1919 Clothing & Fashion for Women and Men

Costumes of Mr. Selfridge Season 3, set in 1919

1918 Blouses and skirts for simple, casual day wear or working in a department store like Selfridges. Waistbands were high and wide yet the length was shorter then earlier years. Large pockets and big buttons were the primary details.

1918 Skirts and blouses. Read more about 1920s skirts. 

1919 Silk blouses. They fit loosely,with wide round necklines and details of embroidery or pintucks. They were quite colorful. Design inspiration came form the orient. Learn about 1920s blouses. 

1918 Silk and Velvet Dresses- Worn for day or afternoon. Notice the high waistline but with a large ruched waistband. The length has also shortened to an easier walking length (and getting in and out of cars and buses)

1919 tea dresses- Afternoon “going out” dresses to tea, shopping, and public gatherings. The yellow silk chiffon dress as a party dress style for young women or petite women. Daisy in the Great Gatsby wore a similar dress. 

1919 fall dresses for going out. The detailed embroidery and clean lines make this a higher class fashion. At a price of $36 it was for the upper middle classes.

1919- Velvet dresses for fall and winter. The dresses were becoming slimmer and more casual. They were easier to wear and much easier to dress by oneself.

1918- Despite the slimming dress silhouette women still wore a petticoat- and a very colorful ones at that! at least now it was just one A line petticoat and not multiple layers of them like before the war.

1918- For traveling, a suit of two matching pieces, coat and skirt, was worn. Comfortable and warm!

1919 Velvet winter coats.  Large buttons, wide belts and big cuffs and roll collars made women appear smaller and more dainty.

1919- More long coats and a short coats of beaver fur.  Read more about women’s coats. 

1918- Additional layers of fur stoles, collars and muffs added more fashion and class statements as well as warmth while riding in cold cars. Stoles using the whole animal was a luxury purchase.

1918- Winter hats of velvet, fur, and wool felt were small and round in shape. Notice a few are shaping into the classic 20’s “Cloche” hat. 

1918- Simple hats in smaller sizes than the previous years’ oversize picture hats, reflect the change in the economy.

Wide brim hats were worn with suits and dresses while going out

1918- Nearly all women wore lace up or button up walking boots. At home a pair of heeled pumps were worn as well. Black, brown, Ivory and two tone patterns.

1919- More boots for women. Shop woemn’s boots here. 

1919 Nightgowns and robes. Nearly as pretty as dresses.

1918 Men’s suits for business and leisure. Suits were slim fitting with high white collar dress shirts and matching vests. The look was youthful and “jazzy.” Notice the small hats too. Everything in moderation.

1917 Striped Double Breasted  sack suit.

1917 Men’s summer sack suit for outdoor garden, beachside, or sporting events. Paired with a straw boater hat. Learn how to get this look. 

1917 Men’s dark brown pin stripe summer suit with a straw gambler hat. Love the two tone boots and polka dot tie too. So dapper!

1918 Men’s coats. White suits were slim, overcoats were huge! Very wide and boxy coats for winter driving conditions. More about men’s 20s coats. 

1918 Men’s Sweaters. Thick cable knit shawl collar cardigan sweaters for casual winter wear. Lighter knit sweaters and vests were worn for sport activities like golf.

1918 Men’s dress shirts. Thin colorful vertical stripes with stiff white delectable collars. Round “club” collars were the most common style of the times. More about shirts and collar types of the 20s. 

1918 Wide neckties and thin knit ties in stripes and large paisley patterns.  Bow ties were still worn as well. More about mens tie history. 

1918 Men’s boots were unchanged from most of the Victorian era. Lace up boots, pull on elastic panel boots and button up boots had pointy thin toes to go with the thin suits. Work boots had thicker soles and round bulb toes. Shop men’s boots and shoes. 

Eatons Department store (Canada) rendering for the women’s Paris designed dresses

Eatons Millinery Shop
(Women’s hats)

Eatons Store Elevator

Eatons Blouse Department

Selfridges Beauty Department (Date unkown)

Selfridges Perfume Department

1920 shopping in a unknown department store