Fashion during 1910 was unique. Much of the style and class of the Victorian era was being continued during 1910 but in a simplified form. You must be knowing that the first world war took place during that period, which immensely affected the dressing styles of not only grown-up men and women but also teenagers. The need for simplicity was further intensified by the great war.
Though this article deals with teenage clothing styles, we need to keep in mind that the term teenage came to be used as late as the 1940s. Before that, if you are to buy clothes, you are either a kid or a grown-up person. Girls and boys up to the age of 14 were categorised as kids, while teenagers above 14 dressed like men and women. Hence, there was little or no difference between the teen’s clothing and men’s and women’s fashion. Let us now examine the teen’s clothing in detail for men and women.
1910s girl teen dresses
High school girls were taught textiles and clothing in schools. They studied the history of the emergence of clothes and its evolution since ages. Also, they learned how to dress and match outfits with accessories. Proper choice of dresses and their maintenance was also taught. A wool skirt, party dress, spring coat, hiking shoes, sports shoes, kid gloves, handkerchiefs, rubber boots, stockings, bloomers, combination suits, robe, and pajamas constituted the essential dressing elements for teenage girls. Mostly, items were handmade. Most teenage girls wore dresses that her mother wore when she was young.
As we already mentioned, fashion in 1910 was unique. We have listed below the main elements of teenage girls’ clothing below. Let’s have a quick look:
Edwardian Ladies Daywear
Teenage girls usually wore a tailored morning outfit which they wore for doing their daily chores or meeting a friend or shopping. Their morning outfits mostly consisted of a smart blouse paired with a skirt. Also, they wore a jacket on top during the winter months.
Edwardian evening wear
By 5 pm, girls got rid of their corsets. They changed their daywear into a tea-gown id they had to receive and attend guests at their house. Afterward, they put on the corset again and a fresh pair of lingerie perhaps. Then they dressed up to attend night parties or special occasions or remained indoors if required.
During 1910, the gowns were largely inspired by the ideas of the famous designer Paul Poiret. She mostly designed silk and satin gowns which became everyone’s popular choice during the Edwardian era. Throughout the day, teenage girls also changed their stockings at least twice a day. Stockings in those days were pretty embroidered and decorative, especially the ones that were worn to evening parties or gatherings.
Edwardian Skirts
Skirts during the 1910s had one single seam. They were shaped and finely defined every body shape. Hemlines were extremely low and sometimes went to the floor. As the age progressed, the hemline began to go up and stopped at the ankle. Afterward, we could also notice the emergence of the blouse silhouette having puffed shoulders. However, the shoulders were slim which added around a touch to the hips. In the previous age, we could see the prevalence of hoop skirts whereas, in the Edwardian times, teenage girls loved to wear pencil skirts. Even in contemporary times, one can abundantly find these pencil skirts of the Edwardian decade. The pencil skirts in those days were paired with jackets and tunics and high heel ankle boots.
With time, the S-shaped corsets became more lucid and free-flowing. Skirts and dresses designed later in 1910 also followed the same pattern. They emphasised on the need for convenience. Hence loose fitted clothes were manufactured in large numbers so that teenage girls and women are comfortable wearing them. The length of the dresses came up to the ankle. By 1910, the S curve of the silhouette gradually turned into the empire line. Generally, women’s daywear was pale coloured top and dark shaded skirts. They were fabricated with linen, cotton, and high-grade cotton for aristocratic people.
In short, teenagers during the age was extremely experimentative. They loved to watch films and adopted new fashion styles as exhibited in films. They refused to be restricted to wearing gowns and traditional dresses and rebelled against their parents to adopt and try out new dress styles.
Popular teenaged boy’s fashion
You must be eager to know what teenage boys dressed during the 1910s. Teenagers, kid’s and men’s clothing during the Edwardian times didn’t differ drastically. Young teenagers wore their father’s suits to churches and gatherings. To sum it up, teenage boy’s clothing during the day consisted of suits, formal tailcoats for evening parties and gatherings, and an even more casual outfit for sports. Teenage boys looked for colourful outfits having decorative and appealing patterns throughout the bodice. Diagonal stripes, vertical stripes, Glenn plaid, checks, and solids were mostly seen in colours of blue, green, and grey. The suits were softly tailored as well. They had round lapels, sloping shoulders, and loose fittings.
Let’s have a detailed look at an Edwardian teenage boy’s fashion essentials:
Jazz suit
Jazz suit was a kind of sack suit, extremely popular among men of the age. They consisted of a pinched up shoulder tightly and the waist was snugly fitted around the ribs. There were 3 closely stitched buttons. The trousers worn with jack suits had a short length and continued till the ankle. The jazz suit was a popular dressing element throughout the Edwardian era and continued to be so even in the later ages.
Suit vest
Just like men, teenaged boys wore a matching vest or waistcoat underneath their suits. The vests had a lower neckline. Later high falutin vests were introduced which had a high neckline. As a result, the vests were visible even under jackets and suits. Mostly, the vests were collarless and had pockets to hold the pocket watch.
Men’s outerwear
Teenage boys popularly wore duster coats during 1910. Duster coats were side buttoned, having Doughboy collars and were of ankle length. Mostly found in shades of lemon, white or light tan, they were mostly manufactured from gabardine, duck, and twill. Overcoats worn by teenage boys weren’t distinct from what people of the previous era wore. There were various types of overcoats available like Inverness cape, wool trench coats, and Chesterfields. Overcoats usually had a long hemline and broad lapels. They were mostly knee-length and had exhibited a classy style of fashion, but were very thick and warm as they were purely made from wool.
Men’s jackets
Aristocratic teenage boys wore overcoats whereas working-class young kids wore short coats or jackets. Jackets most popular in the initial period were reversible leather jackets and corduroy double-breasted jackets. The jackets found in those days were knee-length or waist length. Also, the jackets were heavy and warm and gradually became a casual attire.
Mostly, teenage boys wore suits, but there were occasions when they dressed more causally, especially while playing games, during weekends, or doing a job. In those days, the lower-middle-class families had to engage the teenage boys of their families in doing jobs or join the workforce. Due to financial strains, middle-class boys couldn’t complete their education. They mostly worked in factories or as delivery boys, newsboys, or shoeshines. The suits worn by teenage boys were generally second-hand purchases. Neither did they wear a matching jacket not were the suits properly fitted.
That’s all about the dressing styles of teenagers during the age. Many of the dresses are available in contemporary times as well. If you are willing to shop for them, you can easily here at affordable deals. Make sure you buy matching accessories and jewellery to create the perfect Edwardian era look.