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Pajamas
1925
The Kyoto Costume Institute
“The rayon, which went into industrial production early in the 20th century, and contemporary fashions can be seen in the use of vivid coloring on black, and in the geometric and similar motifs of the irregularly-scattered large and small polka dots.
Pajamas were introduced to the United Kingdom from India at the end of the 19th century and became popular as men’s nightclothes, then they spread as fashionable indoor gowns for women in the 1920s. Since the latter half of the 1920s pajamas were worn as beachwear. Although women were not allowed to wear pants at official occasions at that time, they were a precursor to subsequent pants style.”
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Suit
Coco Chanel, 1929
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Traditionally, women’s fashion becomes more masculine in times when women enter new, traditionally masculine spheres. With the dramatic gender changes of the 1920s came the “Garçonne*” style. Women bobbed their hair, and a lean, boyish, columnar silhouette was favored. Women smoked, drank, went out by themselves, and enjoyed single life rather than aggressively husband-hunting. Coco Chanel stood at the top of the new style of women with her simple, tailored styles inspired by menswear.
*In French, words are gendered, and an extra e is usually added to the end of a word to turn it female. For example, a man who win is a “champion” whereas a woman who wins is a “championne.” ”Garçon” is the French word for boy.
Parasol
1920s
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
“The snakeskin trim found on this parasol sets it apart from the normal parasols of the day and may have coordinated the piece with other accessories such as shoes and a handbag. It is the characteristic parasol shape and size for the 1920s with a feminine color scheme, including pink stained wood to compliment the chiffon canopy.”
