Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Retrospective Theses and Dissertations Dissertations 2003 Controversies about American women's fashion, 1920-1945: through the lens of The ewN York Times Yhe-Young Lee Iowa State University Follow this and additional works at: https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/rtd Part of the United States History Commons, Women's History Commons, and the Women's Studies Commons Recommended Citation Lee, Yhe-Young, "Controversies about American women's fashion, 1920-1945: through the lens of The eN w York Times " (2003). Retrospective Theses and Dissertations. 725. https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/rtd/725 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Dissertations at Iowa State University Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Retrospective Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Iowa State University Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Controversies about American women's fashion, 1920-1945: Through the lens of Times by Yhe-YbungLee Adisseitation submitted to the graduate &cuhy m partial fulBllmemt of the requiranoitsfiorAe degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Major Textiles and Clothing Program of Study Committee: Jane Farrell-Bedc (M^or Pro&ssor) Mary Lynn Damborst Jean Parsons Hamilton Cravens Richard Kotlman Iowa State University Ames, Iowa 2003 Copyii^it © Yhe-Ybung Lee, 2003. All ri^its reserved. UMI Number: 3118239 Copyright 2003 by Lee, Yhe-Young All rights reserved. INFORMATION TO USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. Broken or indistinct print, colored or poor quality illustrations and photographs, print bleed-through, substandard margins, and improper alignment can adversely affect reproduction. 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Fw the Major Program Ill TABLE OF CONTENTS LISTOFFIGURES ABSTRACT CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION Research Focus Fashion theories Research questions Research Method and Sources Literature Review CHAPTER 2. CONTROVERSIES ABOUT AMERICAN WOMEN'S FASHION, 1920-1929 Body Exposure Changes in American womanhood Body exposure and abbreviation in women's fashion Resistance to women's body exposure Defenders of women's body exposure Femininity versus Masculinity Mainstream fashion Knickerbockers Extravagance versus Thrift and Conservation Bases of Women's Challenge to Social Conventions CHAPTERS. CONTROVERSIES ABOUT AMERICAN WOMEN'S FASHION, 1930-1939 Body Exposure Bathing suits Shorts and halters Femirumty versus Masculinity Corsets Masculine garments Extravagance versus Thrift and Conservation CHAPTER 4. CONTROVERSIES ABOUT AMERICAN WOMEN'S FASHION, 1940-1945 Body Exposure Femininity versus Masculinity iv TbnA and Ccmservatkm versus Extravagance 143 CHAPTER 5. DISCUSSIONS AM) CONCLUSION 153 The 1920s 153 The 1930s 161 The 1940s 166 Conclusion 169 REFERENCES CITED 174 Primary Sources 174 1920-1929 174 1930-1939 178 1940-1945 180 Secondary Sources 182 V LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. Evening Dresses from Vbgwe, 1 July 1926, p. 71 FlgureZ Wœnen'slï^nqxarentDresses6%n 15July 1926,p.73 Figure 3. Girls' Knickerbockers from %gz*, 15 May 1922, p. 5 Figured Bathing Suits, P^amas, and Thwser Suit &mn 1 June 1935, p. 115 F1gure5. Two-PieceBathingSuit&om%gMf 15June 1935,p.7 Figure 6. EvadngGownùwn15February 1938,p. 15 Figure 7. Shorts from tbgzw 15 June 1935, p. 63 Figure*. Foundation Garment from 1 April 1935,p. 110 Figure 9. Suits with Broad Shoulders and Longer Skirts from 1 April 1935, p. 71 Figure 10. Coveralls fmmZ&zaBzr November 1943, p. 85 vi ABSTRACT Uns dissertation is based on the accounts of controversies about American women's fashicm appearing in TTeMay KmkT&M&r and some magazines published between 1920 and 1945. The main focus of this research is to understand social conventions and (he changing meanings of fashicm reflected in the accounts of controversies in relation to women's lives during the period. Controversial issues are categorized into three thanes including body exposure, femininity versus masculinity, and extravagance versus thrift and conservation. Fashion theories are introduced in chapter one to enhance the understanding of fashicm adoption and its changing meanings. Chapter two is devoted to the discussions of controversies about women's exposure of calves, arms and necks, the boyish look in mainstream fashion, women's adoption of knickerbockers, and the extravagance in women's fashion appearing in primary sources published between 1920 and 1929. Chapter three focuses on controversial issues such as women's adoption of abbreviated leisure wear including bathing suits, shorts and halters, the tensicm between femininity and masculinity embedded in women's corsets and trousers, the ironical economic condition not only demanding more consumption but also conservation during the Depression years between 1930 and 1939. The accounts of controversies about the shorter and narrower style of dresses, women's adoption of trousers, and the necessity of thrift and conservation are discussed in relation to World War n in chapter fbun The changing meanings of fashions between 1920 and 1945 are reviewed in the conclusion in light of fashion theories, including the collective selection theory, ambivalence theory, and aesthetic perspectives of fashion adoption theory. 1 1. INTRODUCTION Research Focus PaulNystmn^inhisbookEaTnomfcs^fWwbn, de&iedfMiion as "the prevailing style at any given time."^ TTiis definition of fashion has been elaborated over time, and fashicm today is generaHy defined as'The stykacœptedby the majcmty of agroup at aparticular time andplace.'^ However, fashicm is not just understood as a phenomenon but often understood as a "pmcess-onented phenomenon." According to George Spmles, "(he Wùcmpmcess is adynamic mechanism of change through which a potential fashion object is transmitted from its point of creation to public introduction, discernible public acceptance, and eventual obsolescence." He described the life-cycle of fashion in six phases: invention and introducticm, fashion leadership, increasing social visibility, confcxmity within and across social groups, social saturation, and decline and obsolescence? As a new style of fashion is introduced to society and moves through the life-cycle of fashion, a variety of opinions and restrictions arises within society. In this dissertation, I will examine the contrasting opinions about and social regulations of American women's fashicm that appeared in 77# TVew^rkTZmasandavariety of magazines published between 1920 and 1945. The change in opinions and restrictions on changing fashions reflects the change in social convoitions and the meanings of fashions in relation to women's lives during Été period. Rrst, I will review some major theories on fashicm adoption and the change of its meanings, in order to enhance the understanding of fashion change and the controversies during the period. 2 Fashion theories One of the classical theories of fashion change is Geoig Simmers trickle-down theory. Simmel recognized imitation and demarcation as two fundamental "psychological tendencies" which serve as undedying motive power in fashicm change. According to his explanation, it is an instinctive human desire to attain higher social position, and the desire is often expressed by adopting upper clœs symbols including its fashion. Therefore, when the highest class establishes a new style of fashion, the succeeding lower class imitates it. The upper class fashion is sequentially copied down the social dass ladder until it readies the lowest class. The highest class then adopts anew fashicm in order to differentiate themselves from the succeeding lower classes only to be copied by the succeeding lower class again/* However, Charles King challenged the trickle-down theory and suggested the mass-market or trickle-across theory. He pointed out the fact that the development of mass media brought fast and wide circulation of information on new styles in postindustrial society. Moreover, ample availability of material made kpossibk for manufacturer to o&r new styles of fashion fŒ each class at different price levels. Therefore, a new fashion is introduced to the different social classes almost simultaneously to be diffused across each social class? On the other hand, subcultural styles can trickk-up to the mass population mainly due to the subcultural group's "creativity, artistic excellence, or relevance to current life-styles."* George Field discussed "the status float phenomenon" with examples such as black American hair styles, African