History of Fashion 1900 - 1970

Photograph of Princess Colonna, Frederick Hollyer

Photograph, portrait of Princess Colonna
Frederick Hollyer (1837-1933)
1900
London
Platinum print
Museum no. 7831-1938

The sitter in this photograph is wearing fashions typical of the 1900s. She is wearing a 'lingerie dress', a type of diaphanous gown reminiscent of nightgowns or petticoats. They were made with lots of frills and tiers, usually in white or light pastel shades, and often decorated with lace, ribbons and pin-tucks.

The very early years of the century saw a vogue for light and frothy dresses, and was accompanied by hairstyles that were loose and flowing about the shoulders, often in waves. The look was one of slight undress compared to the fitted tailoring and corsetry of the Victorian age, worn especially for evening wear and for entertaining at home. 

Photograph of Baron Welby, Frederick Hollyer

Photograph, portrait of Baron Welby
Frederick Hollyer (1837-1933)
1901
London
Platinum print
Museum no. 7841-1938

Here, Baron Welby is shown in formal dress. He is wearing a frock coat, high-fastening waistcoat, starched 'winged' collar, and a top hat. 

Top hats were still worn by the upper classes for formal wear, though bowler hats and boaters were now common for general and casual dress.   

Photograph of W.A.S. Benson, by F. Hollyer

Photograph, portrait of W.A.S. Benson
Frederick Hollyer (1837-1933)
About 1900
London
Platinum print
Museum no. 7914-1938
Given by Helena Hollyer, 1938

Hollyer was the photographer of choice for the artistic set of the late 19th century. His 'Portraits of Many Persons of Note' fills three volumes with nearly 200 portraits and comprises a pictorial Who's Who of late Victorian and Edwardian celebrities. William Arthur Smith Benson was a metalwork designer and a founder-member of the Art Worker’s Guild, which gave birth to the Arts & Crafts Exhibition Society in 1886. In 1914 he helped found the Design and Industries Association, dedicated to the improvement of industrial design.

His clothes reflect his activities as a proponent of 'Artistic' dress - a late Victorian movement that encouraged looser and more naturally manufactured clothes, fabrics and dyes. His jacket is not as sharply tailored and stiff as those preferred by his more formal contemporaries, and his collar is low.

Christening gown, designer unknown

Christening gown
Designer unknown
1910s, England
Linen, trimmed with embroidery, lace and ribbon
Museum no. MISC.217&A-1982
Given by Christine Boardman on behalf of her parents, Mr and Mrs Frederick Hazel

Over the years this Christening gown has gained the nickname of ‘The Bin Dress’ because an observant member of the donor’s family pulled it out of a dustbin in the early 1930s and rescued it for further use. It is unlikely that the Museum will ever know the true story of its presence in the bin: perhaps a dispute or even a tragedy, or maybe by then it was simply too old-fashioned? Its lace decoration is in a style that was particularly fashionable around 1900, but by the 1930s, when the dress was thrown away, the latest Christening robes were often much shorter than this and made of synthetic fabrics that were easier to iron.

Photograph of David Lindsay, Earl of Crawford and Balcarres

Photograph; portrait of David Lindsay, Earl of Crawford and Balcarres
Frederick Hollyer (1837-1933)
1900
England
Platinum print
Museum no. 7699-1938

The sitter in this photograph is a Member of Parliament, and is shown wearing formal business dress of the 1900s. He is wearing a jacket, waistcoat, high starched 'winged' collar, and sports a fashionable curled moustache. 

Though male fashions did not change as rapidly as women's, his waistcoat is fastened lower on the chest than was fashionable in the 1890s.

Photograph of Henriette Henriot, by C.H. Reutlinger

Photograph; portrait of Henriette Henriot (cabinet card)
C.H. Reutlinger (photographers)
1910s
England
Albumen print
Museum no. S.137:417-2007

Photography was a novel and exciting development in Victorian days. Many people had studio photographs taken, in everyday dress or fancy dress, for ‘cartes de visite’, and later ‘cabinet cards’. Both were albumen prints made from glass negatives, attached to stiff card backing printed with the photographer’s name.

‘Cartes de visite’, the size of formal visiting cards, were patented in 1854 and produced in their millions during the 1860s when it became fashionable to collect them. Their subjects included scenic views, tourist attractions and works of art, as well as portraits. They were superseded in the late 1870s by the larger and sturdier ‘cabinet cards’ whose popularity waned in turn during the 1890s in favour of postcards and studio portraits.

This photograph shows the actress Henriette Henriot in stylish dress. Her bosom is low and round in the shape of a puffed 'pouter pigeon', considered the height of fashion in the 1900s and especially around 1905. Her hair is piled in loose waves on top of her head, and is pushed slightly forwards over her forehead. 

Golfing ensemble, F. Bosworth

Golfing ensemble (skirt, jacket, belt, cap and club)
Frederick Bosworth
About 1908
London
Museum no. T.20,A to D-1960
Worn by Miss Heather Firbank

Along with bicycling and croquet, golfing was a very popular sport with women of the 1900s. Special sporting corsets were made so that they could play with some degree of comfort, and masculine inspired fashions were created for the practicalities of time spent outdoors. Sporting ensembles like this were created in warm, tailored tweeds, with skirts that were off the ground and not too voluminous.

Summer day dress, designer unknown

Summer day dress
Designer unknown
1905, Great Britain
Printed striped cotton, with a yoke neck of tucked Broderie Anglaise frills and pin-tucked collar with a tape lace frill
Museum no. T.21 to B-1960
Worn by Miss Heather Firbank

Crisp-looking blue and white dresses such as this were popular for boating and seaside wear. It is decorated with lace, frills and pin-tucks, to give a soft and feminine appearance. The bodice is ruched and draped to createa low, puffed chest shape that was very fashionable in the 1900s, especially around 1905.

This dress was worn by Miss Heather Firbank (1888-1954), daughter of the affluent Member of Parliament Sir Thomas Firbank and sister of the novelist Ronald Firbank. Miss Firbank was young, 'had beauty, and she adorned it with exquisite clothes of a heather colour to complement her name', according to M. Benkovitz in 'Ronald Firbank: A Biography' (1970).

Embroidered velvet coat, Marshall & Snelgrove Ltd

Embroidered velvet coat
Marshall & Snelgrove Ltd (retailers)
1895-1900
London
Embroidered velvet, satin and lace
Museum no. T.49-1962
Given by Mrs A. Poliakoff

This Paris couture coat reflects the influence of the European Arts and Crafts Movement. It features a medieval-style collar and is entirely covered in dramatic sprays of an English wildflower called 'Sweet Cicely' hand-embroidered in yellow and green silk, with petals of white felt.

The influence of the Arts and Crafts movement is apparent in this coat, hand-embroidered with sprays of an English wildflower called 'Sweet Cicely' (Myrrhis odorata). In the 1880s William Morris and other English artists rejected the dominance of the machine in British art and design. Their attempts to preserve the traditional designs and craftsmanship of textiles, furniture, ceramics and architecture created the Arts and Crafts style. Wild flowers were popular motifs, evoking the simplicity and charm of English country life, now vanishing in the face of urbanisation and the industrial revolution. Echoing these concerns, ‘Aesthetic’ dress of the 1870s rejected the fussy and upholstered look of women’s fashion. Although at first ridiculed, many of the decorative features of ‘Aesthetic’ dress were absorbed into mainstream fashion by the 1890s.

Marshall and Snelgrove were one of London’s exclusive department stores, founded in 1837 by James Marshall who was succeeded by his son in partnership with John Snelgrove in 1871. Bespoke dressmaking was an important feature of their store on Oxford Street and the coat combines the fashionable high collar and full sleeves with the artistic design of the embroidery.

Driving Coat, Hammond & Co. Ltd.

Driving Coat
Hammond & Co. Ltd. (tailors)
1906-8
London
Woven houndstooth check tweed, lined with silk and woven wool
Museum no. T.96-1963
Given by Sir Phillip and Lady Joubert

This versatile double-breasted coat made of a heavy wool would have been ideal for outdoor wear. At the turn of the century a growing interest in sports and leisure pursuits led to more relaxed clothing for men. Comfortable clothes were needed to ride a bicycle, drive a motor car or play golf. This resulted in a range of informal styles that fed into mainstream fashion:

'A man's wardrobe is now almost as varied as a woman's. He has different costumes for walking, riding, driving, visiting, boating, hunting, shooting, golfing, bicycling, tennis, and cricket, dining, smoking, and lounging, football, racing, and yachting, to say nothing of uniform and the Court suit, besides the now developing motor-car costume'. (Mrs Humphry, 'Manners for Men', London 1897)

This suit has two slanting hip pockets with flaps and a small ticket pocket at the waist seam on the right-hand side. A tailor's label, stitched to the right inside breast pocket, is inscribed with the words, 'Hammond & Co., Ltd., 465 Oxford Street., London Fo 501 Mons. Paul Cocteau'. Paul Cocteau was the brother of the French writer and film maker Jean Cocteau. He preferred to purchase his sporting dress in England as he considered it to be the best quality.

Mourning dress, designer unknown

Mourning dress
Designer unknown
About 1900
Great Britain
Wool trimmed with mourning crape and lined with glazed cotton
Museum no. T.107:1,2-2003

Queen Victoria's prolonged mourning for her husband, Prince Albert, made the practice of wearing mourning dress a social norm. Women wore full black mourning garb for one year after losing a husband or close family member, and less strict versions for a further year. Elderly widows often stayed in mourning attire for the rest of their own lives. The practice came to an end around the time of the First World War.

The skirt seen here is A-line in shape, typical of the early 1900s. It is trimmed with chevrons of mourning crepe.

Suit, designer unknown

Double-breasted suit
Designer unknown
About 1904
Great Britain
Flannel woven with a thin vertical pin-stripe, with mother-of-pearl buttons, and sleeves lined with cotton
Museum no. T.159&A-1969
Given by Mrs Brooks

Light-coloured suits such as this became popular in the 1890s. The matching coat, trousers and waistcoat in pin-striped flannel (known as 'dittos') were accepted dress for summer sports and holidays. The outfit was often completed with a straw boater.

The striped jacket had originally been worn for cricket, tennis and rowing and it became fashionable for seaside wear during the 1880s. The cut of this jacket is derived from the earlier 'reefer' coat, usually worn for sailing. The infiltration of sporting dress into informal styles of clothing shows how social conventions were relaxing in the late 19th century.

Conventions in dress applied to informal as well as more formal wear. It was important to be dressed appropriately for the occasion. One gentlemen's etiquette book wrote:

There are special suits for all kinds of outdoor amusements, such as shooting, golfing, tennis, boating, driving, riding, bicycling, fishing, hunting, &c., but into the details of these it is unnecessary to enter. It may be remarked, however, that it is easy to stultify the whole effect of these, however perfectly they may be 'built' by the tailor, by the addition of a single incongruous article of attire; such as a silk hat or patent boots with a shooting-suit. (Mrs Humphry, Manners for Men, London 1897)

Underpants, designer unknown

Underpants
Designer unknown
1880-1900
Great Britain
Machine-knitted silk, with pearl buttons and silk loops for braces, machine-sewn
Museum no. T.169-1960
Given by B.W. Owram

Vests and pants were worn next to the skin, under the shirt or trousers. Throughout the 19th century drawers had been worn, made of similar materials to the vest, including stockinette, cotton and wool; but by the end of the 19th century the distinction between drawers and underpants was recognised. Pants were either ankle-length to the mid-calf, drawers were either just below or just above the knee.

Some underpants were knee-length, to go under clothes for sporting wear: short pants of absorbent stockinette, for example, were worn for cycling. The loop of tape outside the waistband through which tongues of the braces were passed became general towards the end of the period. Many men preferred to have the vest and pants combined in one. These were known as combinations and became very popular in the 20th century.

Underpants were made in linen, cotton and merino, but machine-knitted silk was fashionable with the wealthy and also for summer wear. Underpants of natural coloured wool or cellular cotton were also popular as these fabrics allowed the skin to breathe. Such materials were seen by dress reformers as the healthy alternative to silk, which they claimed trapped harmful chemicals close to the skin. By the late 19th century vests were available in a range of colours, including peach, flesh tint, lavender, light blue and heliotrope.

A typical gentleman probably owned several sets of vests and underpants. They were often initialled with the name of the owner so they could be recognised during the laundry process. By 1906 the vast majority of men dispensed with underwear altogether in the summer months.

Evening dress, Jays Ltd.

Evening dress
Jays Ltd. (designers)
About 1908
London
Satin, with silk panels embroidered with silver-gilt strip, coil, thread, spangles, pearls and diamantes, and trimmed with velvet, with boned bodice; net is modern replacement
Museum no. T.193&A-1970
Given by Lord and Lady Cowdray

The dress is dominated by the boldly embroidered panels imported from Turkey and made up in London. In style this dress is transitional between the pronounced curved shapes of the early 1900s and the straighter lines (with high waists) that had become current by about 1909. There is some evidence that an earlier dress may have been adapted to suit the tastes of 1908. The inside of the bodice has a grosgrain waist stay (grosgrain is a heavily ribbed silk) with the woven label of Jays Ltd, which bears a taffeta ribbon marked 'Lady Pearson', the name of the wearer.

Top hat, James Lock & Co

Top hat
James Lock & Co.
1910s
London
Black silk plush, with a woollen band and satin lining
Museum no. T.216&A-1960
Bequeathed by Lady Beerbohm

In the early 19th century the top hat was the predominant type of headwear in a gentleman's wardrobe. It reached its peak of popularity during the 1840s and 1850s, when mass manufacturing and industrialisation brought fashionable dress within the reach of a much wider section of the population. During the second half of the century new informal styles, such as the straw boater and soft felt hat, as well as the more formal bowler hat, challenged the predominance of the top hat.

By the 1880s the top hat was relegated to more formal occasions when a gentleman would wear a frock or tail coat. Manners for Men, by Mrs Humphry ('Madge of Truth'), reported:

'Frequently a silk hat is never seen between Sunday and Sunday. Churchgoers still, to a certain extent, affect it, but in these days of outdoor life, bicycling, and so on, the costume worn by men in church is experiencing the same modifications that characterise it in other department.'

The shape of the top hat appeared at the end of the 18th century. It changed in shape over time and a range of different styles appeared as the century progressed. The gibus or collapsible top hat came into fashion in the 1840s and was often worn with evening dress. It was made of corded silk or cloth over a metal framework which sprung open with a flick of the wrist. It could easily be carried under the arm, making it more convenient for an evening at the opera or theatre than the rigid top hats. Some top hats had ventilation holes in the crown.

In the late 18th century and first half of the 19th century top hats were known as 'beavers'. This is because they were made of felted beaver fur wool. In 1862 Henry Mayhew's London Labour and the London Poor reported that 'the bodies of beaver hats are made of a firm felt wrought up of fine wool, rabbit's hair etc. ... over this is placed the nap prepared from the hair of the beaver.' The processes used to create the beaver hats involved the use of mercury. Contact with mercury often had detrimental effects on the hatters and led to the phrase 'mad as a hatter'. By the late 19th century most top hats were made of silk.

Evening dress, Maison Laferriere

Evening dress
Maison Laferriere
About 1900, Paris
Figured satin, decorated with imitation pearls, diamantes and spangles; net is modern replacement
Museum no. T.282&A-1974
Given by Lady Lloyd

This elegant evening dress was designed by the famous Paris fashion house Maison Laferrière, located at 28 rue Taitbout in Paris. Maison Laferrière was frequented by aristocrats and others of great wealth, who admired its exquisite designs and fine workmanship.

This dress was worn by Princess Alexandra of Denmark (the future Queen Alexandra), who was considered to dress with exemplary taste. It is an example of the highest standards of design and dressmaking, utilising the most luxurious materials. Though most women would not have been able to afford a dress from a couture house, many would emulate the Princess' style. 

This dress is typical of very early 1900s eveningwear. The torso is moulded by a rigid whalebone corset into an hourglass shape with a straight, flat abdomen. The dress exposes the décolletage, shoulders and arms, and the long skirt is fitted around the hips and fluted towards the hem.

Norfolk jacket, designer unknown

Norfolk jacket
Designer unknown
About 1900
Great Britain
Checked tweed, with sateen and striped cotton lining and buttons of horn, hand- and machine-sewn
Museum no. T.356-1984
Given by Martin Kamer

The Norfolk jacket was a versatile garment which became an important item in a gentleman's wardrobe. It was originally worn by the Rifle Corps in the Volunteer Movement of 1859-1860 and was adapted for shooting costume during the 1860s. It was initially known as the 'Norfolk shirt' and was at first strictly reserved for country wear.

With the growth in leisure activities and sporting pursuits during the 1870s and 1880s the Norfolk jacket became acceptable for any form of outdoor exercise, 'being especially suited for bicycling, business, fishing, pleasuring, and the moorland' (Tailor and Cutter, April 1888). Golfing attire was particularly colourful, as this extract from Golf by Horace Hutchinson suggests: In the matter of Norfolk jackets and knickerbockers, spats and particularly coloured stockings, checks and stripes, the golfer is a bird of bright and varied plumage.'

This example was probably worn for general country wear. Inside one of the pockets are a piece of paper giving the monthly rainfall for the year 1900, a stamp, metal pin and a piece of string. By the 1890s conventions had become so relaxed that smart young men were seen wearing Norfolk jackets even in the city.

The Norfolk jacket was often made of Harris tweed and homespuns. It was frequently teamed up with matching knickerbockers and a soft cap such as a deerstalker. Its distinctive features were a box pleat at the centre back and another passing down each forepart. It also had a belt made of the same material. Women wore close-fitting versions of the jacket for sports, country wear and even fashionable dress. The jacket also appears in illustrations for the dress of young boys from 1859 onwards

Vest, designer unknown

Vest
Designer unknown
1880-1900
Great Britain
Machine-knitted silk, with silk placket and pearl buttons, hand- and machine-sewn
Museum no. T.168-1960
Given by B.W. Owram

Vests became fashionable during the 1840s and were often described as 'undershirts'. Men had previously worn under-waistcoats for extra warmth. Vests and pants were worn next to the skin under the shirt or trousers.

By 1894 a range of styles was available, including ventilated waistcoats of lambswool with perforations under the arms, silk undershirts and vests made of lambswool. Many men preferred to have the vest and pants combined in one. These were known as combinations and became very popular in the 20th century.

Vests were made in linen, cotton and merino, but machine-knitted silk was fashionable with the wealthy and also for summer wear. Undervests of natural coloured wool or cellular cotton were also popular, as these fabrics allowed the skin to breathe. Such materials were seen by dress reformers as the healthy alternative to silk, which they claimed trapped harmful chemicals close to the skin. By the late 19th century vests were available in a range of colours, including peach, flesh tint, lavender, light blue and heliotrope.

A typical gentleman probably owned several sets of vests and underpants. They were often initialled with the name of the owner so they could be recognised during the laundry process. By 1906 the vast majority of men dispensed with underwear altogether in the summer months.

Ball gown, C.F. Worth

Ball gown
Charles Frederick Worth (1825-95)
About 1900, Paris
Silk velvet, trimmed with diamante; petticoat, sleeves and neck edgings are modern replacements in
the style of Worth
Museum no. T.459 to B-1974
Given by the Duke and Duchess of Kent

This dress is typical of very early 1900s eveningwear. The torso is moulded by a rigid whalebone corset into an hourglass shape with a straight, flat abdomen. The dress exposes the décolletage and shoulders, and the long skirt is fitted around the hips and fluted towards the hem. There is a train, but no bustle.

It was made by Charles Frederick Worth (1825-1895), a celebrated Parisian couture dressmaker. He was born in Bourne, Lincolnshire, and started working at the age of 12 in a draper's shop in London. Eight years later he moved to Paris, where he opened his own fashion house in 1858. He was soon patronised by the Empress Eugenie and her influence was instrumental to his success. His clothes, admired for their elegance and fine workmanship, became an important symbol of social and financial advancement.

Summer day dress, designer unknown

Summer day dress
Designer unknown
1905
Great Britain
Printed striped cotton, with a yoke neck of tucked Broderie Anglaise frills and pin-tucked collar with a tape lace frill
Museum no. T.21 to B-1960
Worn by Miss Heather Firbank

Crisp-looking blue and white dresses such as this were popular for boating and seaside wear. It is decorated with lace, frills and pin-tucks, to give a soft and feminine appearance. The bodice is ruched and draped to create a low, puffed chest shape that was very fashionable in the 1900s, especially around 1905.

This dress was worn by Miss Heather Firbank (1888-1954), daughter of the affluent Member of Parliament Sir Thomas Firbank and sister of the novelist Ronald Firbank. Miss Firbank was young, 'had beauty, and she adorned it with exquisite clothes of a heather colour to complement her name', according to M. Benkovitz in 'Ronald Firbank: A Biography' (1970).

Travelling gown, designer unknown

Travelling gown
Designer unknown
1905, Great Britain
Woollen face cloth, trimmed with braid and velvet, and inserted with panels of net and machine-made lace
Museum no. T.421 to H-1977
Given by Lady Alice Egerton

Pastel colours combined with cream were greatly favoured by fashionable Edwardians. This costume shows how designers of the period lavishly adorned plain cloth with a variety of rich trimmings. It has an alternative matching jacket, a pair of white kid shoes trimmed with ribbon, and white silk stockings, which are not shown in the image.

The ensemble was worn by Viscountess Brackley, née Miss Violet Lambton, who became the Countess of Ellesmere (1880-1976). She married Viscount Ellesmere in the autumn of 1905 in St Margaret's Church, Westminster, London. This society wedding was recorded in The Queen, The Lady's Newspaper on 4 November 1905: 'the bride travelled in a blue cloth costume trimmed with Irish lace and braid and a hat to match'. This report was accompanied by a sketch showing the wedding-gown, travelling costume and bridesmaids' dresses.

Smoking suit, designer unknown

Smoking suit
Designer unknown
About 1906
Great Britain
Silk, lined with wool, hand and machine sewn
Museum no. T.720-1974
Given by the Earl and Countess of Avon

The smoking jacket was a short, easy- fitting coat, cut in the style of a lounge jacket. It was a distinctive garment since it was often quilted and decorated with silk cord or braid frogging. It could be single- or double-breasted. Soft materials were used such as silk, velvet or wool in dark reds, greens, blues, brown or black.

This smoking jacket and matching trousers appear to have been made out of handkerchief silk as the pattern is not continuous. The fabric was probably made in India for the European market.

The popularity of the smoking suit shows how sartorial rules were relaxing in the late 19th century. The smoking jacket was often worn in place of the dinner jacket for an informal evening at home. It was worn with day trousers, evening trousers and sometimes (as in this example) with matching easy-cut trousers. The trousers on this suit are adjusted with a buckle at the back, but trousers could also be secured by a girdle at the waist like pyjama trousers.

The smoking jacket was still popular in the early 20th century. In 1956 the Austin Reed catalogue announced an updated version of the smoking jacket, named the television jacket. This did not become a widespread fashion as by this date few men felt the need to wear a special garment for watching television or smoking.

Ensemble, designer unknown

Day dress and hat
Dress, designer unknown, Hat, by Henry of London
About 1910
Great Britain
Museum no. T.23 & 105-1960
Worn by Miss Heather Firbank

Hats reached an immense size in the early 20th century. This very fashionable example from 1910 is made of a fine black straw. It has an outsize crown, which would have been supported by the piled-up hairstyles of the time. Long hat-pins would have secured the hat to the hair. Hats were often lavishly trimmed, and with its mass of purple cotton artificial flowers, this is no exception.

Photograph of ladies walking in the Avenue des Acacias, J. Lartigue

Photograph of ladies walking in the Avenue des Acacias, Paris
Jacques-Henri Lartigue (1894-1986)
1911, Paris
Gelatine silver print
Museum no. CIRC.536-1971

A scene such a this showing fashionably dressed women out walking with their dogs, or with friends, was a favourite subject for the photographer Lartigue. Many of his photographs from this period document high fashion - the women he chose to photograph were the wealthy and well-to-do, dressed in the latest fashions, wearing furs and extravagant hats trimmed with feathers. These women are also wearing the fashionable 'hobble' skirt - a long skirt that cinches at the lower leg and ankle. A stroll in a public park was a favourite pastime for the leisured classes, and women especially took it as an opportunity to display their wealth and taste.

Black silk crepe dress, Lucile

Dress
Lucile (Lady Lucy Duff-Gordon, 1863-1935)
1910-2, London
Black silk crepe, edged with bands of black and cream silk, the neck fitted with machine-made black lace
Museum no. CIRC.645-1964
Worn by Miss Heather Firbank

The house of Lucile was renowned for its asymmetrical styles, of which this matt black silk crepe dinner dress is a perfect example. Set into a high waist, the bias-cut skirt is softly swathed over the left hip and the hem is extended into a triangular train. The cross-over bodice has a plunging V neck fitted with a machine-made black lace, while bands of cream and black silk decorate the neck and cuffs.

This is from the collection of Heather Firbank (1888-1954), daughter of the MP Sir Thomas Firbank and sister of the novelist Ronald Firbank. The dress is a half-mourning dress, meaning that it was worn in the later stages of mourning. Mourning etiquette was well controlled and what could be worn at each stage was rigidly prescribed.

Poster for Hart Schaffner & Marx menswear, E. Penfield

Poster for Hart Schaffner & Marx menswear
Edward Penfield (1866-1925)
About 1910
USA
Colour lithograph on paper
Museum no. 130-1925
Given by H. L. Sparks, Esq.

This is a poster for Hart Schaffner & Marx, who made hand-tailored clothing for men. It depicts youthful fashions. 

The man's suit is less formal than those of previous decades. His blazer is shorter than long Victorian frock coats, and resembles a modern 3-piece suit. His collar is not starched up, but is turned down over his tie.

His dancing partner wears a dress typical of the decade - a long tunic-style top, belted at the waist over a relatively slim ankle-length skirt. This practical, less formal dress style was driven by a dance craze, particularly for the tango, that started in America in the early part of the decade and spread to Europe within a few years. 

Day dress, designer unknown

Day dress
Designer unknown
1912-4
England
Linen, with silk organza collar and cuffs and silk twill bow
Museum no. T.17-1960
Worn by Miss Heather Firbank

This simple 'seaside' dress formed part of Miss Heather Firbank's wardrobe. She was daughter of the affluent Member of Parliament Sir Thomas Firbank and sister of the novelist Ronald Firbank. The dress has a simple collar and spotted cravat. Its fresh youthful style conjures up images of summer holidays during the years before the First World War (1914-1918).

Cravats and foulards were popular at the time on blouses as well as dresses. They were inspired by earlier masculine styles in neckwear. In August 1912 The Queen magazine described 'the prettiest style of Robespierre collar, finishing with a Latin Quartier cravat of blue and white birds-eye spot silk'.

In 1921 Heather Firbank's clothes were packed into trunks and put into storage, where they remained for the next 35 years. In 1960 the V&A acquired well over 100 items from her wardrobe. This collection forms an invaluable record of a stylish and wealthy woman's taste between about 1905 and 1920. Many items were shown in an exhibition at the V&A in 1960. It was called 'Lady of Fashion: Heather Firbank and what she wore between 1908 and 1921'.

Dress, J. Redfern

Dress
John Redfern (1853-1929)
1910-2, London
Museum no. T.32-1960
Worn by Miss Heather Firbank

The high-waisted black cashmere kimono-like gown is trimmed with striking notes of purple and a wide draped purple sash of silk crepe. It has an unusual bodice (without centre back seam), incorporating bat-wing sleeves with long, tapered cuffs and a wired 'Tudor'-style, heart-shaped collar. The gown wraps over and fastens along the left front with tiny press-studs under a line of blind buttonholes with pendant buttons.

This is from the collection of Heather Firbank (1888-1954), daughter of the MP Sir Thomas Firbank and sister of the novelist Ronald Firbank. The dress is a half-mourning dress, meaning that it was worn in the later stages of mourning. Mourning etiquette was well controlled and what could be worn at each stage was rigidly prescribed.

Evening dress, designer unknown

Evening dress
Designer unknown
About 1913
Great Britain or France
Silk chine and silk voile, brocaded with metallic threads, and trimmed with mauve satin, diamantes, imitation pearls and bobbin lace
Museum no. T.33-1947

Before the outbreak of First World War in 1914, which all but smothered the market for luxury goods, couturiers created evening clothes that were complex assemblages of luxurious materials and trimmings. They were often, as with this evening dress, constructed with multiple layers of diaphanous fabrics trimmed with metallic threads, pearls and diamantés to catch the light.

Costume, J. Redfern

Costume (skirt and jacket)
John Redfern (1853-1929)
About 1911
London
Wool flannel with black velvet and silk lining
Museum no. T.39&A-1960
Worn by Miss Heather Firbank

This elegant grey flannel two-piece ensemble is called a 'costume'. Coat-and-skirt ensembles such as this would not have been considered suits until after the First World War. During the early 1910s, fashionable women wore slim skirts and neatly fitted blouses, often under quite loosely fitted coats and jackets. This outfit would have been worn as a walking suit.

Morning suit, Brass & Pike

Morning suit (coat, waistcoat and trousers)
Brass & Pike (tailors)
1910
London
Woven wool barathea edged with silk braid, buttons covered in chequered-woven silk
Museum no. T.57 to B-1962
Given by Mrs B. M. Bohener

This is a typical example of a gentleman's morning suit. In the early years of the 20th century it would have been worn as everyday dress by professional and business gentlemen, as well as for formal occasions. It was said to have been worn at the donor's wedding by her father.

The morning coat originated in the single-breasted tailcoat worn in the early 19th century. This was also known as the riding coat, or 'Newmarket'. By the 1850s the coat was shaped halfway between a riding coat and a frock coat. It was usually single-breasted and was known as the 'cutaway', as the fronts sloped away elegantly to the broad skirts behind.

After the First World War the morning suit was gradually superseded by the lounge suit for everyday wear, though it continued to be worn by older men.

Evening dress, C.F. Worth

Evening dress
Charles Frederick Worth (1825-1895) 
About 1910, Paris
Satin, overlaid with silk net embroidered with silver gilt thread and bugle beads; bodice of ruched silk velvet
Museum no. T.57-1961
Given by Lady Hoyer Millar

Around 1910, leading fashion houses such as Worth created evening dresses with a straight silhouette. Their impact depended on the juxtaposition of colours and a variety of luxurious and richly decorated fabrics. On this garment, vivid velvet pile is set against light-reflecting beadwork, and the triple-tiered matt net overskirt covers the sheen of the trained satin skirt. The pillar-like look exemplified by this dress replaced the exaggerated curves of the early 1900s. It also shows how designers broke the strong vertical emphasis by creating overskirts with horizontal lines. The bodice, however, is still boned (nine bones).

Charles Frederick Worth (1825-1895) was a celebrated couture dressmaker in Paris. Born in England at Bourne in Lincolnshire, he started working at the age of 12 in a draper’s shop in London. After working for various haberdashers and silk mercers, he left for Paris in 1845. In 1858 he went into partnership with a Swedish businessman, Otto Bobergh, and opened his own house. He was soon patronised by the Empress Eugénie (1826-1920), wife of the French Emperor, Napoleon III, and her influence was instrumental to his success. Obtaining made-to-measure clothes from his house was a symbol of social and financial success. They were appreciated for their beauty, elegance and fine workmanship.

Day dress, designer unknown

Day dress
Designer unknown
About 1913
England
Museum no. T.288-1973
Given by Mr J. R. H. Cook

This garment reveals the fashionable elements of dress immediately before World War I (1914-1918). The line is straight and the cut (especially of the cross-over draped bodice) is intricate. Rows of non-functional tiny buttons were frequently used as decorative motifs in this period. The bodice is lined with white cotton (with ruffles attached to give fullness at the bust) and has a stiff, silk-faced waistband. It was not made by one of the top houses, for it is probably a copy by a good dressmaker of a Paris model .

Side saddle riding habit, J. Redfern

Side saddle riding habit (jacket, skirt, breeches)
John Redfern (1853-29)
1912, London
Black wool flecked with white, lined with pearl grey satin (jacket) and cotton twill (skirt); breeches of woollen jersey
Museum no. T.333-1982
Given by Mrs J. G. M. Stewart and Mrs I. O'Reilly

The construction of riding-habits is a highly specialized branch of the tailor's art. Because riding-habits are subject to considerable stress, the emphasis throughout is on firm and accurate construction. Seams that take strain and might rub are lined and reinforced with black cotton, and buttons are backed with cotton. This particular example was made for Mrs James Fraser (née Miss Grace Isabelle Spencer-Smith), the mother of the donors.

John Redfern was born in England about 1819. In the 1870s he began designing beautifully constructed and practical tailored garments to meet the needs of women engaging in various sports, from yachting and tennis to archery and riding. His designs were adopted by royalty, actresses and fashionable women for everyday wear as well as for sports. He opened branches in London (1881), Paris (1881), New York (1884) and Rhode Island (1885). He closed his fashion houses in 1932. They were resurrected in 1936, but closed again in 1940.

Summer day dress, designer unknown

Summer day dress
Designer unknown
About 1910
France
White lacis (needle lace) and embroidered lawn, with macrame fringe and bobble trim; fastened around the waist with a ribbon belt
Museum no. T.465-1974
Given by the Hon. Mrs J. J. Astor

This style of delicate pale dress was immensely popular for wear at summer garden parties and fêtes. It has wide, inset panels of lacis patterned with a meandering leaf stem at the front, back and sleeve tops to complement the light fabric. An inner net bodice fastens at the centre front with a row of minute lawn-covered buttons and loops.

The fashion (current between about 1909 and 1912) for enormous hats was ridiculed in the popular press. However, fashionable women (even suffragettes) continued to wear these extravagant creations. False hair pads ('transformations') were often used, and the hats were anchored with long pins stuck through the hat and the real and false hair (safety guards shielded the sharp hat-pin points).

The dress was given to the Museum by the Hon. Mrs J. J. Astor and forms part of the Cecil Beaton Collection, brought together by the society photographer Sir Cecil Beaton (1904-1980). With great energy and determination, Beaton contacted the well-dressed elite of Europe and North America to help create this lasting monument to the art of dress. The Collection was exhibited in 1971, accompanied by a catalogue that detailed its enormous range.

Day dress, designer unknown

Day dress
Designer unknown
1912-4
England
Linen, with silk organza collar and cuffs and silk twill bow
Museum no. T.17-1960
Worn by Miss Heather Firbank

This simple 'seaside' dress formed part of Miss Heather Firbank's wardrobe. She was daughter of the affluent Member of Parliament Sir Thomas Firbank and sister of the novelist Ronald Firbank. The dress has a simple collar and spotted cravat. Its fresh youthful style conjures up images of summer holidays during the years before the First World War (1914-1918).

Cravats and foulards were popular at the time on blouses as well as dresses. They were inspired by earlier masculine styles in neckwear. In August 1912 The Queen magazine described 'the prettiest style of Robespierre collar, finishing with a Latin Quartier cravat of blue and white birds-eye spot silk'.

In 1921 Heather Firbank's clothes were packed into trunks and put into storage, where they remained for the next 35 years. In 1960 the V&A acquired well over 100 items from her wardrobe. This collection forms an invaluable record of a stylish and wealthy woman's taste between about 1905 and 1920. Many items were shown in an exhibition at the V&A in 1960. It was called 'Lady of Fashion: Heather Firbank and what she wore between 1908 and 1921'.

Lounge suit, designer unknown

Lounge suit (jacket, waistcoat, trousers)
Designer unknown
1918-20
Great Britain
Woven tweed with a vertical stripe; (Jacket) Lined with twill ; (Waistcoat) Lined with linen with a narrow black and wider brown stripe
Museum no. T.215 to B-1960
Given by the executors of Lady Beerbohm

The lounge suit became popular during the 1860s because of its easy comfort. It originated from the 'lounging jacket', which was cut to fit the waist without a waist seam by means of a long dart from under the arm to the waist. By the 1870s the jacket was worn with matching waistcoat and trousers and had become popular for informal wear. In the early 20th century it replaced the frock coat and the morning coat.

The owner of this lounge suit was Sir Max Beerbohm (1872-1956), the English essayist, caricaturist and master of a polished prose style.

Print, G. Lepape

Print
Georges Lepape (1887-1971; engraver), Gazette du Bon Ton (publisher)
1920
France
Colour process engraving and colour stencil
Museum no. E.291-1954

This fashion plate is from the journal 'Gazette du Bon Ton'. The journal featured articles about theatre, travel and other pursuits of interest to the leisured wealthy, but the main emphasis was always on fashion. It was published from November 1912 to the summer of 1915, and again from January 1920 to December 1925. The complete run consisted of 12 volumes. It was intended for the Parisian elite, and introduced fashions in colour plates such as this one. The contributors included many prominent artists of the time, and the colour plates anticipated the Art Deco style that was to dominate the 1920s. The illustrations were stencilled by hand with watercolour, in a technique known as pochoir.

It shows a man in evening dress, with tails and a top hat. It is a simple and effective image of a tall and elegant man smoking. The only splash of colour is his yellow glove. Despite the simplicity of the image, it communicates glamour.

Design for a cover of Pearson's Magazine, H.J. Haley

Design for a cover of Pearson's Magazine
Henry James Haley (born 1874)
1920s
Great Britain
Pencil, coloured chalk and bodycolour on card
Museum no. E.343-1985

This is a design for the cover of 'Pearson's Magazine'. Henry Haley produced several cover designs for this popular publication in the 1920s. It clearly appealed to a largely female readership. Here Haley uses the image of a woman driver to represent a modern outlook and an independent lifestyle. She is wearing a fashionable cloche hat and sports a bob.

Design, Roseland Studio for Willetts & Sons

Design
Roseland Studio (artists) for Willetts & Sons (retailers)
1920s
London
Pen and ink and pencil on cream card
Museum no. E.3224-2004
Presented by Mrs Pamela Joan Gordon in memory of her father, George Frederick Willetts (1893-1961)

This design is from the packaging company Willetts & Sons, which was based in London from 1910 until the 1960s. The company made paper bags, card boxes, labels and tickets for a range of different clothes stores. Sometimes they employed artists to illustrate these items.

This example was drawn by a commercial artist at the little-known Roseland Studio in the 1920s. It shows a glamorous young woman wearing an elegant fur-trimmed suit, together with the latest cloche hat and bobbed hair. Her outfit is tubular with a drop-waist, reflecting the rather androgynous styles of the decade. Such an image was clearly designed to appeal to fashionable customers and to reflect well on the clothes store which used it.

The V&A holds over 40 similar designs from Willetts & Sons.

Design, Roseland Studio for Willetts & Sons

Design
Roseland Studio (artists) for Willetts & Sons (retailers)
1920s
London
Pen and ink on paper
Museum no. E.3232-2004
Presented by Mrs Pamela Joan Gordon in memory of her father, George Frederick Willetts (1893-1961)

This design is from the packaging company Willetts & Sons, which was based in London from 1910 until the 1960s. The company made paper bags, card boxes, labels and tickets for a range of different clothes stores. Sometimes they employed artists to illustrate these items.

This example was drawn by a commercial artist at the little-known Roseland Studio in the 1920s. It shows a glamorous young woman wearing a fur-trimmed coat in the latest style, together with a cloche hat and bobbed hair. The coat is straight and rather tubular, with a dropped waist, reflecting the androgynous silhouette of the decade. Such an image was clearly designed to appeal to fashionable customers and to reflect well on the clothes store which used it.

The V&A holds over 40 similar designs from Willetts & Sons.

Photograph, Baron de Meyer

Photograph, fashion study
Baron de Meyer (1868-1946)
1920
Museum no. PH.210-1985
Copyright Estate of Baron de Meyer

This fashion study shows two models at a garden table, sporting wide brimmed summer hats over fashionable bobbed hair. Their dresses featured dropped waists and a straight silhouette, typical of the decade, when busts were flattened and curves disguised.

Coat, Liberty & Co. Ltd.

Coat
Liberty & Co. Ltd.
1928
London
Fine woollen face cloth, lined with satin
Museum no. T.71-1982

Liberty's - a trendsetting fashion store in Regent Street, London - opened their dress department in 1884 under the guidance of the designer and former architect E. W. Godwin (1833-1886), a crusader for dress reform. This coat was especially designed and made for Mrs Hazel Moorcroft. The block-printed design of the lining fabric first appeared in about 1912 and was constantly re-issued - most recently in the 1970s.  The cloche hat worn with it here is very typical of the 1920s.

Evening dress, Callot Soeurs

Evening dress
Callot Soeurs
About 1922
Paris
Printed silk voile, embroidered with sequins and beads, and trimmed with lace
Museum no. T.74-1974
Given by Lady Victoria Wemyss

Superb materials and top-quality workmanship combine to create this stunning evening dress. Light-reflecting beads and sequins had long been popular decoration for evening fabrics, but in the 1920s the fashion reached its peak. The embroidery follows the lines of the printed floral design to enhance the pattern and catch the light. This dress was designed by the fashion house Callot Soeurs. Four sisters, Marie, Marthe, Regina and Joséphine, had opened a lace shop in 1888. The eldest, Marie (Madame Gerber), developed the couture side of the business at 9 avenue Matignon, Paris, where it continued until the mid 1930s. The sisters worked with exquisite and unusual materials, including Chinese silks and rubberised gabardine. Callot Soeurs was also known for its use of lace and decorated sheer fabrics.

Pair of shoes, Lilley & Skinner

Pair of shoes
Lilley & Skinner (manufacturers)
About 1925
Belgium
Gold kid, painted and lined with grey kid
Museum no. T.125&A-1962

This pair of ladies' evening shoes, in gold kid, is painted and lined with grey kid. It is labelled 'Hand made expressly in Belgium for Lilley & Skinner Ltd., London', and painted with a pattern of multi-coloured sprigs.

The 1920s produced some of the most exciting shoes of the century, with tremendous variety in cut, colour and ornamentation. Most shoes were high-heeled, even for dancing, necessitating straps over the instep. Bright colour mixes reached a peak by 1925.

Evening ensemble, Nabob

Evening ensemble
Nabob
About 1927
London
Silk georgette, the belt embroidered with metal thread
Museum no. T.144&A,C-1967
Given by Miss Emilie Grigsby

Skirts with handkerchief points were particularly fashionable in the late 1920s. They were forerunners of the longer skirts that became generally accepted by 1929. Soft, light-silk fabrics proved ideal for this bias-cut flowing style. Diaphanous silks were usually worn with matching petticoats, or laid over the foundation of the dress. The few garments designed by Nabob in the V&A's collection are made from imported 'exotic' materials.

Afternoon dress, La Samaritaine (retailers)

Afternoon dress
La Samaritaine (retailers)
1929
Paris
Silk georgette, printed with a floral motif, hand and machine sewn
Museum no. T.171-1964
Given by Mrs M. Massey-Stewart

This below-the-knee day dress made of printed silk chiffon is slightly gathered at a normal waistline on an elastic band. The skirt has a minutely pleated yoke that runs across the hips. There are two sets of fine pleats on the front of the skirt, which flares out slightly towards the knees. The printed pattern of waved bands of massed flower-heads is carefully disposed in all pieces of the dress. On the bodice, sleeves and skirt yoke the bands run diagonally, while on the skirt's bias-cut gores they run horizontally. The minute pin-tucks on the bodice, sleeves and skirt are hand sewn. This design is typical of the years following 1929, when flowing summer dresses in gossamer fabrics with floral prints were popular. Such delicate silks are extremely difficult to handle and sew, demanding a great deal of skill and patience.

'Byzance' evening dress, J. Patou

'Byzance' evening dress
Jean Patou (1880-1936)
1924
Paris
Silk, embroidered with glass bugle beads and imitation baroque pearls, lined with georgette, and fastened with metal hooks and eyes
Museum no. T.198-1970
Given by Lord and Lady Cowdray

This sleeveless dress has a low square neckline, which was popular in the the mid 1920s. Its straight bodice is embroidered with a design that reveals the influence of Egyptian patterns. Jean Patou (1880-1936) was born in Normandy, France, the son of a tanner. His uncle owned a fur business, which Patou joined. In 1914 he opened a small dressmaking business, Maison Parry, in Paris and sold his entire opening collection to an American buyer. His career was interrupted by the First World War of 1914-1918, but in 1919 he reopened his salon, this time under his own name. His collections continued to be a great success. Along with 'Coco' Chanel he was considered a leading exponent of the androgynous 'garçon' look, creating smart, tubular, well-tailored clothes. Throughout the 1920s he also consistently championed the shorter length of skirt that did much to stimulate the demand for stockings. His long-waisted evening dresses with their emphasis on luxurious design and rich decoration were worn by famous actresses, such as Louise Brooks, Constance Bennett and Mary Pickford. Patou died in 1936, and his brother-in-law, Raymond Barbàs, took over the business. In 1963 the artistic direction of the company was taken over by Michael Goma.

Evening dress suit, Charles Wallis Ltd.

Evening dress suit
Charles Wallis Ltd.
1923, London
Woollen cloth, with silk trimming and lining
Museum no. T.232 to B-1962
Given by Mrs E.L. Rothfield

By the 1920s the full evening dress suit had crystallised into a recognisable and lasting style. It consisted of a tail coat, a white waistcoat and trousers to match the coat. The coat was cut as double-breasted but was always worn open. Changes in fashion did occur, but they affected details such as the width of the lapel or the cut of the trousers.

This suit was worn by the husband of the donor. She dated each item in her collection and also sent the accessories that she considered appropriate for each outfit. Mr Rothfield died in 1931. He was a slim, elegantly dressed man, who was meticulous about his dress.

Dress, J. Lanvin

Dress
Jeanne Lanvin (1867-1946)
1922-3
Paris
Black silk taffeta trimmed with machine-embroidered silk chenille and cream silk georgette bows and bands
Museum no. T.334-1978

Throughout the 1920s Jeanne Lanvin (1867-1946) excelled in the creation of ultra-feminine dresses with fitted bodices and long, full skirts, known as robes de style, of which this evening dress is an example. The black fine silk taffeta dress with boat neckline, and small, capped half-sleeves fastens with poppers down the left side. A pair of immense fern-like fronds are machine-embroidered in furry cream chenille on the skirt, and the cream colour is echoed in floating bands caught in silk georgette bows at the right sleeve and left waist.

Day dress, P. Poiret

Day dress
Paul Poiret (1879-1944)
1924
Paris
Fine flecked worsted, trimmed with rayon braid and tassels, machine stitched and hand finished
Museum no. T.339-1974

Paul Poiret (1879-1944) was born in Paris. He opened his own salon after serving an apprenticeship for Douçet and working for Charles Frederick Worth (1825-1895). He was one of the most creative fashion designers of the 20th century. He also revived fashion illustration, founded a school for the decorative arts and even diversified into perfume. He led the forefront of the artistic fashion movement away from the curvilinear silhouette of the early 1900s towards a longer, leaner line. His brilliantly coloured, looser clothes, often inspired by the 'orientalist' enthusiasm for Eastern fashions and traditions, were extremely popular.

The use of rayon trimmings on this garment is interesting. In spite of the rapid development in the 20th century of man-made fibres, couturiers tended to remain faithful to costly natural fabrics, with the exception of trimmings, such as the braid on this dress. Braid manufacturers were among the first bulk buyers of artificial silk, and were then joined by hosiery and underwear manufacturers. By the 1930s an increasing number of couturiers were attracted to the newly available and sophisticated rayon dress goods.

Dress, Drecoll

'Minuit sonne' dress
Drecoll (designer), Lord & Taylor (retailers)
1926
Paris (made); New York (sold)
Black silk voile, with diamanté decoration
Museum no. T.394-1989
Given by Miss N. Moyer

The label in this little black dress simply reads 'Lord and Taylor'. This was the name of a prestigious department store on Fifth Avenue in New York. They imported Paris original haute couture (high fashion) and excellent copies of French models. They also sold unnamed ready-to-wear American designs. An illustration in the American edition of the fashion magazine Vogue' of 15 April 1926 identifies this dress. It was called 'Minuit Sonne' and designed by Drecoll. The dress is made of fine black silk voile and decorated with strass (a brilliant paste used for imitation stones). The diamanté butterfly bursting over the hips is a perfect example of the Art Deco style. The sleeveless design and low, scooped neck would have allowed the wearer to remain cool during even the most energetic dances of the 1920s. And as she danced, the drifting tunic top and the central drapery of the skirt would have flowed with her.

Evening dress, Mariano Fortuny

Evening dress
Mariano Fortuny (1871-1949)
About 1920
Venice
Pleated satin
Museum no. T.432-1976
Given by Mrs Holland

The multi-talented Mariano Fortuny (1871-1949) was a painter, theatre designer, photographer, inventor and scientist, although he is best known as a creator of extraordinary fabrics and clothes. In 1909 he registered his design (based on the Ionic version of the Greek classical garment the chiton) for the 'Delphos' dress, of which this glistening black columnar example is a typical representative. The dress consists of five narrow widths of pleated silk hand-sewn into a tube just 47 cm wide. The neck and sleeves are adjusted to fit by concealed draw-strings, while a black rouleau, threaded with Venetian glass beads, laces the outer sleeves.

Evening dress, E. Schiaparelli

Evening dress
Elsa Schiaparelli (1890-1973)
1936
Paris
Wool crepe and gold braid
Museum no. T.36-1964
Given by Mrs P. Otway-Smithers

Couturier clothing like this was custom-made for each individual client from the finest materials, and was out of most women's reach. However, couture influenced the silhouette and style of more affordable fashions and emulated aspects of it. The prevalent 1930s style, pioneered by couturiere Madeleine Vionnet, was the bias cut. Bias cutting (where fabric is cut diagonally to the grain of the fabric) created garments that skimmed over the body's curves. The 1930s silhouette is therefore slinky and close-fitting, with fluted skirts and features like scoop backs. The line was simple and uncluttered and few trimmings or accessories were worn.

This 1936 evening dress is by Elsa Schiaparelli, who was known for her shock tactics and love of surrealism. Here, Schiaparelli has taken the intimate padding over the breasts which would normally be concealed, and used it to decorate the outside of a severe brown crepe dress. Crepe was very fashionable for both day and evening dresses during this decade.

Evening ensemble, Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel

Evening ensemble (dress and shoulder cape)
Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel
1937-8, Paris
Satin, embroidered with sequins, with satin panels and sashes
Museum no. T.87&A-1974

Couturier clothing like this was custom-made for each individual client from the finest materials, and was out of most women's reach. However, couture influenced the silhouette and style of more affordable fashions and emulated aspects of it. The prevalent 1930s style, pioneered by couturiere Madeleine Vionnet, was the bias cut. Bias cutting (where fabric is cut diagonally to the grain of the fabric) created garments that skimmed over the body's curves. The 1930s silhouette is therefore slinky and close-fitting, and was accessorised with bolero jackets or short capes as seen here. The line was simple and uncluttered and few accessories were worn.

We usually associate Chanel's name with her practical classic suits, which first appeared in about 1917. She also created extravagant evening wear such as this sequinned dress and cape. The combination of glistening black sequins and scarlet satin panels is very dramatic. The rows of overlapping 'fish-scale' sequins emphasise the supple, falling lines of the outfit. The short, semi-circular cape has a scarlet satin lining.

Evening dress, Chanel

Evening dress
Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel (1883-1971)
About 1932
Paris
Machine and hand sewn blue tulle and sequins
Museum no. T.339-1960
Given by Loelia, Duchess of Westminster

During the first half of the 1930s, evening dresses were designed to wrap women in luxurious, body-hugging sheaths, replacing the short, flat square gowns of the 1920s. Evening gowns were mostly sleeveless, often displaying a bare back or a low neckline and inevitably touching the floor. White or pastel colours, fashionable in the 1920s and early 1930s, soon gave way to stronger, more acidic colours.

After championing the modern, sporty and androgynous woman of the 1920s, Chanel successfully ventured into a luxurious and more feminine fashion in the 1930s.

Evening dress, Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel

Evening dress (bodice and skirt)
Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel (1883-1971)
1938-9
Paris
Machine-sewn red grosgrain and red chiffon
Museum no. T.32-1978
Given by Mr Fergus Cochrane

Though couture clothing like this was out of most women's reach, it inspired more affordable fashions. Coco Chanel championed comfortable and practical clothing for women. This evening dress, obviously designed for the summertime, is a remarkable example of Chanel's skills in developing elegant sportswear for the evening, creating a simple yet stunning evening dress for the sporty, modern woman of the 1930s. The navy, red and white ribbon of grosgrain makes reference to Chanel's own love of sailing, and her inspiration from sports.

Evening ensemble, Charles James

Evening ensemble (dress and coat)
Charles James (1906-78)
1934
London
Bias-cut satin (dress), with fur
Museum no. T.272-1974

This dress and coat are typical of glamorous 1930s eveningwear. The dress is a simple, figure-skimming sheath dress made from satin, and the fur coat accentuates the shoulders.

Couturier clothing like this was custom-made for each individual client from the finest materials. Couture influenced the silhouette and style of more affordable fashions, however, and fur was brought within the reach of many women as large fur collars or as stoles or wraps, which were all highly fashionable during the 1930s. 

Suit, Molyneux

Suit (jacket and skirt)
Edward Molyneux (1891-1974)
1930s
Paris
Wool with silk blouse
Museum no. T.375&A-1988

This suit sums up the 1930s silhouette with its sleek lines, nipped-in waist, square shoulders, and straight, pleated skirt. Tailor-made outfits were practical yet smart and well suited to town or country wear.

Suits like this would have been worn for daywear and for travelling, and would have been worn with a hat and a fashionable fur stole

Evening ensemble, Peter Russell

Evening ensemble (dress and coat)
Peter Russell
1937
London
(Coat) Interlined with undyed wool and lined with silk faille; (Dress) Pleated pale pink matt crepe, embroidered with beads and diamante
Museum no. T.363,363-1974
Given by Mr John Fraser

Couturier clothing like this was custom-made for each individual client, and was out of most women's reach. However, couture influenced the silhouette and style of more affordable fashions, and dressmakers everywhere followed its lead. The prevalent 1930s style was the bias cut, in which fabric is cut diagonally to the grain of the fabric, creating garments that skimmed over the body's curves. The 1930s silhouette is therefore slinky and close-fitting and the line was simple and uncluttered.

Towards the end of the 1930s, however, the fashionable silhouette altered slightly and the prevailing streamlined shape was gradually replaced by wider shoulders and constricted waists. Also, designers introduced embellishments like bold prints and surface decorations in an attempt to break away from the minimal adornment of the bias-cut line.

This elegant evening ensemble was designed by London couturier Peter Russell. It was worn by Mrs John Fraser (Ruth Vincent) and given by her son, Mr John Fraser. An almost identical version made in lamé was featured in Vogue magazine, where it was described as an ideal presentation dress.

Evening dress, P. Poiret

Evening dress
Paul Poiret (1879-1944)
1933
London
Satin and silk velvet, trimmed with diamante buckles
Museum no. T.173-1964

This elegant gown is typical of 1930s evening attire. Made in bias-cut ivory satin, it plunges at the back, clings to the torso and gently flares below the thigh. The cascade of velvet ribbons and diamanté buckles focuses attention on the back.

Photograph of Ilse Bing, self-portrait

Photograph, self-portrait of Ilse Bing
Ilse Bing (1899-1998)
1934
Paris
Gelatin silver print
Museum no. E.3036-2004
Bequeathed by Ilse Bing Wolff

During the First World War and through to the 1930s many women entered the work force for the first time, and wanted to reflect their new independence in the way they dressed. They wore practical clothing that was suitable for work, and many daring modern women took to wearing trousers. Many continued to sport short bobbed hair as they had in the 1920s.

This portrait is of Ilse Bing (1899-1998), one of several leading women photographers in the inter-war period. Born into a Jewish family in Frankfurt, she initially pursued an academic career before moving to Paris in 1930 to concentrate on photography. Bing’s severe self-presentation of 1934 shows an independent, unadorned, determined professional.

Evening ensemble, Schiaparelli

Evening ensemble
Elsa Schiaparelli (1890-1973)
1938
London
Rayon marocain, backed with satin, and embroidered with various gilt threads, beads and diamantes
Museum no. T.399&A-1974
Given by Lady Alexandra Dacre of Glanton

Towards the end of the 1930s the fashionable silhouette altered, and the prevailing streamlined shape was gradually replaced by wider shoulders and a more fitted waist, foreshadowing the silhouette that was to dominate the clothes of the 1940s.

This 1938 ensemble by couturiere Elsa Schiaparelli features wide padded shoulders with embroidered leaves around the collar to further emphasise the exaggerated shape.

Evening ensemble, Mainbocher

Evening ensemble (dress and jacket)
Mainbocher (1891-1976)
1937
Paris
Silk crepe, embroidered with sequins (jacket)
Museum no. T.306-1974
Given by Vern Lambert

Couturier clothing like this was custom-made for each individual client, and was out of most women's reach. However, couture influenced the silhouette and style of more affordable fashions, and dressmakers everywhere followed its lead. The prevalent 1930s style was the bias cut. Bias cutting (where fabric is cut diagonally to the grain of the fabric), created garments that skimmed over the body's curves. The 1930s silhouette is therefore slinky and close-fitting and the line was simple and uncluttered, with few trimmings or accessories. Simple dresses were teamed with short capes, boleros or jacket, and sequins were a favourite way of adding glamour to an outfit.

This straight-cut jacket is similar to the one worn by the Duchess of Windsor (Mrs Wallis Simpson) in her engagement photographs taken by Sir Cecil Beaton (1904-1980). She wore it over a long white crêpe dress with a sequin sash matching the jacket (American Vogue magazine, 1 June 1937, pages 52-57, British Vogue, 9 June 1937, pages 54-56). Beaton's photographs of Mrs Simpson in her Mainbocher ensemble were particularly successful. Its stark, simple lines suited her elegant, uncluttered style.

Wedding photograph, about 1935. Museum no. T.212:1-4-1996

Wedding photograph
About 1935
Museum no. T.212:4-1996

The bride wears a typical 1930s wedding dress, which features a long train, high-neck and long sleeves, with rather squared shoulders.  The wreath is decorated with wax orange blossoms on wire stems, and was a popular wedding accessory of the decade.  It was made to sit on top of the head, both as a decoration and a way of holding the long veil in place.

Wedding wreath, Liberty & Co. Ltd.

Wedding wreath
Liberty & Co. Ltd. (retailers)
About 1935
London
Wax orange-blossom and wire
Museum no.T.212:1-1996

Wreaths decorated with small wax flowers - in this case, orange blossoms on wire stems - were popular wedding accessories of the 1930s.  They were made to sit on top of the head, both as a decoration and a way of holding the long veil in place.

Evening dress, P. Poiret

Evening dress
Paul Poiret  (1879-1944)
1933
London
Satin and silk velvet, trimmed with diamante buckles
Museum no. T.173-1964

Couturier clothing like this was custom-made for each individual client, and was out of most women's reach. However, couture influenced the silhouette and style of more affordable fashions, and dressmakers everywhere followed its lead. The prevalent 1930s style was the bias cut, in which fabric is cut diagonally to the grain of the fabric, creating garments that skimmed over the body's curves. The 1930s silhouette is therefore slinky and close-fitting and the line was simple and uncluttered, with few trimmings or accessories.

Day dress and cape, Madeleine Vionnet

Day dress and cape
Madeleine Vionnet (1876-1975)
About 1933
Paris
Woollen jersey, cape fastened with chrome clips, and leather belt
Museum no. T.302&A-1971

Couturier clothing like this was custom-made for each individual client, and was out of most women's reach. However, couture influenced the silhouette and style of more affordable fashions, and dressmakers everywhere followed its lead.

Only a few outfits in the V&A's collection illustrate 1930s day attire but, luckily, one is this ultra-fashionable ensemble by couturiere Madeleine Vionnet. The dress is cut on the bias - a prevalent 1930s trend, creating garments that skimmed over the body's curves. The 1930s silhouette is therefore slinky and close-fitting and the line was simple and uncluttered, with few trimmings or accessories. Simple dresses were teamed with short or long capes, or boleros.

Evening dress, M. Vionnet

Evening dress
Madeleine Vionnet (1876-1975)
About 1934
Paris
Black silk velvet, with two asymmetric silk georgette streamers
Museum no. T.89-1982
Worn by Mrs Opal Holt, and given by Mrs D.M. Haynes and Mrs M. Clark

Couturier clothing like this was custom-made for each individual client, and was out of most women's reach. However, couture influenced the silhouette and style of more affordable fashions, and dressmakers everywhere followed its lead. The prevalent 1930s style was the bias cut, in which fabric is cut diagonally to the grain of the fabric, creating garments that skimmed over the body's curves. The 1930s silhouette is therefore slinky and close-fitting and the line was simple and uncluttered, with few trimmings or accessories.

Photograph, E.J. Steichen

Fashion photograph for Vogue magazine
Edward J. Steichen (1879-1973)
1930 (photographed), ca. 1966 (printing)
USA
Gelatin silver print
Museum no. CIRC.969-1967

This photograph appeared in the American edition of Vogue fashion magazine. It epitomises the glamour of 1930s fashion and captures the desirable, slinky look of the period. Here you can see a dress made of clinging, extravagant and luxurious fabrics. The models' hair is styled close to the head with gentle 'finger waves' along the hairline. Vogue

Evening dress, Charles James

Evening dress
Charles James (1906-78)
1938-9
USA or London or Paris
Printed silk
Museum no. T.274-1974
Given by the designer

Couturier clothing like this was custom-made for each individual client, and was out of most women's reach. However, couture influenced the silhouette and style of more affordable fashions, and dressmakers everywhere followed its lead. The prevalent 1930s style was the bias cut, in which fabric is cut diagonally to the grain of the fabric, creating garments that skim over the body's curves. The 1930s silhouette is therefore slinky and close-fitting. The line was simple and uncluttered, with few trimmings or accessories.

Towards the end of the 1930s, the fashionable silhouette altered slightly and the prevailing streamlined shape was gradually replaced by wider shoulders and constricted waists, as seen here. Also, designers introduced bold prints and colours in an attempt to break away from the minimal adornment of the bias-cut line.

Lounge suit, Trimmingham (tailors)

Lounge suit
Trimmingham (tailors)
1940
London or Bermuda
Woven wool check (Glen Urquhart or Prince of Wales check)
Museum no. T.717&A-1974
Given by the Duke of Windsor

The lounge suit dominated men's dress from the 1920s onwards. It was worn at events and in places where in previous decades more formal attire would have been required. By 1940s men were wearing lounge suits with a pullover in place of a waistcoat. Pullovers were previously worn for informal and sporting occasions but they gradually became integrated into mainstream fashion.

This suit was worn by HRH The Duke of Windsor. As Prince of Wales he had been crowned King Edward VIII in 1936, but he abdicated the same year and took the title of The Duke of Windsor. The Duke was acknowledged internationally as the leader of men's fashion. He rebelled against the stiff formality of dress and became famous for his casual style. Using the best London and New York tailors, he continued to be adventurous in his love of bright colour, strong texture and bold pattern.

The Duke gave this suit to Sir Cecil Beaton, who was then collecting fashionable dress for his 1971 exhibition, 'Fashion: An Anthology'.

Suit, Utility Scheme

Suit (trousers and jacket)
Utility Scheme
1942
London
Tailored wool
Museum no. T.242-1981

The Utility scheme was devised to share and conserve scarce resources, whilst creating practical and stylistically appealing clothing. With its double-breasted cut, peaked lapels and wide straight-legged trousers, this suit is typical of the period. The breast pocket is stay stitched rather than interlined to economise on fabric. The pocket bags and waistband facings are made in cheap quality cotton. The suit bears the CC41 label, which stands for the Civilian Clothing Act of 1941.

'New Look' jacket, Dior

'New Look' jacket
Christian Dior (1905-57)
1947
Paris
Wool flannel
Museum no. T.109-1982
Given by Mrs Haynes and Mrs Clarke

Christian Dior (1905-57) launched his couture house on 12 February 1947 and became an overnight sensation. His voluptuous first collection featured hand-span waists above enormous skirts. It was christened on the spot by Carmel Snow, editor of American Harper's Bazaar, as the 'New Look', and was the antithesis of masculine wartime fashions.

This jacket demonstrates the exaggerated New Look silhouette. The jacket is moulded into an hourglass shape, which is helped by wads of padding and horsehair around the front of the hips. The shoulders are rounded, the bust full, and the waist tiny.

Day dress, Utility Scheme

Day dress
Edward Molyneux (1891-1974, designer) for the Utility Scheme
1942
London
Rayon crepe, with matching composition buttons
Museum no. T.57-1942
Given by the Board of Trade, through Sir Thomas Barlow, Director-General of Civilian Clothing

This day dress is from the Utility Collection by the Incorporated Society of London Fashion Designers for the Board of Trade. It may have been designed by Edward Molyneux. The simplification and economy of material match the conditions laid down by the Board in relation to the manufacture of civilian clothing during the Second World War of 1939-1945. Then, both hand-crafted and mass-produced tailoring was as important as it is today. But, despite the best efforts of the fashion designers to be inventive without wasting precious fabric, there was a very limited choice. The Utility Scheme was introduced by the Board in 1941 to ensure that low- and medium-quality consumer goods were produced to the highest possible standards at 'reasonable' prices. These standards complied with restrictions and rationing of raw materials. The word 'Utility' was applied to garments made from Utility cloth, which was defined in terms of minimum weight and fibre content per yard. Utility clothes were usually identified by a distinctive double crescent CC41 (Civilian Clothing) label.

When offering this day dress to the Museum in August 1942, Sir Thomas Barlow explained that it conformed 'in simplification and economy of material to the conditions laid down by the Board of Trade in relation to the manufacture of civilian clothing'.

Suit, Utility Scheme

Single-breasted suit
Utility Scheme
1945
London
Woven wool with vertical pin-stripe
Museum no. T.304&A-1982

This is a good example of a Utility suit. During the Second World War both hand-crafted and mass-produced tailoring was as important as it is today. But, despite the best efforts of fashion designers to be inventive without wasting precious fabric, there was a very limited choice.

The Utility Scheme was introduced by the Board of Trade in 1941 to ensure that low and medium quality consumer goods were produced to the highest possible standards at 'reasonable' prices. These standards complied with restrictions and the rationing of raw materials. The word 'Utility' was applied to garments made from Utility cloth, which was defined in terms of minimum weight and fibre content per yard. Utility clothes were usually identified by a distinctive double crescent CC41 (Civilian Clothing) label.

Suit, Utility Scheme

Suit (jacket and skirt)
Victor Stiebel (1907-76, designer), for the Utility Scheme
1942
London
Flecked wool
Museum no. T.46&A-1942
Given by the Board of Trade, through Sir Thomas Barlow, Director-General of Civilian Clothing

This is a good example of a Utility Suit. It is from the Utility Collection by the Incorporated Society of London Fashion Designers for the Board of Trade. It may have been designed by Victor Stiebel. The simplification and economy of material match the conditions laid down by the Board in relation to the manufacture of civilian clothing during the Second World War of 1939-1945. Then, both hand-crafted and mass-produced tailoring was as important as it is today. But, despite the best efforts of the fashion designers to be inventive without wasting precious fabric, there was a very limited choice. The Utility Scheme was introduced by the Board in 1941 to ensure that low- and medium-quality consumer goods were produced to the highest possible standards at 'reasonable' prices. These standards complied with restrictions and rationing of raw materials. The word 'Utility' was applied to garments made from Utility cloth, which was defined in terms of minimum weight and fibre content per yard. Utility clothes were usually identified by a distinctive double crescent CC41 (Civilian Clothing) label.

The bloused jacket with square, padded shoulders closely resembles the battledress top of an army uniform. It is Board of Trade pattern no. 33, and the retailers' maxiumum selling price for the suit in 13/13 1/2 oz woollen frieze was £4 2s 2d.

Cocktail dress, Dior

'Maxim' cocktail dress
Christian Dior (1905-57)
1947
Paris
Silk velvet and wool, with ribbed silk petticoat, and zip and buttons
Museum no. T.116toB-1974
Worn and given by Evangeline Bruce

The spring 1947 collection of Christian Dior (1905-1957) caused a sensation and was christened 'The New Look' by Carmel Snow of Harper's Bazaar. Dior offered the glamour and romance of full skirts and nipped-in waists to women who were tired of utilitarian clothes with boxy silhouettes, mannish square shoulders and practical short skirts. This intricately cut afternoon dress of black wool, named 'Maxim's', was worn with a black tulle cartwheel hat, long black gloves and simple black court shoes. To emphasise the bust, a large silk velvet bow was set into the low, square neckline and the waist was compressed by a cummerbund-style lower bodice. A heavy ribbed silk petticoat supports and defines the skirt. The dress fastens with a zip down the back .

Suit and coat, Utility Scheme

Suit (jacket and skirt) and coat
Worth London (designer) for the Incorporated Society of London Fashion Designers (collection), for the Utility Scheme
1942
London
Scottish woollen tweed
Museum no. T.42&A-1942
Given by the Board of Trade, through Sir Thomas Barlow, Director-General of Civilian Clothing

This is a good example of a Utility Suit. It is from the Utility Collection by the Incorporated Society of London Fashion Designers for the Board of Trade. The simplification and economy of material match the conditions laid down by the Board in relation to the manufacture of civilian clothing during the Second World War of 1939-1945. Then, both hand-crafted and mass-produced tailoring was as important as it is today. But, despite the best efforts of the fashion designers to be inventive without wasting precious fabric, there was a very limited choice. The Utility Scheme was introduced by the Board in 1941 to ensure that low- and medium-quality consumer goods were produced to the highest possible standards at 'reasonable' prices. These standards complied with restrictions and rationing of raw materials. The word 'Utility' was applied to garments made from Utility cloth, which was defined in terms of minimum weight and fibre content per yard. Utility clothes were usually identified by a distinctive double crescent CC41 (Civilian Clothing) label.

When offering this jacket and skirt to the Museum in August 1942, Sir Thomas Barlow explained that 'they conform in simplification and economy of material to the conditions laid down by the Board of Trade in relation to the manufacture of civilian clothing'.

Suit, Hardy Amies

Suit (skirt and jacket)
Hardy Amies (1909-2003)
1947
London
Tailored worsted
Museum no. T.38&A-1966
Given by Mrs Benita Armstrong

This curvaceous suit has the small waist and wide, padded hips inspired by Christian Dior's instantly popular 1947 'New Look' collection. Though, the square shoulders recall earlier styles and show that this lady may have resisted a complete change in style. 

Hardy Amies skilfully overcame the continuing shortages and regulations governing the availability and use of materials in the early post-war period. This superbly tailored double-breasted jacket has a nipped-in waist and pockets with deep flaps which curve over and accentuate the hips. The long bias-cut skirt has soft pleats at the front right and the back left, which creates a flattering garment that also economises on fabric.

Pair of shoes, Shaftesbury Shoes Ltd

Pair of shoes
Shaftesbury Shoes Ltd (manufacturers)
1940s
Great Britain
Plaited leather straps, leather-covered platform sole with circular inset layers and leather-covered heel
Museum no. T.33&A-1988
Given by Mrs M. Bagel

This pair of shoes is typical of the mid 1940s, during which time it was fashionable to wear tall platform shoes.  Because of war-time shortages, the platform soles were often made out of cork.  In keeping with the fashion for height, hair was worn piled high on top of the head, and clothing was narrow with exaggerated padded shoulder.

Suit, Lachasse

Suit
Lachasse
1948-9
London
Wool, silk crepe de chine, and silk jersey
Museum no. T.214-1976
Worn by Mrs Ralph Dent and given by Mrs M. Webster

This suit is typical of the 1940s post-war 'New Look'.  The skirt is straight and slightly below the knee in length, while the jacket features a nipped in waist, padded hips, and sloping shoulders inspired by Christian Dior's 'New Look' collection of 1947, which moved fashion away from the boxy, military look of the war years.

A meticulously tailored but perfectly plain suit is transformed by carefully engineered details. The focus on this jacket is the double-flared panels which draw attention to the hips. The long straight skirt has a central block of kick pleats at the back, which allow ease of movement. The suit is completed by a matching turban-style hat in claret and black, and a hand-embroidered silk blouse in delicate blue-grey.

Housedress, Utility Scheme

Housedress
Utility Scheme
1942
London
Printed cotton
Museum no. T.55-1979
Given by Miss Pennie Smith

In 1942, the British Government established the Utility Scheme to ration materials and regulate the production of civilian clothing during the war.  Utility Scheme clothes bear a printed stamp reading 'CC41', an abbreviation of the Civilian Clothing Act of 1941.

This overall, or housedress, was designed to Utility standards. It has no more than two pockets, five buttons, six seams, 160 inches of stitching and no superfluous decoration. It is made of a floral printed fabric, an area of textile production in which Britain has long excelled.  It is typical of the 1940s, when shoulder pads and full puffed sleeves were fashionable.  Skirts were typically narrow, giving dresses a rather top-heavy look.

Afternoon dress, Molyneux

Afternoon dress
Edward Molyneux (1891-1974)
1946
London
Silk crepe, with buttons
Museum no. T.92-1982
Worn by Mrs Opal Holt and given by Mrs D. M. Haynes and Mrs M. Clark

A black afternoon dress with a good label was both a chic choice and a sensible one. Edward Molyneux (1891-1974) could be relied on to provide streamlined distinction. This dress has a schoolmistress-like authority and propriety; its covered-up look features a demure high neck, long sleeves and a safe, calf-length skirt. However, Molyneux transformed it into a little black dress with attitude by cutting the matt crepe to skim sensuously over the body's curves and by introducing pleats at salient points. A wide sash arranged in folds below the waist emphasised the slenderness of the wearer. The dress buttons down the back.

Design for an evening dress, Marjorie Field

Design for an evening dress
Field Rhoades (Marjorie Field)
1940s
London
Pencil and bodycolour on paper
Museum no. E.479-2005
Given by Paul Williamson

This is a fashion design depicting a woman in an ice-blue evening dress, designed by Marjorie Field in the 1940s for the haute couture firm Field Rhoades of 77, South Audley Street, London. The dress is typical of the mid to late 1940s, when full skirts and padded or paniered hips were very fashionable. This style was fashionable into the early 1950s, but the hairstyle marks it out as a particularly 1940s model. Here the hair is shown piled high, in curls, on top of the head. In the 1950s hair was worn in chignons towards the back of the head or at the nape of the neck, or cropped short in a gamine style.

The design is signed with the firm's name and probably would have been used as a presentation drawing, for the client to decide which model they wanted to have made. The design is titled 'Model: "Mazurka" ', and a small area of text in pencil describes the colour and fabric of the dress: 'Ice-blue slipper satin braided in white.'

Design for a suit, Marjorie Field

Design for a suit
Field Rhoades Ltd (Marjorie Field)
1940s
London
Pencil and bodycolour on paper
Museum no. E.476-2005
Given by Paul Williamson

This is a fashion design for a day suit, designed by Marjorie Field in the 1940s for the couture firm Field Rhoades of London. It depicts a typical mid 1940s day suit, with very wide shoulder, a nipped in waist and a straight, knee-length skirt. The woman wears her hair piled fashionably high on top of her head.

The design would probably have been used as a presentation drawing, for clients to decide which model they wanted to have made.

Shoe, designer unknown

Shoe
Designer unknown
1940s
England
Leather, punched and stitched
Museum no. T.21&A-1983

This is a pair of men's brogue shoes, made of leather. The traditional brogue employs circles and dots born along the lines of the shoe's construction, emphasising the stitching, and as a prominent field pattern on the toecap.

Dress, Utility Scheme

Dress
Charles Creed (1909-66, designer), for the Utility Scheme
1942
London
Rayon crepe, with buttons
Museum no. T.60-1942
Given by the President of the Board of Trade

In 1942 the British Board of Trade commissioned ten members of the recently formed Incorporated Society of London Designers to create a collection of regulation day wear under the auspices of the Utility scheme, an austerity measure introduced by the Board of Trade during the Second World War, when clothes were rationed. Smart yet practical, this shirtwaister - a kind of tailored shirt-dress - was the only black garment in the designer Utility collection.

The rayon crepe dress has all the characteristics of wartime clothing - broad shoulders (shaped by heavy flock pads), a skirt length just below the knee and a square silhouette, but it also has also eye-catching details, such as bold lapels and a roomy pocket set diagonally on the left hip.

Evening dress, Schiaparelli

Evening dress
Elsa Schiaparelli, (1890-1973)
1940, Paris
Black silk crepe, embroidered with pearls, sequins and metallic strip, and fastened with a plastic zip
Museum no. T.48-1965
Worn and given by the designer

Elsa Schiaparelli (1890-1973) enjoyed the enormous publicity that her more bizarre creations generated, but her less provocative designs rarely caused a furore and have been somewhat neglected. She often referred to her simple black dresses and their versatility, and regularly wore black herself. Schiaparelli gave this dress to the V&A after her retirement.

Here she composed a short-sleeved dress in matt black crepe. The extremely simple, fluid shape is relieved by a slashed neckline and a bold embroidered spray of lilies (by the specialist embroidery company Lesage) in various sizes of pearls, sequins and metallic strip. The dress fastens with a black plastic zip on the left-hand side.

Suit, Utility Scheme

Suit (jacket and skirt)
Digby Morton (1906-83, designer), for the Utility Scheme
1942
London
Grey herringbone wool, fastened with metal buttons, trimmed with a grosgrain bow
Museum no. T.45 to B-1942
Given by the Board of Trade

The buttons on this tailored ensemble bear a wartime message. They are stamped with the Utility symbol CC41, which stands for Civilian Clothing and 1941. The Utility Scheme was introduced in 1941 to ensure that consumer goods were produced to the highest possible standards at 'reasonable' prices. These standards complied with restrictions and rationing of raw materials. Utility clothes were usually identified by a distinctive double crescent CC41 (Civilian Clothing) label. Reginald Schipp designed the symbol. He was asked to disguise the 'CC' so that the public would not recognise the letters as such. This stylised motif became known as 'the cheeses' and was also printed on to clothing labels.

The Board of Trade commissioned the design for this jacket, skirt and blouse from the Incorporated Society of London Fashion Designers. It was one of 32 stylish yet economical outfits intended for general production. In October 1942 Vogue magazine published the following description of the collection: 'All the designs are, of course, within the New Austerity specifications: only so many buttons, this much cuff and that much skirt...but they are an object lesson in the power of pure style over mere elegance'.

Although the designers of individual pieces were not publicised, this suit has Digby Morton's initials inked on a paper tag. The label also identified it as 'No 16 Original DM 92/10' with a maximum price tag of just under £5.00. There is a Morton label inside the blouse, making it one of only two Utility prototype garments labelled by the original designer. The other piece is a Bianca Mosca blouse.

Suit, Utility Scheme

Suit
Edward Molyneux (1891-1974, designer), for the Utility Scheme
1942
London
Tailored tweed check
Museum no. T.43-1942
Given by the Board of Trade, through Sir Thomas Barlow, Director-General of Civilian Clothing

This is a good example of a Utility Suit. It is from the Utility Collection by the Incorporated Society of London Fashion Designers for the Board of Trade. The simplification and economy of material match the conditions laid down by the Board in relation to the manufacture of civilian clothing during the Second World War of 1939-1945. Then, both hand-crafted and mass-produced tailoring was as important as it is today. But, despite the best efforts of the fashion designers to be inventive without wasting precious fabric, there was a very limited choice. The Utility Scheme was introduced by the Board in 1941 to ensure that low- and medium-quality consumer goods were produced to the highest possible standards at 'reasonable' prices. These standards complied with restrictions and rationing of raw materials. The word 'Utility' was applied to garments made from Utility cloth, which was defined in terms of minimum weight and fibre content per yard. Utility clothes were usually identified by a distinctive double crescent CC41 (Civilian Clothing) label.

When offering this jacket and skirt to the Museum in August 1942, Sir Thomas Barlow explained that 'they conform in simplification and economy of material to the conditions laid down by the Board of Trade in relation to the manufacture of civilian clothing'.

Design for a suit, Marjorie Field

Design for a suit
Field Rhoades Ltd (Marjorie Field)
1940s
London
Pencil and bodycolour on paper
Museum no. E.477-2005
Given by Paul Williamson

This is a fashion design for a black suit, designed by Marjorie Field in the 1940s for the couture firm Field Rhoades of London. It depicts a typical mid 1940s day suit, with very wide shoulder, a nipped in waist and a straight, knee-length skirt.

The design is signed with the name of the firm, and would probably have been used as a presentation drawing, for clients to decide which model they wanted to have made.

Photograph of Eve Boswell, 1950s

Photograph of Eve Boswell
Harry Hammond (1920-2009)
1950s, Great Britain
Harry Hammond Collection

This photograph of the pop singer Eve Boswell (1922-98) shows her in a typical 1950s evening dress. The dress features a full, almost ankle-length skirt with sunray pleats. Her hair is cut quite short and set with curls around the face.

Photograph of Lita Roza, Harry Hammond

Photograph of Lita Roza
Harry Hammond (1920-2009)
1950s
Great Britain
Harry Hammond Collection

This photograph shows the 1950s pop singer, Lita Roza, in fashionable '50s dress. She wears a  full, mid-calf length skirt with several petticoats underneath for volume, teamed with a colourful cardigan.  Her hair is cut fashionably short, and she wears bright red lipstick.

Illustration for The Lady, Marcel Fromenti

Illustration for 'The Lady' magazine
Marcel Fromenti
1950-4
England
Pen and ink on paper
Museum no. E.1602-1954

The coats illustrated here are typical of the 1950s. The coat on the right has sloping shoulders and a long, full skirt, reflecting the prevalent 1950s silhouette. It would have accommodated a voluminous 'New Look' style skirt underneath it. The coat on the left hangs from the shoulders, and would have been worn over narrower pencil skirts or day dresses.

Women usually wore hats outdoors in the 1950s, and the small pill-box type (as seen here) was very fashionable.

Single-breasted suit, Carr

Single-breasted suit
Carr, Sonn & Woor (tailors)
1951
London
Woollen twill
Museum no. T.69toB-1976
Given by Mr A. MacKay

This distinctive style comprising bowler hat, fitted jacket and tapered trousers with waisted overcoat and velvet collar evolved shortly after the Second World War - in the late 1940s and early 1950s. It is attributed to a group of fashion-conscious young men, some of whom were formerly officers in the Brigade of Guards. They were subsequently christened The Edwardians and were reputed to be the inspiration of the 'Teddy Boy' fashions of the 1950s. (Teddy derives from Eddy, a diminutive of Edward.)

The originators were probably influenced at first by their familiarity with the customary civilian dress for Guards officers, which consisted of a bowler hat, a double-breasted overcoat known as a 'British warm', a striped shirt with white collar and pin-stripe trousers. The traditional and conservative styling of these overcoats and trousers would have blended in quite naturally with the 'Edwardian' image. The donor to the Museum of this suit took his inspiration directly from the Edwardian period (Edward VII reigned 1901-1910) by requesting his tailor to copy a suit worn by Sir Winston Churchill in 1911 that was shown in a photograph of the time.

Photograph of Patti Lewis, Harry Hammond

Photograph of Patti Lewis
Harry Hammond (1920-2009)
1950s
Great Britain
Harry Hammond Collection

This photograph shows the pop singer Patti Lewis in her dressing room. Her hair is cut short and set in curls, which is a typical style of the 1950s. She wears light eye make-up and bright red lipstick. She wears casual, youthful dress, inspired by teenage and rock and roll fashions.

Suit, Balenciaga

Suit (jacket and skirt)
Cristóbal Balenciaga (1895-1972)
Autumn/winter 1954-5
Paris
Tweed, lined with silk
Museum no. T.128&A-1982
Worn by Mrs Opal Holt and given by Mrs Haynes and Mrs Clark

This suit comprises a fitted jacket and slim-fitting skirt with a kick pleat at the back. It was shown in Balenciaga's Winter collection in 1954 as model no. 55. It reveals Balenciaga’s debt to his training in tailoring in Spain and his capacity for choosing fabrics fit for purpose. His suits were highly regarded and commanded high prices. In the early 1950s, a made-to-measure woollen suit from Balenciaga cost about £112, a sum well beyond the reach of most consumers.

He was adept at manipulating firm fabrics. The style of jacket relies for effect on careful fitting to the body in front and gentle fullness at the back, and in the setting of the sleeves. Balenciaga was renowned in the trade for inspecting and resetting sleeves that were not perfect.

Tweed was a sturdy woollen fabric that appealed to Balenciaga because of the optical illusions created by the two or more colours in the indistinct flecked pattern.

Dress and coat, Norman Hartnell

Dress and coat
Norman Hartnell (1901-79)
1958
London
Silk taffeta
Museum no. T.170&A-1990
Worn and given by Mrs Wyndgate

This dress is typical of a conservative ensemble of the 1950s.  This might have been worn by an older woman, with a hat, gloves and handbag for a special occasion such as a wedding.

Hundreds of tiny pin-tucks cover the entire surface of both dress and coat in this blue-green silk ensemble by Hartnell. The detail around the top of the outfit shows how the garment is formed from interwoven strips of silk in a simple basket weave, a play upon the construction of woven fabric which is further emphasised by the patterning of the narrow tucks.

Dress, Horrockses

Dress
Horrockses Fashion
About 1955
England
Printed cotton
Museum no. T.639:1 to 3-1996
Worn and given by Mrs Elizabeth Payze

Horrockses’ cotton dresses, with their brightly coloured prints and full gathered skirts, were a fashion success story for the post-war period. Horrockses was a large cotton manufacturing firm, founded in Preston in 1791, known for weaving high quality household cottons. In 1946 they launched Horrockses Fashions Limited, a subsidiary company making ready-to-wear dresses, housecoats and beachwear, with a headquarters in London's Hanover Square. The success of the firm was due to the quality of the design of the vibrant printed cottons, often commissioned from artists, combined with advanced production methods, which maintained the crisp cotton despite frequent washes.

Dresses from Horrockses Fashions appealed to women of different ages and social backgrounds as the perfect summer dress. They were relatively expensive and were popular with members of the Royal Family - but working women would save up to buy one, often as a honeymoon outfit. This example was worn by Elizabeth Payze as a teenager.

'Ecarlate' cocktail dress, Christian Dior

'Ecarlate' ('Scarlet') cocktail dress
Christian Dior (1905-57)
1955
Paris
Silk grosgrain, lined with silk, nylon and organza net, and tulle; with spiral steel 'boning' in the bodice
Museum no. T.25-2007

Christian Dior (1905-57) launched his couture house in 1947, and soon became one of the most successful fashion designers of the 20th century. The smooth silhouette of this dress is formed by underpinnings and petticoats. The draped fabric knot is inspired by 19th-century dress, and is typical of Dior's historicism.

Dior often named his collections after letters of the alphabet, and this particular dress comes from the 'Y line'. The deep v-neck of this dress typifies Dior's 'Y' motif, as does the inverted Y shape of the pleats of the skirt

Evening dress, Worth London

Evening dress
Worth London
About 1955
London
Silk dupion with embroidery of sequins, pastes and crystal beads; lined with taffeta and faced with net
Museum no. T.214&A-1973
Given by Mrs Roy Hudson

The House of Worth, established in Paris in 1858 by Charles Frederick Worth (1826-95), was the original and founding couture house. Worth London was an offshoot of the original. It created refined, well-mannered garments for a mainly English clientele for the London social season.

Mrs Roy Hudson was a friend of Miss Whistler, Worth's head vendeuse (personal saleswoman). She purchased Worth gowns between 1947 and 1962. This dress dates from about 1955, when Owen Hyde-Clark was the chief designer. Worth was known for delicately embroidered dresses in shades of champagne and rose, and this dress is typical of the house's style.

The skirt is cut as a complete circle. It needed many layers of petticoats to fill the skirt and show the embroidery to its best advantage.

Worth (London) Ltd closed in 1967.

Cocktail dress, Mme. Grès

Cocktail dress
Mme. Grès (1903-94)
About 1955
London
Spotted net with gathered side drape
Museum no. T.245&A-1974
Given by Mrs Leo d'Erlanger

Cocktail dresses gained a new popularity after the Second World War. They were worn at early evening or '6 to 8' gatherings. Since guests usually stood and mingled the gowns could include complex bustles and skirt details, which would be crushed if sat on.

In his book 'The Little Dictionary of Fashion' (1954) Christian Dior (1905-57) described cocktail dresses as 'elaborate and dressy afternoon frocks', preferably in black taffeta, satin, chiffon and wool. These confections became the personification of the 'little black dress' and were often accessorised with gloves and small, elaborate hats.

Photograph of Dennis Lotis, Harry Hammond

Photograph of Dennis Lotis
Harry Hammond (1920-2009)
1950s, Great Britain
Harry Hammond Collection

This photograph shows the popular 1950s singer, Dennis Lotis. He wears loose chinos and a pastel coloured, check sweater with a collar. Knitwear separates were very popular for men during the 1950s, and tank-tops, cardigans and jumpers were often worn with open neck shirts or sometimes with shirt and tie. Lotis' hair is worn in a fashionable side parting, but slicked to the side and back with Brillcreem.

Fashion photograph, John French

Fashion photograph, Barbara Goalen
John French
1950s
London
John French Archive

This photograph shows 1950s supermodel, Barbara Goalen, modelling a 'New Look' style outfit. The skirt is full, the waist cinched in with a belt, and she wears a wide saucer hat. The exaggerated hourglass figure was the fashionable ideal for women during the 1950s.

Dress, Jean Dessès

Dress
Jean Dessès  (1904-70)
About 1955
Paris
Wool and sun-ray pleated silk taffeta
Museum no. T.104-1982
Given by Mrs D. M. Haynes and Mrs M. Clark

The little black dress was a classic design. Women could wear them for work during the day and then, with a change of accessories, wear them out in the evening. This version was designed by Jean Dessès in about 1955. It has a modest bodice with a high neck and long sleeves. The bodice is made in matte wool and fastens in the front with self-covered buttons. It has been cut and fitted to fit closely. The skirt is made of pleated lustrous silk taffeta.

Evening dress, Michael Sherard

Evening dress
Michael Sherard (1910–98)
1958
London
French re-embroidered ribbon lace, with taffeta
Museum no. T.403-1974
Given by Mr John Fraser and Mr Michael Sherard

Cocktail dresses gained a new popularity after the Second World War. They were worn at early evening or ‘6 to 8’ gatherings.  Since guests usually stood and mingled, the gowns could include complex bustles, appliqué and skirt details, which would be crushed if sat on.

In his book 'The Little Dictionary of Fashion' (1954) Christian Dior (1905-57) described cocktail dresses as ‘elaborate and dressy afternoon frocks’, preferably in black taffeta, satin, chiffon and wool. These confections became the personification of the ‘little black dress’ and were often accessorised with gloves and small, elaborate hats.

This dress was designed by Michael Sherard (1910–98) for his acclaimed 1958 spring collection. 

The flamenco dress was a recurring theme in 1950s cocktail and evening wear. Sherard’s version has a bell-like skirt and train made entirely of lace, his trademark fabric.

Day dress, Jean Dessès

Day dress
Jean Dessès (1904-70)
About 1953
Paris
Woollen tweed, bodice lined with crepe de Chine, and waist stay of grosgain
Museum no. T.102-1982
Given by Mrs D M Haynes and Mrs M Clark

This is a good example of a sheath dress, popular throughout the 1950s. Its construction appears simple, but the clean lines are achieved by skilled cutting and intricate diagonal seaming. The grosgrain waist stay (grosgrain is a heavily ribbed silk) bears the label 'Jean Desses 17 Avenue Matignon PARIS'.

Photograph of Joan Regan, Harry Hammond

Photograph of Joan Regan
Harry Hammond (1920-2009)
1950s
Great Britain
Harry Hammond Collection

Joan Regan was a popular singer with a particularly glamorous image. Here she is shown in a full-length, off the shoulder evening gown. The bodice is shaped, and is probably corseted. Her hair is set with curls around the face, and she wears bright red lipstick.

Evening dress, Victor Stiebel

Evening dress
Victor Stiebel (1907-76)
1950s
London
Satin embroidered with beads and rhinestones
Museum no. T.172-1969
Worn and given by Lady Templer

This dress was designed by the London couturier Victor Stiebel (1907–76). He was originally trained by the court dressmaker, Reville.

Lady Ethel Templer (née Davie, 1904-97), bought this dress in the late 1950s. She was very slim and was able to buy the original dress worn by a house model for the collection. It was originally strapless, but she asked Stiebel to add the straps because her shoulders were narrow. Lady Templer was the wife of the British High Commissioner to Malaya, and required an extensive wardrobe for the many formal dinners and state functions that she had to attend.

The embroidery upon the bodice would have originally been more silvery than it appears now. The metal has oxidised making it appear slightly black and dull.

Evening dress, Hardy Amies

Evening dress
Hardy Amies (1909-2003)
About 1955
London
Tulle and velvet
Museum no. T.259-1976

This dress is typical of the 1950s. It reflects the fashionable 'New Look' style introduced by Christian Dior (1905-57) in 1947, with its voluminous mid-calf length skirt and tight moulded bodice.  The skirt is supported by layers and layers of tulle.

This dress was made by top London couturier Hardy Amies, but this silhouette permeated into most women's wardrobes via ready-to-wear or home pattern versions. Immediately after the Second World War when fabric was scarce, many women sewed extra strips of material onto the bottom of their existing skirts to achieve the fashionable length and fullness.

Evening dress, Jacques Heim

Evening dress
Jacques Heim
1959, Paris
Silk organza, with an underdress of silk taffeta and organza
Museum no. T.266-1974
Given by Mrs Rory McEwen

The House of Heim was founded in 1898 to serve an aristocratic clientele. Jacques Heim (1899-1967) began to extend his parents' establishment, which specialized in furs, into a couture house in 1920. He launched 'Heim Jeunes Filles' in 1936 to follow younger tastes in fashion. All Heim's designs had a classical elegance that made them suitable for grand, formal occasions. His business closed in 1969.

This long, sleeveless ballgown is made of fuschia silk organza. The full skirt features deep box pleats at the back for volume. It is shorter at the front than at the back, combining the formal grandeur of traditional ballgowns and the fashion for short eveningwear typical of the late 1950s.

Evening dress, Pierre Balmain

Evening dress
Pierre Balmain (1914-82)
1950-5
Paris
Silk grosgrain with embroidery, lined with linen, supported by boning and net
Museum no. T.349-1975
Given by Mrs G. Sachet

Pierre Balmain (1914–82) opened his couture house in 1945. He had previously trained alongside Christian Dior at the couture house of Lucien Lelong.

Balmain became one of the most successful couturiers of his generation and by 1956 his house employed 600 workers, with 12 couture workrooms and in-house fur and millinery ateliers.

This youthful summer dress has a boned petticoat, with a full tulle skirt typical of the 1950s.

Summer dress, Horrockses

Summer dress
Horrockses Fashion
1953
England
Printed cotton
Museum no. T.640-1996
Given by Mrs Elizabeth Payze

Horrockses’ cotton dresses, with their brightly coloured prints and full gathered skirts, were a fashion success story in the period after the Second World War. Horrockses was a large cotton manufacturing firm, founded in Preston, Lancashire, in 1791, known for weaving high quality household cottons. In 1946 they launched Horrockses Fashions Limited, a subsidiary company making ready-to-wear dresses, housecoats and beachwear, with headquarters in London's Hanover Square. The success of the firm was due to the quality of the design of the printed cottons, often commissioned from artists, combined with advanced production methods, which preserved the crispness of the cotton while allowing for frequent washing.

Dresses from Horrockses Fashions appealed to women of different ages and social backgrounds as the perfect summer dress. They were relatively expensive and were popular with members of the Royal Family - but working women would save up to buy one, often as a honeymoon outfit. This example was worn by Elizabeth Payze as a teenager.

Photograph, John French

Photograph
John French (1906-66)
1960s
London
John French Archive, ref. JF6647/13

This photograph is by fashion photographer John French. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s he shot the latest fashions for magazines and newspapers, and he usually photographed affordable, high-street ranges that many teenagers would be able to buy.

The models shown here sport typical 1960s styling. The men have exaggerated side partings and side-burns, whilst the woman has a heavy, straight fringe. She is wearing a fashionable tunic top and knickerbockers.

Photograph, John French

Photograph of fashion models
John French (1906-66)
1960s
London
John French Archive, V&A JF6745/3

This photograph is by fashion photographer John French. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s he shot the latest fashions for magazines and newspapers, and he usually photographed affordable, high-street ranges that many teenagers would be able to buy.

The models shown here are easily dated to the 1960s because of their hair and make up. They sport heavy fringes with straight hair curled up at the bottom. Their lipstick is pale but their eyes are accentuated with thick, black kohl eyeliner.

Mini-dress, Biba

Mini-dress
Biba (Barbara Hulanicki; born 1936)
1967
London
Printed cotton
Museum no. T.12-1982
Given by Frances Hinchcliffe

Barbara Hulanicki and her husband John Fitz Simon set up Biba in 1963 as a mail order boutique. The success of their affordable, youthful designs enabled them to open a small shop in Kensington the following year. They attracted glamorous pop stars, bohemian aristocrats and impoverished students alike. In April 1966, the American news magazine 'Time' published a special edition celebrating ‘London: The Swinging City’. It named Biba as ‘the most in shop for gear’.

The label was famous for murky colour palettes, but they also produced some strikingly colourful garments. Purple was a typical Biba colour, but when combined with a vibrant yellow zig-zagging print and a short flirty skirt, the effect is dramatic. In the 1960s, Biba clothing featured some of the shortest miniskirts available, focusing attention on the wearer's legs. Their reputation for micro-minis started almost by accident following a shipment of jersey skirts in 1966. Barbara Hulanicki, the designer, recollected in her autobiography, A to Biba:

'The skirts were only 10 inches long. God, I thought, we'll go bust - we'll never be able to sell them. I couldn't sleep, but that little fluted skirt walked out on customers as fast as we could get it onto the hatstands.'

Mini-dress, Biba

Mini-dress
Biba (Barbara Hulanicki, born 1936)
1969
London
Printed cotton
Museum no. T.10-1982
Given by Marion Kite

Barbara Hulanicki launched the Biba label with her husband John Fitz Simon in 1963, initially selling clothes by mail order through newspaper advertisements. The success of her affordable, fashionable designs enabled them to open a series of shops in Kensington, London.

This dress appeared in the Summer 1969 mail order catalogue. Marion Kite, an art school student, wore the dress for special occasions in London, and also on holiday in Cornwall. Mini-dresses were popular with Biba customers in the late 1960s, alongside longer dresses and trousers with wide flares. Holiday dresses such as this were even shorter than the standard Biba dress length.

Photograph of British Female Celebrities, John French

Photograph of British Female Celebrities
John French (1906-66)
1960s
London
John French Archive, V&A JF6743/4

This photograph, featuring Cilla Black, Lulu, Marianne Faithfull, Julie Grant, the Vernon sisters and others, was taken by fashion photographer John French. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s he shot the latest fashions for magazines and newspapers, and he usually photographed affordable, high-street ranges that many teenagers would be able to buy.

The celebrities shown here are easily dated to the 1960s because of their hair and make up. They sport bouffant styles, back-combed for a full, bee-hive shape, and heavy fringes. Their lipstick is pale but their eyes are accentuated with thick, black kohl eyeliner.

Evening mini-dress, Mary Quant

Evening mini-dress
Mary Quant (born 1934)
1967-8
London
Machine-sewn crêpe
Museum no. T.52-1985
Given by Mrs A. Walford

This evening mini-dress in black crepe was designed by Mary Quant for her Ginger Group collections in 1967-1968. Mary Quant was world-famous for championing the mini-skirt, and in the 1960s her name became associated with the predominantly black Chelsea look, with its beatnik overtones.

Tunic mini-dress, Ossie Clark and Celia Birtwell for Radley

Tunic mini-dress
Ossie Clark (designer, 1942-96), and Celia Birtwell (textile designer, born 1941), for Radley (retailers)
1968
London
Printed cotton
Museum no.T.141-1994
Given by Kay Clark

This tunic was part of Ossie Clark's first collection for his lower-priced Radley label. The print is by Celia Birtwell. The simple silhouette meant that it could be worn either as a dress or with trousers. Kay, Ossie Clark's sister, wore it as a mini-dress when Clark married Celia Birtwell in 1968. Ossie Clark was one of Britain's most influential fashion designers of the 1960s and 1970s.

Photograph, John French

Photograph
John French (1906-66)
1960s
London
John French Archive, V&A ref. JF6897/4

This photograph is by fashion photographer John French. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s he shot the latest fashions for magazines and newspapers, and he usually photographed affordable, high-street ranges that most people would be able to buy.

The models shown here sport work and casual wear, and are easily dated to the 1960s because of their hair, which is parted at one side.

'Peachy' dress, Mary Quant

'Peachy' dress
Mary Quant (born 1934)
1960
London
Wool
Museum no. T.27-1997
Worn and given by Mrs Margaret Stewart

One of the earliest works by Mary Quant in the V&A's collection, this shift illustrates how she broke with convention and made clothes specifically for young customers. Its donor identified the work ('my scarlet runner') as 'a seminal dress at the beginning of a new and still, to me, exciting decade'. Until the beginning of the 1960s youth quake, daughters had no alternative but to dress like their mothers. In tune with the times, Mary Quant offered them identities of their own with styles such as this vivid red shift with youthful appeal.

Dress, 'Twiggy Dresses'

Dress
'Twiggy Dresses' (label), Paul Babb and Pamela Proctor (designers)
1967-9
London
Printed polyester
Museum no. T.15-2007
Given by Gillian Saville

The late 1960s celebrity boutique phenomenon saw popular teenage idols launching clothing lines and boutiques. These included singer Sandie Shaw, TV presenter Cathy McGowan, and even the footballer George Best. Such ventures tended to be short-lived, lasting a few years or even months, like the Beatles' 'Apple' boutique, which closed in July 1968 after 7 months.

The famous 1960s model, Twiggy, launched her fashion label 'Twiggy Dresses' on 16 February 1967. Each garment, costing between £6 and £13, came with a free Twiggy portrait hanger. The shops showed them on Twiggy portrait mannequins, and Twiggy did all the modelling and publicity. She worked with the young designers, Paul Babb and Pamela Proctor to ensure they designed clothes she would happily wear herself, such as this brightly patterned mini-dress. This personal input and strong branding enabled the label to run successfully for three years.

'Cosmos' ensemble, Pierre Cardin

'Cosmos' ensemble
Pierre Cardin (born 1922)
1967
Paris
Woollen jersey with applied vinyl (dress), knitted ribbed wool (sweater), vinyl (accessories)
Museum no. T.75 to F-1974
Given by the designer

Cardin's bold futuristic clothes were largely designed for active young women. In 1966 The Observer newspaper said of Cardin's designs: 'His contribution to modern living may be practical but it's rather a shock.' From the mid 1960s until about 1971 Cardin favoured heavyweight woollen jerseys for his avant-garde designs. This fabric allowed free movement, but at the same time was sufficiently rigid to maintain the clear-cut shapes.

This 'space suit' forms part of the Cecil Beaton Collection. With great energy and determination Sir Cecil Beaton (1904-1980) contacted designers and the well-dressed elite of Europe and America to create this lasting monument to the art of dress. The collection was exhibited in 1971, accompanied by a catalogue that detailed its enormous range.

Paper dress, Ossie Clark and Celia Birtwell

Paper dress
Ossie Clark (designer, 1942-96), and Celia Birtwell (textile designer, born 1941), for Ascher Ltd
1966
London
Printed paper
Museum no. T.261-1988
Given by Zika Ascher

Paper dresses were a brief but spectacular 1960s sensation. They were cheap and disposable, and the simple 2-D shape was ideal for the bold graphic prints that were so fashionable.

In 1966 the Draper's Record announced that Ossie Clark had launched Britain's first range of throwaway dresses. The floral design, by Celia Birtwell, was printed onto imitation paper made by Johnson and Johnson, formed from bonded textile fibres. The wholesale price was 15 shillings.

Overcoat, Village Gate

Overcoat
Village Gate (designers)
1967
London
Herringbone tweed
Museum no. T.190-1979
Given by Sir Roy Strong

Midi-coats and maxi-coats for men and women were introduced in 1966. High-waisted with broad lapels and sometimes belts, they reached to the mid-calf for the midi and to the ankles for the maxi. The style was derived from military coats at a time when military tailoring had become fashionable. During the late 1960s there was a craze for wearing second-hand uniforms, usually Brigade of Guards red jackets and various greatcoats. It was these greatcoats that influenced the cut of the midi and maxi. This particular example was worn by Sir Roy Strong, a former Director of the Museum.

Mini-dress, Mary Quant

Mini-dress
Mary Quant (born 1936)
1966
London
Wool jersey
Museum no. T.86-1982
Given by Mrs Lina Salmon

Mary Quant's mini-dresses for her 'Ginger Group' label epitomise the 1960s fashion revolution. This jersey shift dress is like a sweater grown to dress length, and a version was modelled by Twiggy in a Vogue 'Young Idea' fashion spread in April 1966. With the hem well above the knee it was ideally suited to her boyish figure.

The dress was donated as unsold stock from a smart boutique called 'Merlyn', in London's East End, reputedly patronised by gangsters and their girlfriends.

Evening mini-dress, Paco Rabanne

Evening mini-dress
Paco Rabanne (born 1934)
1967
Paris
Plastic pailletes joined with metal wire
Museum no. T.165-1983
Worn and given by Baroness Helen Bachofen von Echt

Paco Rabanne led the field of radical experimentation in elite fashion design in the 1960s. Having trained as an architect, initially he made plastic buttons and jewellery for Paris couture houses. When he opened his own fashion business in 1966, his architectural background and the current interest in space travel informed his work. Using techniques borrowed from jewellery, he created sculptural dresses in unconventional materials which broke all the rules.

This 'chain mail' dress was worn over a flesh-coloured bodystocking. Baroness Helen Bachofen von Echt wore it to a party in New York where she danced with Frank Sinatra.

Paper mini-dress, Dispo

Paper mini-dress
Dispo (Meyersohn & Silverstein Ltd) (manufacturer)
1967
London
Bonded cellulose fibre ('Bondina') with printed design
Museum no. T.176-1986
Given by Diane Meyersohn

Paper dresses were a brief but spectacular 1960s sensation. They were cheap and disposable, and the simple 2-D shape was ideal for the bold graphic prints that were so fashionable.

Dispo's paper dresses were actually made out of a bonded cellulose fibre and could be washed. A Which magazine consumer trial found that they could be worn at least six times, while other brands would not survive beyond two or three. This printed design was based on an Art Nouveau textile in the V&A collections.

Mini-dress, Ossie Clark and Celia Birtwell

Mini-dress
Ossie Clark (designer, 1942-96), and Celia Birtwell (textile designer, born 1941)
1969
London
Printed rayon and crêpe
Museum no. T.258-1990
Given by Linda Lloyd-Jones

A fashionable young woman would have worn this garment either as a mini-dress or with trousers. The textile design is a plain grid pattern. A simple waist-tie gives shapely definition to the loose tunic-style. This was one of the first Ossie Clark designs for his less expensive Radley label. Clark was one of Britain's most influential fashion designers of the 1960s and 70s.

Dress, Joseph Leonard

Dress
Joseph Leonard
1965
New York
Gold paper with sequins
Museum no. T.297-1974
Given by Princess Slanislaus Radziwill

The thigh-high ‘mini’ was symbolic of the 1960s in both Britain and America. Though initially shocking to some, many designers embraced its informality and ease of movement. Here American designer Leonard Joseph combines the youthful shape of the mini with an unconventional paper textile.

Designed for the avant-garde New York boutique 'Forward Look', this dress was worn by Princess Stanislaus Radziwill. She was the sister of Jackie Kennedy and a regular figure on the social scene of both sides of the Atlantic.

Dress and shorts, Emmanuel Ungaro

Dress and shorts
Emmanuel Ungaro (born 1933)
About 1968
Machine sewn gabardine
Museum no. T.316&A-1978

This daywear ensemble, designed by Emanuel Ungaro (1933–), is composed of a knee-length dress and a pair of shorts. Made from printed gabardine, showing abstract motifs in orange, white and brown, the dress has a small round collar and long sleeves. The matching shorts are worn under the dress and are not visible.

Born in France to Italian parents. Ungaro trained as a tailor, and then worked for Balenciaga and Courreges, whose influence is particularly evident here, and who was the first designer to introduce this concept in the mid-1960s. Ungaro’s interpretation manifests itself through bold prints, which became the designer’s hallmark.

Day dress and jacket, Emmanuel Ungaro

Day dress and jacket
Emmanuel Ungaro (born 1933)
1966
Paris
Wool gabardine, lined throughout with surah, with a zip and hooks and eyes
Museum no. T.320&A-1978
Given by Mrs Brenda Azario

Emmanuel Ungaro was born in Aix-en-Provence, France, in 1933. He played an important role in the rejuvenation of Paris fashion. He left Balenciaga, with whom he had worked for six years, to join Courrèges in 1964. When this partnership failed, he began to design, independently showing his first collection in 1965. Like Courrèges, Ungaro sculpted hard-edged clothes in heavy worsted fabrics and triple gaberdines. His garments retained the angular shapes of the mid 1960s fashions so perfectly that they often almost stood up by themselves.

This day dress and jacket was worn by Mrs Brenda Azario. It was featured in French Vogue (March 1966 and March 1967).

Suit, Moss Bros

Suit
Moss Bros
1969
London
Wool twill
Museum no. T.271&A-1990
Given by Mr. R. Hughes

This Moss Bros suit, designed in 1969, is striking in that it is totally unadorned, even the jacket buttons are concealed by a fly front. The stand-up Nehru style collar became fashionable in the mid 1960s. A daring purple satin lining belies the sober grey exterior. Moss Bros was founded in the 1850s by Moses Moses. The company built its reputation from selling ready-to-wear tailoring.

Pyjama dress, Emilio Pucci

Pyjama dress
Emilio Pucci (1914-92)
About 1968
Italy
Printed silk jersey
Museum no. T.337-1997

This trouser-dress designed by Emilio Pucci in 1968 is typical of Italian fashion.Cut in a luxurious Italian-produced silk jersey, it displays the bright Mediterranean colours which have been Pucci’s hallmark since the beginning of his career in the mid-1950s. The dress has a sleeveless bodice with a low-cut neckline. The bodice is cut under the bust and continues into a wide trouser-skirt.

Fashion at the end of the 1960s was characterised by the abandonment of short and rigid A-line mini-dresses in favour of long and svelte lines, and by the increasing presence of trousers in women’s wardrobes. Long dresses and skirts were no longer restricted to evening wear but were increasingly part of daywear.

Suit, Bernard Weatherill

Suit
Bernard Weatherill
1966
London
Wool
Museum no. T.338-1984
Given by Eric Lucking

This suit was made by Bernard Weatherill during the British fashion boom of the 1960s and is a good example of the styles of that period. The repetition of curved lines in flapped pockets, cuffs, collar and lapels, along with unusual covered buttons, show a dapper and stylish attention to detail. Bernard Weatherill was a men's tailoring and equestrian dress-maker, established in Savile Row in 1912. Today, the company retains a host of Royal Appointments.

Ensemble, Andre Courrèges

Ensemble (dress and coat)
Andre Courrèges (born 1923)
1965
Paris
Machine stitched worsted and spandex
Museum no. T.304:1&2-2000

This ensemble consisting of a coat and a dress, was designed by André Courrèges in 1965.

The coat is short, double breasted, and has a triangular shape. It has two long sleeves, two vertical pockets on the front and fastens with four buttons. There is a blue spandex trimming around the collar, the upper part of the coat, the pockets and the sleeves. The back of the coat shows a slit from waist down to the hem, covered with a panel. All the seams are double.The dress is short, and has a triangular shape. It is sleeveless. There are two buttons on the front, six at the back and two vertical pockets on the front. There is a blue spandex trimming around the neckline, the shoulders, the pockets and the hem.

André Courreges was born in France in 1923. After a brief career in engineering, he turned to fashion and worked with Balenciaga from 1949 to 1961. From Balenciaga he learned to search for a pure, simple and sharp line which, mixed with his taste for white and pure colours, allowed him to create designs for a younger generation. This ensemble shows Courrège's architectural approach to fashion: the use of geometrical shapes, minimalist details and colour. The use of white, underlined here with plastic blue, and the use of heavy worsted, make the shape of this ensemble stand out almost as an architectural object. The choice of blue and white, refers to the 'matelot' style popular amongst youth in France during the mid 1960s.