Fashion in the 1930's

Through many years, fashions have climaxed and declined. Although fashions seem to evolve a great deal, it is very important we remember the fads of the past because one's clothing attire can tell a whole life story from beginning to end. During the 1930s, an era in the city of New York referred to as the Harlem Renaissance portrayed by many of the actors, actresses and famous figures of that time. Josephine Baker, the singer, would influence the fashion trends during the time, swaying even the people who were against the ideas of black originators; many mocked the fads and fashion trends of the Harlem superstars. The people most influenced were the members of the Black Movement, who are very clearly illustrated in the novel, Invisible Man.

During the Harlem Renaissance, most African Americans who were involved in the Black movement would wear elegant suits which would give them each a sense of importance and seriousness.

The ladies who again were mostly influenced by important women of that time wore a variety types of clothing. Artificial silks like rayon were now stronger and better and were also widely used. Longer and narrower skirts gradually flared out and fell to the bottom of the calf. Women's hair as shown above was longer and was waved lower onto the nape of the neck.

Not only did women wear clothes in the 1930s to become more womanly--women also wore fewer of them. The new curvy shape that women sought was helped along by a variety of fabrics, some old and some new, that could be cut and draped to show the wearer's body, as shown in the above picture.

During the 1930s, distinctive members of the Black Movement and Harlem Renaissance served as role models for the fashion that evolved during that time and that any would follow disregarding the color of their skin and creating new fads for the future generations.

by Lorena Guevara