.
Waistcoats in the 1930s: Style and Practicality
During the 1930s, waistcoats or vests were no longer mandatory due to advancements in central heating and the popularity of double-breasted suits, which allowed men to forgo them for a fresher, less stiff appearance. Those who continued to wear waistcoats sought different shapes, with longer tips and decorative buttons and buttonholes purely for aesthetic purposes. Waistcoats typically featured four pockets and a neckline that was about an inch higher than those of the 1920s. Double-breasted waistcoats were also popular, often cut shorter to accommodate high-rise trousers and featuring deeper V cuts with lapels, adding a unique detail to the overall ensemble.
1930s Jackets: From Drape Cuts to Wide Lapels
The lounge suit remained extremely popular in the 1930s, characterised by a slightly lower button stance and shorter back length compared to the 1920s. Jackets featured a lowered buttoning point near the natural waist, with the bottom button often aligning with the top line of the pockets, which were typically straight rather than angled. The decade saw a shift from the body coat style to a drape style, where jackets were cut fuller with excess material over the shoulder blades and chest for a more comfortable fit. Shoulders were wider and roomier, contributing to a looser fit overall. Off-the-rack jackets offered a broader variety of back variations, including belts and shooting pleats for added mobility and practicality.
The Popularity of Double-Breasted Jackets
The idea of contrasting sports jackets gained traction, reflecting a shift from elite-dictated fashions to a more inclusive style influenced by the growing interest in sports. This change resulted in jackets with firmer, broader shoulders, wider lapels, and more casual trousers. Double-breasted jackets with wide-peaked lapels and six buttons (6x2 or 6x1 configurations) became iconic, featuring wider overlaps of fabric than previous decades. Cuff buttons on sleeves often touched, with three or four buttons closely spaced together. While double-vented jackets gained popularity, most jackets remained ventless for a cleaner silhouette. The defining feature of 1930s jackets was their wide lapels, with lower gorges for both single and double-breasted styles, creating a prominent appearance.
The Pleated Trousers of the 1930s
Trousers in the 1930s featured multiple pleats, with wide leg openings of about 10 inches (25 centimetres) often finished with turn-ups (cuffs). While the Oxford bags of the 1920s persisted, they were narrower. Suspenders with fishtail backs remained popular in Europe, while American men preferred trousers with flat waistbands designed for belts. The Hollywood waistband, a notable trend of the time, eliminated the separate waistband, extending the fabric upwards with attached belt loops. This style can be seen in old Fred Astaire movies.
The decade also saw the widespread adoption of zippers in men's trousers, replacing buttons. Levi's, for example, responded to the trend of cutting off cinch belts by offering to remove them at the point of sale. By 1937, Levi's had phased out buttons in favour of zippers. Knickerbockers or plus-fours, popularised by the Duke of Windsor, were worn for sports and casual activities. The varying lengths of plus-twos, plus-fours, plus-sixes, and plus-eights offered versatility in style, with plus-fours being particularly fashionable.
From Boots to Dress Shoes: 1930s Footwear
By the 1930s, men's fashion had shifted from boots to regular dress shoes, with Oxfords, Derbies, cap-toes, and full brogues being especially popular. Common colours included brown, dark tan, black, and white, with white buck dress shoes gaining popularity. Spectator or two-tone shoes were also more prevalent than today. The rejection of excessive accessories marked the era, with stiff collars, decorative walking canes, spats, and evening dress gloves falling out of favour. However, smoking-related accessories like cigarette lighters and tobacco boxes became more fashionable.
Essential Accessories for the 1930s Gentleman
Men's accessories in the 1930s included wallets, pocket combs, cufflinks, and wristwatches, which overtook pocket watches in popularity. Over-the-calf socks, sometimes held up by sock suspenders, featured solids, stripes, patterns, and clocks on the side. Ties, bow ties, ascots, and hats remained staple accessories, contributing to the era's refined style.
The Legacy of 1930s Menswear: Timeless Elegance and Practicality
The authentic late-1930s suit features a low gorge, wide lapels, and a brightish brown herringbone pattern with handmade buttonholes. The three-roll-two jacket is buttoned at the centre, with three patch pockets. The heavier fabric drapes well, complemented by stiffer shoulder interlining for a broader chest appearance.
Pleated trousers are relatively high-rise, cut full and straight to accommodate broader thighs, and finished with cuffs that have a slight break. A light blue, soft cotton, brushed twill shirt pairs well with a navy bow tie featuring bold ochre yellow polka dots. The bow tie, though not originally from the 1930s, mimics the classic butterfly shape of the era. A scarab-patterned pocket square in blue and green ties together the ensemble, matching the colours of the socks with clocks and cufflinks. The look is completed with a Fedora hat featuring a wider brim and an original 1930s white headband, epitomising the elegance and style of the 1930s.
The 1930s stand out as a transformative period in men's fashion, where practicality met elegance, and classic style elements were redefined to suit the changing times. From the wide lapels and full cuts of jackets to the introduction of softer, more casual shirts, every aspect of menswear was influenced by the socioeconomic shifts and cultural trends of the era. The influence of Hollywood, the rise of sports culture, and advancements in materials and manufacturing all contributed to a unique and enduring style that continues to inspire modern fashion.
How 1930s Fashion Continues to Inspire Modern Menswear
Men's wardrobes expanded to include a variety of accessories, from the functional yet stylish eyewear to the elegant yet practical untipped ties and ascots. The introduction of pleated trousers and the widespread adoption of zippers marked significant advancements in comfort and convenience. The move towards lighter, more flexible fabrics and the adoption of sports jackets and plus-fours reflected a broader trend towards a more relaxed and versatile approach to men's fashion.
Overall, the 1930s brought about a democratization of style, moving away from elite-dictated fashions to trends that resonated with the average man. This era's enduring legacy is evident in the timeless appeal of its fashion, which continues to be celebrated and emulated today. As we look back on the "Golden Age" of menswear, we can appreciate the innovation and creativity that defined the 1930s, making it a period of significant sartorial achievement.
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