At the beginning of the 1930S, the Wall Street crash of 1929 had a major impact on the people’s lifestyle. The previous decade has encouraged excess and because of that a lot of people sent more than they had leading to the economical crisis. Not only are the people’s lifestyles impacted, but the whole clothing industry was affected as well by the lack of fund. It is the democratization of cheaper fabrics. On the other hand of the spectrum, cinema was getting more and more popular, and was by then considered as a vehicle of trends and fashion. For example, the first hair dyes appear during that period and were popularized by Hollywood actresses. Designers understood quickly that the future of fashion was laying there and that they would gain a lot by combining both arts. For example, Coco Chanel signed a contract for the creation of costumes for « United Artists ». The thirties are also the beginning of glamour. Dresses were made to highlight the women’s best features. Clothing accentuated the waist but not in an extreme way, in contrary to eras such as Belle Epoque. Evening wear was more than glamorous, it was directly inspired by Hollywood stars.
The backside was slightly exposed in a sexy and sophisticated way. Twinsets were trendy, particularly simple shirts with high- waisted skirts and V collar cardigans or jackets.The perfect woman wore a tailleur during the day; fitting long dresses with open backs during the night.
This era was unfortunate for day fashion because it was anchored with the financial crisis and the stock exchange crack of 1929. It was the comeback of simple and more classic outfits. The industry was decreasing because of the materials lack in the textile industry. Once again, this is the proof that fashion is like a roller coster, spinning axis at every decade following events marking history and lives. The 1930s certainly brought elegance and classiness to our contemporary taste. This era added a lot to our current trends with key pieces such as the palazzo pants, the tailleurs as well as great evening gowns. When it comes to 1930s evening wear, one of the most fervent admirer is Giorgio Armani who created a lot of velvet and satin classy dresses for Armani Privé. The most striking examples of the influence could be Alessandra Rich’s Fall 2017 collection, Ralph Lauren’s Resort 2015 or Michael Kors’ Fall 2015. The Oscars’ red carpets are proof that Hollywood glamorous from the 1930s is still a thing. Contemporary designers are also inspired by the era’s famous inventions: the zipper and the elasticated waists.