One of the special exhibits in the Washington State History Museum in Tacoma follows the evolution of women’s fashion in the form of The Little Black Dress.
According to the display:
“Since antiquity, the color black has been worn to mourn the deaths of loved ones. The black dress became a powerful symbol of mourning when England’s Queen Victoria wore it after her beloved husband’s death in 1861.”
In the United States, women were expected to mourn the death of a husband for two years or more, while men were expected to mourn the death of a wife for at least three months.
From the mid-to-late nineteenth century, there were four periods of mourning for women. During deep mourning, women were to have limited social interaction and were to wear black clothing devoid of any decoration. After a year and a day, women entered a phase called “slighting the mourning” in which they were allowed to interact more freely. This was followed by “ordinary” mourning in which the black dresses could be embellished. And finally, there was “half” mourning in which grays, white, lavender, and violet colors could be worn.
Black was also used to indicate servitude which allowed these women to be a part of the periphery of daily life.
Shown above is a dress from 1875-1885.
Shown above is a dress from about 1860.
Shown above is a dress from 1885.
Shown above is an evening dress from about 1896-1897.
During World War I, people felt that the entire world was in mourning. According to the display:
“Women everywhere began to wear black dresses, either for mourning or for work related to the war. Dresses became much more simplified in style in part because previous designs had restricted women’s movement, but primarily because dress fabric was needed to supply material for the military. Corsets, in particular, were discouraged because the steel used to make them was needed for weapons.”
The display also indicates:
“While garments and their forms were changing, there were still rules of dress and class than confined women. Among them was the use of the color black. Black was a color used to identify widows, women of the lower ‘working’ class, and also women who were considered sexually experienced. It was not a color worn by young, unmarried women who were considered to be virtuous, or children of the upper ‘non working’ classes.”
Shown above is an early twentieth century dress. The ball fringe is known as pom-poms which were first popularized in Hungarian military dress in the 18th century.
Shown above is another early twentieth century dress.
1910-1920
According to the display:
“One influence on 1920s fashion was the garçonne, or ‘boyish’ look which emphasized short hair and a lack of feminine curves. Dress designs were cut straight and clothing was worn loose to deemphasize the feminine form as hemlines rose to the calf.”
Shown above is a dress from about 1925.
Shown above is an evening gown from about 1915.
1930
According to the display:
“The lack of prosperity meant that women became averse to taking risks, even in fashion, and those clothing that was thought to be more modest. High fashion was of less concern to thousands of women who now had to focus more on sustenance than style.”
Movies were a major influence on women’s fashion at this time. According to the display:
“Hollywood became a major influencer on fashion—movies were an inexpensive escape from reality and marketers capitalized on that by creating dress patterns and pared-down versions of silver screen fashions. Women who couldn’t afford the dresses of their idols could copy their style inexpensively, lending a little glamour to a dark era in American history.”
The dress shown above is from 1928-1933. Dresses during this time retained many aspects of earlier eras.
The dress shown above is from 1933-1939. Dresses like this were popular day dresses.
Shown above is an evening dress from 1930.
According to the display:
“Luxury was reserved for evening wear during the Great Depression of the 1930s. Gowns often touched the floor and were accented with small trains in the back.”
1940
World War II changed women’s lives and their wardrobes. According to the Museum display:
“With men away at war, women took on even more roles than they had during the first World War. They held many positions on the homefront, from factory work to office jobs. For many of them, the little black dress was the perfect attire. It was durable, required little fabric to make, and hid dirt well so that it required less laundering.”
Shown above is a dress from the 1940s. It has a military-inspired look with the use of shoulder pads.
More Museum Photo Tours
Museums 101: The Little Black Dress (photo diary)
Museums 101: Weddings (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: Clothing (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: Buckaroos (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: Humanoid Robots (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: The General Store (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: Yesterday's Playthings (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: Visions of Southern California (Photo Diary)