Casual 1930s Fashion – Your Guide to Casual 30s Outfits
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Women’s casual 1930s fashion and casual 30s outfits worn by Old Hollywood stars like Bette Davis, Marlene Dietrich and Carole Lombard.
This post is all about Casual 1930s Fashion
Fashion in the 1930s was an interesting blend of the practicality from the Great Depression and Old Hollywood Glam from the movies.
With the Great Depression in full force after the wall street crash, women’s fashion became more conservative and more feminine than the 1920s.
After the straight-cut, boyish fashion of the 1920s, the 1930s saw a return of the feminine figure, with an emphasis on the natural waist, figure hugging materials, and longer hair.
Hemlines also became longer, and it was popular to use the bias cut, with the fabric cut a 45 degree angle allowed for the slinky silhouettes that are so common in 1930s fashion.
In contrast to daywear, 1930s evening wear was at it’s most glamorous in the united states, influenced by Old Hollywood.
American’s flocked to the movies theaters for escapism from the harsh realities of the great depression, and Old Hollywood delivered.
With opulent evening dresses, fur, and jewels, the depression seemed far away.
This post is focused on the casual 1930s fashion, to learn more about iconic 1930s evening gowns and dresses for formal occasions:
Casual Wear in the 1930s
Casual wear in the 1930s was simple and practical for the everyday American.
Women’s casual attire in the 1930s was usually some sort of day dress or house-dress.
Tailored trousers also began to emerge for women, in the form of wide leg pants, but it wasn’t until the 1940s that pants would really become accepted for women in society.
The first jeans for women were introduced by Levis in the 1930s, marking a big move towards making wearing pants acceptable for women.
Above, Old Hollywood movie star Bette Davis rocks two 1930s pants outfits in the late 1930s.
A sweater tee and oxfords keep a pair of full-cut trousers casual (left) A striped slinky pantsuit is casual and chic for the perfect vintage look (right)
1930s Casual Fashion: Day Dresses
With their feminine silhouettes and delicate details, 1930s day dresses were simple and elegant.
For dresses worn in public, the day dress would be from an elegant flowy material.
Cotton or rayon were popular material choices, often featuring floral prints or simple patterns.
Women embraced flowing fabrics, intricate floral patterns, and flattering cuts that accentuated their figures.
Day dresses were usually cut below the knees and emphasized the natural waist and had high, modest necklines.
Housewife dresses were practical and reflected the frugal spirit of the great depression.
They were handmade pieces and were often even be made from flour or feed sack fabric!
Women in the 1930s were creative with their feed sack dresses, and somehow made them look feminine and elegant.
Talk about being frugal and not letting things go to waste!
For more on 1930s dresses:
Above, day dresses from the 1930s, image from the 1930s Fashion Sourcebook
Above, an intricate example of a feed sack dress from the late 1950s. (left) Although not from the 1930s, you can see the vivid patterns and how beautiful the dresses from a feed sack could be.
1930s Casual Fashion: Skirts
Similar to dresses, the most popular skirt length for women was a midi-length or below the knee.
Skirts were worn with blouses or knitwear, and could also be combined with a matching jacket for a more formal look.
Joan Crawford made skirt suits with padded shoulders popular after wearing them in her films.
Wallis Simpson, a 1930s fashion icon, wearing a casual 1930s skirt outfit with the Duke of Windsor. (Above) Notice the below the knee length to her skirt, and how she pairs socks with oxfords to make the look feel more casual.
1930s Casual Fashion: Knitwear
Knit tops or sweaters were popular for casual wear.
Women would wear them on college campuses or for playing sports.
The knit tops were feminine, and often had collar detailing or were adorned with patterns and embellishment that made them extra feminine.
Coco Chanel is credited with helping popularize knitwear, she used jersey and designed knitwear sets and dresses for a coordinated look.
She loved jersey as it was comfortable and helped popularize it in women’s fashion, creating sweaters, dresses, and skirts out of the material.
She created the cashmere cardigan set, of a cashmere cardigan and shell.
These are still common today!
Above, a variety of knitted sweaters from 1935, image from the 1930s Fashion Sourcebook
1930s Casual Fashion: Womens Pants
The 1930s was a pivotal decade that saw the rise of women’s pants.
Despite societal norms of pants being only for men, fearless women rocked wide-leg trousers and high waisted trousers.
Womens pants weren’t yet accepted fro everyday wear, and were mainly worn for sports and leisure activity, such as playing sports or lounging on the beach.
Influential fashion icons like Marlene Dietrich and Katharine Hepburn defied expectations by wearing tailored pantsuits that were comfortable and chic.
It wasn’t until the 1940s that it really became acceptable for women to wear pants, and even later in the 1950s when women began to get more feminine pants styles of their own.
To learn more about women’s pants in the 1940s:
Old Hollywood movie stars Greta Garbo (left) and Marlene Dietrich (right) boldly wear their 1930s outfits consisting of menswear inspired trousers. Marlene Dietrich was known for her pantsuits, and we love how Greta Garbo pairs her slacks with a casual tee.
Joan Crawford models two 1930s pants outfits in the 1930s. The left outfit has a more formal attire feeling with heels and large hat for drama. Right is a more casual outfit with a button-down top tucked into wide-legged trousers.
1930s Casual Fashion: Jeans
In the 1930s, jeans underwent a significant transformation from workwear to a casual clothing fashion staple.
Westerns and cowboy movies were popular in the 1930s, and sparked an interest in jeans.
Watching John Wayne strut around in his Levis, made women want Levis of their own as well.
And so, Levis complied, and in the 1930s they designed their first pair of Levis for women.
Like other pants, jeans really wouldn’t become acceptable for everyday fashion for women until the 1940s and 1950s.
1930s Casual Fashion: Swimwear
Modern swimwear has it’s root in 1930s swimsuits.
Daring two pieces, and one-pieces with low back were miles ahead of the heavy suits of previous decades.
New material actually made swimsuits more comfortable as well.
For more on 1930s swimsuits:
Old Hollywood star Carole Lombard models a stunning 1930s swimsuit (left) while the original “blonde bombshell” Jean Harlow wears a 1930s swimsuit paired with flats on the right.
This post was all about Casual 1930s Fashion
What do you love about 1930s fashion?
What was your favorite casual 1930s clothing article or outfit?
Other posts you might like:
Flapper to Vintage Glam – 1920s and 1930s Fashion
You’ll Love these Vintage Glam 1930s Evening Gowns
