1930s Inspired Fashion: Recreate the Look

Continuing with our ‘Recreate the Look’ series, here I show you how to recreate the looks and styles of the 1930s, with modern reproduction clothing. Original 1930s pieces can be difficult to acquire, but with a few hints and tips of the popular styles to look out for, a 1930s look can be styled with modern day clothing on offer from the retailers of today.

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The 1930s was a tremulous time. The decade ushered in with the 1929 Wall Street Crash, which in turn led to the Great Depression across America. The era then ended on an equally disquieting note with the advent of WW2 in 1939. This was definitely not the period of decadence and excess of the previous decade.

Sleek lines dominated the 1930s silhouette

The most widely recognized silhouette of the 1930s is long, sleek lines. Fashions were subtle, gone were the glittering beaded gowns of the Jazz Age.

Even though the economic and political climate of the time was lugubrious, that is not to say that fashion and the appetite to be a la mode was dissolved.

1930s sweaters from a mail order catalog

The ready-to-wear market, which began to be popular in the previous decade, started to expand in this time. Catalogs became popular, with women being able to muse languidly over pages of designs in the privacy of their own home.

Advances in technology meant that film making grew enormously during this era, both in terms of the amount of films produced, and the popularity with audiences. Film studios were big business, and fashion retailers soon realized that the cinema-goers appetite to emulate the looks of the latest MGM starlet converted nicely into sales.

Casual Dresses

For the woman at home in the 1930s, there was the humble house dress. Developed in the early 20^th century, it was a kind of ‘uniform of the home’. Early 1920s examples are more closely likened to aprons, whereas the 1930s incarnation more closely resembled a housecoat in design. Women wore house dresses whilst at home performing housework, cooking or cleaning. They often featured a wrap style of fastening, or the newly popular zipper. Initially house dresses were one of only a few articles of clothing to utilize the zipper (or sliders as they were also known), although fashions soon adopted them as a convenient fastening method.

House dresses of the 1930s. Recreate the look with these styles.

The house dress was usually made from a durable but easy to clean fabric, such as cotton. The fabric was usually plain, but towards the end of the decade started to feature larger patterns. Today, a housedress need not be confined to the home, they are pretty, feminine and – due to the loosely fitted style – comfortable. Wear for a more relaxed ‘everyday’ take on vintage styling. Shop 1930s day dresses and shoes here. 

1930s Holiday Wear

Linked to the quest for escapism in this trying decade, a new trend was born to be outdoors and active. Sun kissed skin was coveted as it represented a seemingly healthy, leisurely lifestyle. Leisure wear was popular during this decade in its own right, but elements of the style also filtered into everyday fashions.

‘These daytime clothes have become more practical and more ‘sporting’ in every way.’ Stitchcraft August 1937.

Leisure wear grew in popularity in the 1930s. Style your own 1930s inspired look using these pieces

Shades of cream and white were an especially popular choice, as it displayed ones tan to best effect. Women wore two-pieces, playsuits and loose 1930s pants in their pursuit of fresh air and sunshine.

Pair playsuits and separates with round tortoiseshell sunglasses and a large straw sun hat for a 1930s look.

1930s Smart Separates

As the ready-to-wear market expanded, so did the demand for versatile separates. Women were taking up employment, which meant their wardrobe had to provide them with options for daily wear, at an economical price. Separates such as blouses and smart skirts, could be made to look entirely different through the use of clever accessories.

Blouses and skirts can be easily dressed up to suit many occasions

Blouse necklines could be dressed up or down with the use of removable collars and dickeys. Sewing pattern companies even produced patterns specifically for detachable collars, with the professional woman in mind.

1930s inspired style at Modcloth

The fashionable silhouette of the era was a defined waist, narrow hips and broad shoulders. Here we can see the beginnings of the favored styles for the next decade. Overall subtle details prevailed, although the main focus of the style would be at the shoulders and neckline. Large bows sat high at the neck, caplets were worn to coordinate with the wearers outfit, and circular flounces of fabric adorned the shoulders. Even jackets were cut so as to draw attention to the defined sleek waist and hips, in contrast to the dramatic shoulder and neckline details.

This style is perhaps one of the easiest for us to recreate. Pair a sleek calf-length skirt with a neatly tailored blouse, adding a scarf at the neck for period detail. Enhance the look through the use of accessories – gloves, hat, handbag and smart heeled shoes.

1930s Beach Pajamas

Continuing on from the popularity of holiday and leisure wear, beach pajamas were a popular item in a woman’s wardrobe during this time.

Examples of 1930s beach pajamas

Adapted from lounging pajamas, these were worn whilst promenading along the seafront. They often featured incredibly wide legs, which had the advantage of allowing the wearer to stay cool in hot weather, and of course, of being incredibly comfortable to wear. They were usually made from cottons, plain, striped, printed, sometimes with contrasting colors.

Recreate the look of 1930s beach pajamas with wide legged trousers and jumpsuits Modcloth jumpsuit and House of Foxy wide leg pants. 

Recreate the look with wide legged trousers and a loose fitting top in a coordinating color. Or, style a jumpsuit with a large straw brimmed hat and round sunglasses to emulate the 1930s.

This jumpsuit from Birdsnest would be perfect to recreate a 1930s look

Afternoon Dresses

An afternoon dress is a frock a woman would have donned instead of her house dress if she needed to leave the house. These were smarter and more fitted than a housedress, featuring more stylistic detailing. Early examples of afternoon dresses would have been long and sleek, with the hemline hitting mid-calf. The waist would be defined through the addition of a belt, or clever fabric paneling.

This Unique Vintage dress would be great for a 1930s look

As mentioned previously, the focus of the dress would be on the neckline and shoulders, although the skirt too would have interesting subtle details. Skirts were cut on the bias creating movement and fluidity, and often featured pleats, panels in ‘V’ shapes or godets.

Team a smart day dress with matching accessories for a perfect 1930s look

As we move into the later years of the decade, the hemlines begin to rise to just below the knee. More fabric is utilized in the skirt, creating swing across the hips down to the hemline. In 1939, fabric may be gathered at the back of skirts – ‘Interest concentrates at the back of this model featuring the new ‘bustle’ line.’ Home Chat October 1939.

For the perfect late 30s look, team one of these dresses with smart accessories.

Key Styles to Recreate a 1930s Style Look

• Sleek Calf Length Skirts
• Defined Waist Dresses
• Fabric Cut on the Bias
• Broad Shoulders
• Neckline Detailing – Bows, Pleats, Capelets on Dresses and Blouses
• Stripes, Plaids and Floral Prints
• Exposed Backs in Evening Dresses
• Accessories – Dress Clips, Geometric Belt Buckles, Jewelry