The Edwardian Period and WWI
1900-1920
Chelsea Bell
Southern Methodist University
MSA 3325
Spring 2013
Gowns by Paul Poiret, 1912
Historical Background
1900-1920
England
• Edward VII became
King in 1901
• England was
involved in the
Boer War in South
Africa until 1902
• Edward brought to
the throne an
emphasis on social
life and fashion
France
United States
• From 1900 to just
before WWI, a
political system
emerged that
permitted a high
degree of
individual freedom
• “the age of
optimism”
• Paris was brimming
with authors,
musicians,
scientists, and
artists during this
time.
• The Wright
brothers made the
first successful
flight in 1903
The Edwardian Period and WWI: 1900-1920
• Forty percent of
Americans now
lived in urban
areas
• A twelve minute
movie, The Great
Train Robbery, was
released
Undergarments
1900-1920
The Edwardian Period and WWI: 1900-1920
Costume for Women: 1900-1909
The S-Curve
Evening gown, 1905
‘pigeon’ bodice, 1901
The Edwardian Period and WWI: 1900-1920
Costume for Women: 1909-1914
Empire Revival and the Hobble Skirt
Evening gown by Lucile,
1912
Evening Dress,
circa 1912
The Edwardian Period and WWI: 1900-1920
Costume for Women: 1909-1914
Empire Revival and the Hobble Skirt
The Edwardian Period and WWI: 1900-1920
French Couture
Paul Poiret
Two Empire Line Evening Dresses,
from Les Robes de Paul Poiret 1908
By Paul Iribe
The Edwardian Period and WWI: 1900-1920
Costume for Women: 1914-1918
World War I
WWI militaryinspired suit
McCall’s Pattern, 1915
The Edwardian Period and WWI: 1900-1920
Evening dress, 1916
Costume for Women: 1918-1919
Postwar Styles
1919
The Edwardian Period and WWI: 1900-1920
French Couture
Mariano Fortuny
The Delphos gown with stenciled
velvet jacket
The Edwardian Period and WWI: 1900-1920
Costume for Men
1900-1920
Men’s three piece suit, 1912
Men’s formal wear, 1909
The Edwardian Period and WWI: 1900-1920
Fashion Illustrators
Paul Iribe
From Les Robes de Paul Poiret 1908
The Edwardian Period and WWI: 1900-1920
Fashion Illustrators
Erté
The Edwardian Period and WWI: 1900-1920