L&T materials shared by TL teachers
November 2013
Suggested Learning and Teaching Activities for
Culture and Fashion Design – Fashion Styles in Different Eras
1. Teacher discusses with students Hong Kong’s fashion and life style in the past four decades.
2. Teacher discusses with students the factors affecting the development of fashion trends in
Hong Kong in the past four decades.
3. Students are divided into groups of two.
4. Students select one of the following era and study the fashion trend of the selected era
(i)
1900s
(ii)
1910s
(iii) 1920s
(iv) 1930s
(v)
1940s
(vi) 1950s
(vii) 1960s
(viii) 1970s
(ix) 1980s
1990s
(x)
(xi) 2000s
5. Students share their findings with the whole class.
** The following table is used as an example for students.
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L&T materials shared by TL teachers
November 2013
Development of Fashion Trends in different eras:
1910s
Historic and cultural
developments
The Ballet Russe
- bright, vivid colours and
exciting shapes of Bakst’s
ballet dancer costume
Wave of enthusiasm for
orientalism
- Japanese, Chinese, Russian
and Indian features
combined with classical and
draped features of Ancient
Greek and Roman costume
1920s
- the balance between the
sexes had been altered
- women were
self-supported and
financially independent
- women had a greater
opportunity to obtain
tertiary education
- clothes became shorter and
less fitted for both comfort
and practicality
- an atmosphere of joy and
optimism
- jazz music blossomed, the
flapper redefined modern
womanhood, and Art Deco
peaked
Social, economic and political influences
Scientific and technological
developments
First World War (1914 – 1918)
Before war time
- dresses without corset with hourglass figure
- soft drapery
st
- long skirts with narrow hemline (before the 1
World War)
- men’s sweater with high and close-fitting turtle
neck or V neck along with cardigans and jackets
During war time:
- Most men were involved with the war, women
worked at factories, farms, hospitals and shops,
fashion became practical
- resources for fashion were limited
- men wore uniform
- women wore hardwearing and practical clothes
such as trousers, sack-like coats, overalls, military
shaped jackets
- hemlines of dresses moved upwards to ankles
and lower legs
After the war
- middy blouses with sailor collars and sweater
The Roaring Twenties of the west
- use of motor cars and
- sustained economic prosperity
rapid expansion of the
- popular entertainment such as theatres, cinemas,
aviation industry,
night clubs and dance club
functional and simple
- actresses, actors and movie stars became fashion
designs were needed for
icons, glamorous clothes worn by them had an
travelling
increase impact on general clothing styles
Depression in 1929
- brought about the classic styles in suits and
dresses as clothes needed to be worn for a long
time and stayed in style
- separate skirts and blouses, a white blouse
became a must in the wardrobe
Significant Designs / Designers
Fashion designers
Paul Poiret
- inspired by the costumes of the oriental and Russia
- initiated the corset reform: lessening corsets and
eliminating layered petticoats
- hobble skirt
Coco Chanel
- adapted men’s sailor jackets and pullover for women
- at the end of the war, introduced dresses and suits made from
jersey fabrics, easy-care knits
Flapper Age
- corset was abandoned
- women’s curves were disguised
- slinky knee-length dresses, which exposed the arms and legs
- silk stockings rolled down just above the knee
- rectangular silhouette
- fashion style changed from feminine to boyish and brash
style, women wore panties and underwear to flatten the bust
for a masculine and tubular effect
- Garconne style - dresses with dropped waist, straight and
loose silhouette, worn with long pearl necklaces and bobbed
hair
- dresses were at calf length, waist reaching the hip level and
neither the bust nor the hips were emphasised
Fashion Designer
Patou
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L&T materials shared by TL teachers
November 2013
-
influenced by Art Deco and Cubism
sweater with Cubist design
sharp geometric shapes and patterns in the fabrics
sportswear and related accessories
added ready-to-wear lines to made-to-measure collections
Chanel
- popularised the Garconne style with sweaters and jersey
dresses
- first designers to make high fashion pants for women
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