Of course, Paris is one of the brightest and most famous fashion capitals, and even a hundred years ago it also aroused admiration and surprise throughout the world for its bold design solutions and its sophisticated style. If now the most interesting things happen on the catwalk, then in 1910 it was enough to come to the hippodrome to see with your own eyes the most fashionable dresses and accessories.

By 1910, the silhouette of women's dresses became softer and more graceful. After the tremendous success of the ballet "Scheherazade" in Paris, a craze for oriental culture began. Couturier Paul Poiret(Paul Poiret) was one of the first to bring this trend to the world of fashion. Poiret’s clients were easy to recognize by their bright colorful trousers, dashing turban hats and bright dresses in which the women resembled exotic geishas.

At this time, the Art Deco movement was formed, which was instantly reflected in fashion. Hats made of felt, tall turban hats and an abundance of tulle came into fashion. At the same time, the first female couturier Jeanne Paquin appeared, who was one of the first to open representative offices of her designs abroad in London, Buenos Airis and Madrid.

One of the most influential fashion designers at that time was Jacques Doucet. The dresses of his design were different from the rest - they were dresses in pastel colors, with an excess of lace and decorations that sparkled and shimmered in the sun. He was the favorite designer of French actresses, who sported his dresses not only on theater stages, but in everyday life.¨

At the beginning of the twentieth century, high-waisted dresses were popular. However, by 1910, tunics over a long skirt came into fashion. This layering of outfits was observed in the collections of almost all couturiers of that time. Later, in 1914, skirts that were very narrow at the ankles became fashionable. It was quite difficult to move in such outfits, but fashion, as you know, sometimes requires sacrifice.

In a secular society, where fashion and toilets were a certain language in which the highest circles communicated, attire became a symbol of etiquette. Hence the appearance of milliners in the 18th century - the best dressmakers who sewed to individual orders, and then of Parisian dress shops.
Paris has always been the trendsetter of women's fashion. French tailors were invited by the crowned Elizabeth Petrovna, and her de facto successor, Catherine the Great, by decree of 1763, allowed foreigners to live and trade in Moscow with privileges. In Catherine’s time, French milliners and various fashion shops had already appeared in both capitals: the latter appeared under the names: “Au temple de gout” (Temple of Taste), “Musee de Nouveautes” (Museum of New Products), etc. At that time in Moscow famous milliner Vil, who sold fashionable "shelmovki" (sleeveless fur coats), caps, horns, magpies, "queen's rise" and La Greek, sterlet shoes, snails, women's skirt caftan, swinging chicken-form and furro-form, various bows, lace.

After the revolution of 1789, emigrants poured into Moscow. Among them was the famous Madame Marie-Rose Aubert-Chalmet. From the end of the 18th century, Madame had a store on Kuznetsky Most, and then in her own house in Glinishchevsky Lane near Tverskaya, where, among other things, she sold excellent hats at exorbitant prices, which is why Muscovites nicknamed her “over-scammer” - they even believe that the word swindler itself originated on her behalf. She had such a “arrival” that Glinishchevsky Lane was filled with carriages, and the store itself became a fashionable meeting center for the Moscow elite. Noble clients once saved the madam herself when her store was sealed for smuggling. The milliner's profile was very broad. They ordered a “dowry” from her for rich marriageable girls, and ball gowns - this is how Madame ended up on the pages of the epic “War and Peace”: it was to her that the old woman Akhrosimova was taken to dress the daughters of Count Rostov.
The milliner suffered a sad and unflattering fate. When Napoleon attacked Russia, two warring worlds collided on the Kuznetsky Bridge. Having become Napoleon's adviser, the experienced madam gave him valuable recommendations regarding politics in Russia, and together with Napoleon's army she left Moscow and died of typhus on the way.

Ober-Shalme was replaced by the even more famous milliner Sickler, in Moscow colloquialism Sikhlersha. In St. Petersburg she had a store near Gorokhovaya Street, and in Moscow - on Bolshaya Dmitrovka. She dressed the high society of Russia and her wives
celebrities.
One of Sickler’s regular clients was Natalie Pushkina, who loved to order toilets from her, and once gave a hat from Sickler as a gift to the wife of Pavel Nashchokin, Pushkin’s friend. From the poet’s letters it is known that the milliner more than once pestered him for his debts. They said that Pushkin paid Sickler for his wife’s toilets an amount almost greater than the fee for “The History of the Pugachev Rebellion,” and after Pushkin’s death, Sickler’s guardianship compensated Sickler for another 3 thousand of his debts.
High society ordered ballgowns from Sickler in the year when Nicholas I visited Moscow, for which the milliner earned 80 thousand a month. There were also incidents. Sometimes poor but gentle husbands spoiled their loved ones with great financial effort
the wives wore a dress from Sickler, but it turned out to be so luxurious that it was impossible to appear in it for the evening in the company of their circle, and for visits it was necessary to sew a new, simpler dress. M.E. Saltykov-Shchedrin especially liked to be sarcastic about such husbands - his own wife ordered dresses for herself and her daughter only from Paris, and the wife’s “acquisitive appetites” greatly upset the satirist.

Sickler's successors were two Moscow milliners. The first was the “French artist” Madame Dubois, who had the best store on Bolshaya Dmitrovka with an elegant round hall, where there were always the best hats and not in display cases, but in cabinets - for connoisseurs.
Sickler's second successor from the 1850s was the famous Madame Minangua: her fame as the best milliner in Moscow did not fade until the revolution. Madame had luxury stores both on Bolshaya Dmitrovka and on Kuznetsky Most, which were dedicated exclusively to the latest Parisian fashions. Ladies' dresses, trousseaus, lingerie and elegantly decorated corsets were made here. It was the largest and most expensive company in old Moscow ordering capricious ladies' dresses, even at the time when they appeared in abundance
stores of ready-made European clothing.
The most important were the ball gowns, in which a woman appeared before the eyes of the capital's elite - according to etiquette, even in the most luxurious dress it was impossible to appear more than 3-4 times. The cheapest were girls' dresses: for the most pampered, it cost 80 silver rubles, light, with flounces, made of silk or gauze. The lady paid 200 silver rubles for the fabric alone for this toilet, and hundreds more rubles for the dress itself. An incredible luxury, which, contemporaries sighed, really should have been limited by some kind of law.
Ladies' outfits of the 18th and early 20th centuries.
Pictures enlarge when clicked



Moscow milliners of the 19th century.

From time immemorial, Odessa has also been known in Europe as a trendsetter; as Pushkin wrote about it, it was originally a European city. For this reason, local ladies flaunted here and amazed visiting provincials with the most elegant style and finest weaving with French straw hats from Madame Moulis or Victoria Olivier on Deribasovskaya in the Frapoli house, exquisite, latest fashion toilets from Adele Martin's stores on Italianskaya, now Pushkinskaya Street, Madame Palmer or
Suzanne Pomer. And Madame Lobadi, the owner of a chic salon on Richelieuskaya, periodically even invited special consultants from Paris itself, from whom customers could always “have all the news
Maud".
With the construction of an extensive shopping complex in 1842, which Odessa residents who visited the French capital soon began to call Palais Royal, the fashion store of Maria Ivanovna Stratz moved there. Opened in pre-Pushkin times and then existing for many years, this store became famous far beyond the borders of Odessa and for a long time had no similar store in almost the entire South. It's not surprising
it was, because there was literally everything that only the most capricious female soul could desire: ready-made outfits, woolen fabrics, Dutch linen, Lyon silks, French shawls, lace, gloves of unprecedented beauty, heavy velvet of all kinds of colors and the finest cambric, which seemed to flutter from one breath...

The formation of the main fashion canons of the 1910s was influenced by large-scale world events. Representatives of the fair sex showed imagination in inventing new styles and using different fabrics, striving to remain women.

The First World War of 1914-1918 played a special role. Living conditions have changed, and many worries fell on fragile women's shoulders. This introduced adjustments in clothing, which began to be distinguished by comfort and practicality. During this period, the uncomfortable corsets characteristic of women, frilly skirts and voluminous hats disappeared from women's wardrobes.

The war years led to women going to work in mills, factories, nurses and trade. More and more girls mastered male professions, which became the reason for the emergence of emancipation.

The canons of beauty have changed, which have relegated curvaceous figures to the background. Food shortages and harsh working conditions forced women to wear men's clothing.

After the end of the war, Paul Poiret became the trendsetter, for whom the main personification of female beauty is the back. He creates models that cover the neck and expose the back. The new silhouette is subtle, simple and elegant.

Most fashionistas wore a short garçon haircut. Tired of war, the fair sex allowed themselves to become feminine. Transparent evening dresses embroidered with beads, bugles or sequins are gaining popularity. Makeup becomes especially bright.

There has been a trend towards shortening the length of skirts. This allowed the girls to feel liberated and free. During this period, women gained the right to vote and began to promote a less conservative lifestyle.

Conventionally, the fashion of the 1910s is divided into two periods: war and post-war. The first is distinguished by its convenience and laconicism, due to the fact that women put on men's clothing. The second is significant due to its bright and eccentric images, emphasizing femininity and sexuality.

Women's clothing 1910s

The fashion of the 1910s still does not ignore dresses with a high waistline and a straight-cut skirt. Paul Poiret, inspired by oriental themes, designed Japanese-style robe dresses, tunics decorated with beads and wide-cut harem pants. In addition, outfits trimmed with fur, as well as hats and muffs, were especially popular.

The peak of emancipation, which came in 1913, led to the fact that comfortable and simple-cut products came into fashion. During this period, there was a slight influence of sports on the world podiums.

Laconic shirts and shirt dresses that do not hinder movement have become popular. Such outfits were in demand in everyday outfits. For evening outings, dresses with a narrow bodice and a skirt decorated with frills were chosen.

In the 1910s, the panier skirt appeared. The model featured a wide silhouette at the hips, remaining flat in the front and back. This outfit was used for social occasions and endowed the appearance of women with sophistication.

Popular shoes and accessories

Shoes from the 1910s did not change much. The glass heel remained a relevant detail. Low lace-up boots with special hooks were popular.

Shoes were made of suede and leather. Satin and silk were used for evening shoes. The characteristic height of the heel was 4-5 cm. Shoes and low shoes were decorated with buckles, buttons, beads or bows.

During this period, secular society was passionate about theatrical art. Representatives of the fair sex adopted elements of stage costume into their images, which led to the appearance of bright decorations on shoes.

During these years, elaborate accessories disappeared from everyday life, and women did not particularly strive to decorate themselves. But for an evening out, every fashionista tried to add an individual accent to her look.

All kinds of hats remained among the main accessories in the 1910s. They acquired a smaller size and were decorated with feathers or beads. A fur coat, which became popular in the post-war years, added a special charm to any look. The products had different sizes and were designed to emphasize the presentability of ladies at special events.

In general, the main fashion trend of the early twentieth century was a complete rejection of boring forms and the search for fresh solutions. The ideas born during this period significantly influenced the history and development of women's fashion.

The development of fashion in the 1910s of the 20th century was largely determined by global events, the main of which was the First World War of 1914-1918. The changing living conditions and worries that fell on women's shoulders required, first of all, convenience and comfort in clothing. The financial crisis associated with the war also did not contribute to the popularity of luxurious dresses made from expensive fabrics. However, as often happens, difficult times created an even greater demand for beautiful clothes: women, not wanting to put up with the circumstances, showed miracles of ingenuity in searching for fabrics and new styles. As a result, the second decade of the 20th century was remembered for models that combined elegance and convenience, and the appearance of the legendary Coco Chanel on the fashion horizon.

At the beginning of the second decade of the twentieth century, Paul Poiret remained the main dictator in the fashion world. In 1911, the women's trousers and culotte skirts he created created a sensation. The fashion designer continued to popularize his work through social events and various trips. Poiret celebrated the creation of the Arabian Nights collection with a luxurious reception, and later in 1911 he opened his own school of decorative and applied arts, Ecole Martin. The fashion revolutionary also continued to publish books and catalogs with his products. At the same time, Poiret went on a world tour, which lasted until 1913. During this time, the artist showed his models in London, Vienna, Brussels, Berlin, Moscow, St. Petersburg and New York. All his shows and trips were accompanied by articles and photographs in newspapers, so news about the French couturier spread all over the world.

Poiret was not afraid of experiments and became the first fashion designer to create his own fragrance - Rosina perfume, named after his eldest daughter. In 1914, with the outbreak of the First World War, the House of Paul Poiret ceased its activities, and the artist attempted to return to the world of fashion only in 1921.

This, however, turned out to be a failure, largely due to the fact that Poiret's luxurious and exotic style was supplanted by the revolutionary models of Coco Chanel.

Emancipation and the first practical models

The first step in the transition to “comfortable” fashion was the final disappearance of corsets, voluminous hats, and “limping” skirts from women’s wardrobes. In the early 1910s, new models came into use, the main one among them was the “spinning top” with a high waist, wide hips, draping and narrow at the ankles. As for the length, until 1915 the hem of the dresses reached the ground. Skirts were shortened a little: models that reached “only” to the instep of the leg came into fashion. Dresses were often worn with capes, and dresses with trains were also popular. A V-shaped neckline was common, not only on the chest, but also on the back.

The craving for practicality affected not only clothes, but the entire female image. In the second decade of the twentieth century, ladies for the first time stopped doing intricate, elegant hairstyles and opened their necks. Short haircuts have not yet become as widespread as in the 1920s, but the fashion for long, beautifully styled hair on the head has become a thing of the past.

At that time, operetta was extremely popular throughout Europe, and the dancers who performed on stage became role models, including when it came to clothing. Along with operetta, cabaret, and especially tango dance, was loved by the public. A stage costume was invented especially for tango - Turkish trousers, as well as draped skirts, in the cuts of which the dancers' legs were visible. Such outfits were used only on stage, but in 1911 the Parisian fashion house "Drecol and Bechoff" offered ladies so-called trouser dresses and trouser skirts. The conservative part of French society did not accept the new outfits, and those girls who dared to appear in them in public were accused of denying generally accepted moral standards. Women's trousers, which first appeared in the early 1910s, were negatively received by the public and only became popular much later.

In 1913, performances by emancipants began in Europe, protesting against clothing that restricted movement, insisting on the appearance of simple-cut and comfortable models. At the same time, there was still a slight but noticeable influence of sports on everyday fashion. The abundant stripes and decorations, complex appliques and details that decorated the clothes began to disappear. Women allowed themselves to bare their arms and legs. In general, the cut of clothes has become much looser; shirts and shirt-dresses have come into fashion.

All these trends were typical for casual clothing, while dressy models were still in the style of the 1910s. High-waisted dresses with oriental style elements, models with a narrow bodice and a wide skirt with frills were still popular in the world. The panier skirt, the name of which is translated from French as “basket,” came into fashion. The model featured a barrel-shaped silhouette - the hips were wide, but the skirt was flat in front and back. In a word, going out outfits were distinguished by greater elegance and coservatism, and some fashion designers sought to preserve the trends observed in the fashion of the 1900s. The most notable among artists adhering to conservative models was Erte.

Loud debut of the great Erte

The most popular fashion designer Erte, whose name is associated with luxurious and feminine images of the second decade of the twentieth century, did not recognize the trend towards practicality and functionality.

Roman Petrovich Tyrtov was born in 1892 in St. Petersburg, and at the age of twenty he moved to Paris. Erte took the pseudonym from the initial letters of his first and last name. Even as a child, the boy showed a penchant for drawing and design. From the age of 14, he attended classes at the Academy of Fine Arts in St. Petersburg, and after moving to the French capital, he went to work at the House of Paul Poiret. His high-profile debut in Paris was the creation of costumes for the play "Minaret" in 1913. The very next year, when Erté left the House of Poiret, his models were extremely popular not only in France, but also in the theater companies of Monte Carlo, New York, Chicago and Glindbourne. Music halls literally flooded the talented designer with orders, and Erte created costumes for such productions as Irving Berlin's "Music Box Repertoire," George White's "Scandals" and "Mary of Manhattan." Each image created by the couturier was his own creation: in his work, Erte never relied on the experience of his colleagues and predecessors.

The most recognizable image created by the fashion designer was a mysterious beauty, wrapped in luxurious furs, with many accessories, the main ones of which were long strings of pearls and beads, topped with an original headdress. Erte created his outfits inspired by ancient Egyptian and Greek mythology, as well as Indian miniatures and, of course, Russian classical art. Rejecting the slim silhouette and abstract geometric patterns, Erte in 1916 became the chief artist of the Harpers Bazaar magazine, with which the tycoon offered him a contract.

Becoming popular even before the outbreak of the First World War, Erte was one of the trendsetters until his death in 1990 at the age of 97.

War and fashion

The dispute between adherents of the old style and supporters of practical clothing was decided by the First World War, which began in 1914. Women, forced to do all men's work, simply could not afford to dress up in long fluffy skirts and corsets.

During this period, functional details that referred to military style began to appear in clothing - patch pockets, turn-down collars, jackets with laces, lapels and metal buttons, which girls wore with skirts. At the same time, women's suits came into fashion. The difficult years brought with them another reform: comfortable-to-wear knitwear began to be used in tailoring, from which jumpers, cardigans, scarves and hats were created. Casual dresses, the length of which became shorter and reached only to the calves, were worn with high, rough lace-up boots, under which women wore leggings.

In general, this time can be described as a spontaneous search for new forms and styles, a passionate desire to get away from all fashion standards that were imposed by fashion houses in the 1900s. Trends literally replaced one another. A common feature of wartime silhouettes was the freedom of cut, sometimes even the “sagging” of the clothes. Now the outfits did not emphasize all the curves of the female figure, but, on the contrary, hid it. Even belts no longer fit around the waist, not to mention sleeves, blouses and skirts.

The war, perhaps, made women much more independent than all the emancipatory speeches characteristic of the early 1910s. First, women took over jobs that had previously been done by men: they took positions in factories, hospitals and offices. In addition, many of them ended up in auxiliary military services, where working conditions dictated practicality as the main criterion when choosing clothes. The girls wore uniforms, khaki sports shirts and caps. Perhaps for the first time, women felt their independence and importance, and became confident in their strengths and intellectual abilities. All this allowed the ladies to direct the development of fashion themselves.

During the war, when almost all fashion houses were closed, women voluntarily got rid of all imposed canons, freeing their clothes from unnecessary details. The practical and functional style took root and became so popular that fashion houses that resumed their activities after the war were forced to follow new trends, and attempts to restore popularity to the previously popular crinoline and uncomfortable “narrow” styles ended in failure.

Of particular note, however, are the “military crinolines” that appeared at the same time and became extremely popular. These full skirts differed from their predecessors in that to maintain their shape, they used not the usual hoops, but a large number of petticoats. Sewing such outfits required a lot of fabric and, despite the low quality, the price of “military crinolines” was quite high. This did not stop voluminous skirts from becoming one of the main hits of wartime, and later this model became a symbol of the romantic style caused by general protest and fatigue from war. Unable to resist the mastered practical style, fashion designers decided to bring originality and beauty to simple-style outfits through details and decoration. Haute couture dresses were richly decorated with pearls, ribbons, appliqués and beads.

The impact of the First World War on fashion cannot be described simply by the emerging trend towards practicality. Soldiers who participated in battles on foreign territories brought home new exotic fabrics as trophies, as well as never-before-seen shawls, scarves and jewelry from Tunisia and Morocco. Fashion designers, getting acquainted with the cultures of different countries, absorbed ideas and embodied new styles, patterns and finishes in tailoring.

After the end of the war, when social life improved and balls began to be held in Paris again, many women abandoned the costumes that had become familiar and returned to pre-war fashion. However, this period did not last long - after the war, a completely new stage in fashion began, the greatest influence on which at that time was Coco Chanel.

Men's style from Chanel

Coco Chanel, by her own admission, spent her entire life trying to adapt a men's suit to the needs and lifestyle of a modern woman.

Coco Chanel began her journey in the fashion world in 1909, when she opened her own hat shop in Paris. Rumors about the new designer quickly spread throughout the French capital, and the very next year Coco was able to launch not only hats, but also clothes, opening a store at 21 rue Cambon, and then her own fashion house in the resort of Biarritz. Despite the high cost of clothing and the simplicity of the cut, which was unusual for that time, Chanel’s models rapidly gained popularity, and the designer gained a wide clientele.

The main task of the clothes that fashion designers previously offered to women was to emphasize the wasp waist and highlight the chest, creating unnatural curves. Coco Chanel was thin, tanned and athletic, and the style common at that time did not suit her at all - no matter how hard she wanted, no clothes could make an “hourglass” out of the girl’s figure. But she was an ideal model for her own outfits. “Shackled in a corset, breasts out, butt exposed, pulled so tight at the waist as if cut into two parts... supporting such a woman is the same as managing real estate,” said Coco.

Promoting comfort and unisex style, the designer created very simple dresses and skirts, characterized by clean lines and a lack of embellishment. The girl, without hesitation, swept aside unnecessary details and unnecessary accessories in search of the ideal model that did not restrict movement, and at the same time allowed a woman to remain a woman. Regardless of public opinion, she deftly introduced elements of masculine style into women's clothing, independently setting an example of the correct use of simple outfits. “Once I put on a man’s sweater, just like that, because I was cold... I tied it with a scarf (at the waist). That day I was with the British. None of them noticed that I was wearing a sweater...” Chanel recalled. This is how her famous sailor suits with a deep neckline and turn-down collar and “jockey” leather jackets appeared.

When creating clothes, Chanel used simple materials - cotton, knitwear. In 1914, she shortened women's skirts. At the outbreak of World War I, Coco designed practical sweaters, blazers, shirtdresses, blouses and suits. It was Chanel who contributed to the popularization of pajamas, and in 1918 even created women's pajamas in which you could go down to the bomb shelter.

Closer to 1920, Coco, like many artists of that time, became interested in Russian motifs. This line in Chanel’s work was developed already at the beginning of the third decade of the twentieth century.

The second decade of the twentieth century, despite all the hardships and adversities, became a turning point in the evolution of fashion - it was in the 1910s that artists began actively searching for new forms that could provide women with freedom without depriving them of grace. The reforms introduced into fashion by the war and the trends of the post-war years became decisive in the development of the industry in the following decades.

10:10 07/04/2012

The development of fashion in the 1910s of the 20th century was largely determined by global events, the main of which was the First World War of 1914-1918. The changing living conditions and worries that fell on women's shoulders required, first of all, convenience and comfort in clothing. The financial crisis associated with the war also did not contribute to the popularity of luxurious dresses made from expensive fabrics. However, as often happens, difficult times created an even greater demand for beautiful clothes: women, not wanting to put up with the circumstances, showed miracles of ingenuity in searching for fabrics and new styles. As a result, the second decade of the 20th century was remembered for models that combined elegance and convenience, and the appearance of the legendary Coco Chanel on the fashion horizon.

At the beginning of the second decade of the twentieth century, Paul Poiret remained the main dictator in the fashion world. In 1911, the women's trousers and culotte skirts he created created a sensation. The fashion designer continued to popularize his work through social events and various trips. Poiret celebrated the creation of the Arabian Nights collection with a luxurious reception, and later in 1911 he opened his own school of decorative and applied arts, Ecole Martin. The fashion revolutionary also continued to publish books and catalogs with his products. At the same time, Poiret went on a world tour, which lasted until 1913. During this time, the artist showed his models in London, Vienna, Brussels, Berlin, Moscow, St. Petersburg and New York. All his shows and trips were accompanied by articles and photographs in newspapers, so news about the French couturier spread all over the world.

Poiret was not afraid of experiments and became the first fashion designer to create his own fragrance - Rosina perfume, named after his eldest daughter. In 1914, with the outbreak of the First World War, the House of Paul Poiret ceased its activities, and the artist attempted to return to the world of fashion only in 1921.

This, however, turned out to be a failure, largely due to the fact that Poiret's luxurious and exotic style was supplanted by the revolutionary models of Coco Chanel.

Emancipation and the first practical models

The first step in the transition to “comfortable” fashion was the final disappearance of corsets, voluminous hats, and “limping” skirts from women’s wardrobes. In the early 1910s, new models came into use, the main one among them was the “spinning top” with a high waist, wide hips, draping and narrow at the ankles. As for the length, until 1915 the hem of the dresses reached the ground. Skirts were shortened a little: models that reached “only” to the instep of the leg came into fashion. Dresses were often worn with capes, and dresses with trains were also popular. A V-shaped neckline was common, not only on the chest, but also on the back.

The craving for practicality affected not only clothes, but the entire female image. In the second decade of the twentieth century, ladies for the first time stopped doing intricate, elegant hairstyles and opened their necks. Short haircuts have not yet become as widespread as in the 1920s, but the fashion for long, beautifully styled hair on the head has become a thing of the past.

At that time, operetta was extremely popular throughout Europe, and the dancers who performed on stage became role models, including when it came to clothing. Along with operetta, cabaret, and especially tango dance, was loved by the public. A stage costume was invented especially for tango - Turkish bloomers, as well as draped skirts, in the cuts of which the dancers’ legs were visible. Such outfits were used only on stage, but in 1911 the Parisian fashion house "Drecol and Bechoff" offered ladies so-called trouser dresses and trouser skirts. The conservative part of French society did not accept the new outfits, and those girls who dared to appear in them in public were accused of denying generally accepted moral standards. Women's trousers, which first appeared in the early 1910s, were negatively received by the public and only became popular much later.

In 1913, performances by emancipants began in Europe, protesting against clothing that restricted movement, insisting on the appearance of simple-cut and comfortable models. At the same time, there was still a slight but noticeable influence of sports on everyday fashion. The abundant stripes and decorations, complex appliques and details that decorated the clothes began to disappear. Women allowed themselves to bare their arms and legs. In general, the cut of clothes has become much looser; shirts and shirt-dresses have come into fashion.

All these trends were typical for casual clothing, while dressy models were still in the style of the 1910s. High-waisted dresses with oriental style elements, models with a narrow bodice and a wide skirt with frills were still popular in the world. The panier skirt, the name of which is translated from French as “basket,” came into fashion. The model had a barrel-shaped silhouette - the hips were wide, but the skirt was flat in front and back. In a word, going out outfits were distinguished by greater elegance and coservatism, and some fashion designers sought to preserve the trends observed in the fashion of the 1900s. The most notable among artists adhering to conservative models was Erte.

Loud debut of the great Erte

The most popular fashion designer Erte, whose name is associated with luxurious and feminine images of the second decade of the twentieth century, did not recognize the trend towards practicality and functionality.

© provided by the Internet agency "Bi-group"

Sketch of a dress by fashion designer Erte (Roman Petrovich Tyrtov)

Roman Petrovich Tyrtov was born in 1892 in St. Petersburg, and at the age of twenty he moved to Paris. Erte took the pseudonym from the initial letters of his first and last name. Even as a child, the boy showed a penchant for drawing and design. From the age of 14, he attended classes at the Academy of Fine Arts in St. Petersburg, and after moving to the French capital, he went to work at the House of Paul Poiret. His high-profile debut in Paris was the creation of costumes for the play "Minaret" in 1913. The very next year, when Erté left the House of Poiret, his models were extremely popular not only in France, but also in the theater companies of Monte Carlo, New York, Chicago and Glindbourne. Music halls literally flooded the talented designer with orders, and Erte created costumes for such productions as Irving Berlin's "Music Box Repertoire," George White's "Scandals" and "Mary of Manhattan." Each image created by the couturier was his own creation: in his work, Erte never relied on the experience of his colleagues and predecessors.

The most recognizable image created by the fashion designer was a mysterious beauty, wrapped in luxurious furs, with many accessories, the main ones of which were long strings of pearls and beads, topped with an original headdress. Erte created his outfits inspired by ancient Egyptian and Greek mythology, as well as Indian miniatures and, of course, Russian classical art. Rejecting the slim silhouette and abstract geometric patterns, Erte became the chief artist for Harpers Bazaar magazine in 1916, with which he was offered a contract by tycoon William Hearst.

© RIA Novosti Sergey Subbotin

Cover of the magazine "Women's Business"

Becoming popular even before the outbreak of the First World War, Erte was one of the trendsetters until his death in 1990 at the age of 97.

War and fashion

The dispute between adherents of the old style and supporters of practical clothing was decided by the First World War, which began in 1914. Women, forced to do all men's work, simply could not afford to dress up in long fluffy skirts and corsets.

During this period, functional details that referred to military style began to appear in clothing - patch pockets, turn-down collars, jackets with laces, lapels and metal buttons, which girls wore with skirts. At the same time, women's suits came into fashion. The difficult years brought with them another reform: comfortable-to-wear knitwear began to be used in tailoring, from which jumpers, cardigans, scarves and hats were created. Casual dresses, the length of which became shorter and reached only to the calves, were worn with high, rough lace-up boots, under which women wore leggings.

In general, this time can be described as a spontaneous search for new forms and styles, a passionate desire to get away from all fashion standards that were imposed by fashion houses in the 1900s. Trends literally replaced one another. A common feature of wartime silhouettes was the freedom of cut, sometimes even the “sagging” of the clothes. Now the outfits did not emphasize all the curves of the female figure, but, on the contrary, hid it. Even belts no longer fit around the waist, not to mention sleeves, blouses and skirts.

The war, perhaps, made women much more independent than all the emancipatory speeches characteristic of the early 1910s. First, women took over jobs that had previously been done by men: they took positions in factories, hospitals and offices. In addition, many of them ended up in auxiliary military services, where working conditions dictated practicality as the main criterion when choosing clothes. The girls wore uniforms, khaki sports shirts and caps. Perhaps for the first time, women felt their independence and importance, and became confident in their strengths and intellectual abilities. All this allowed the ladies to direct the development of fashion themselves.

© Illustration from the book "Style Icons. History of Fashion of the 20th Century. Edited by G. Buxbaum. St. Petersburg. "Amphora", 2009"

Dartey "Military crinoline", drawing 1916.

During the war, when almost all fashion houses were closed, women voluntarily got rid of all imposed canons, freeing their clothes from unnecessary details. The practical and functional style took root and became so popular that fashion houses that resumed their activities after the war were forced to follow new trends, and attempts to restore popularity to the previously popular crinoline and uncomfortable “narrow” styles ended in failure.

Of particular note, however, are the “military crinolines” that appeared at the same time and became extremely popular. These full skirts differed from their predecessors in that to maintain their shape, they used not the usual hoops, but a large number of petticoats. Sewing such outfits required a lot of fabric and, despite the low quality, the price of “military crinolines” was quite high. This did not stop voluminous skirts from becoming one of the main hits of wartime, and later this model became a symbol of the romantic style caused by general protest and fatigue from war. Unable to resist the mastered practical style, fashion designers decided to bring originality and beauty to simple-style outfits through details and decoration. Haute couture dresses were richly decorated with pearls, ribbons, appliqués and beads.

The impact of the First World War on fashion cannot be described simply by the emerging trend towards practicality. Soldiers who participated in battles on foreign territories brought home new exotic fabrics as trophies, as well as never-before-seen shawls, scarves and jewelry from Tunisia and Morocco. Fashion designers, getting acquainted with the cultures of different countries, absorbed ideas and embodied new styles, patterns and finishes in tailoring.

After the end of the war, when social life improved and balls began to be held in Paris again, many women abandoned the costumes that had become familiar and returned to pre-war fashion. However, this period did not last long - after the war, a completely new stage in fashion began, the greatest influence on which at that time was Coco Chanel.

Men's style from Chanel

Coco Chanel

Coco Chanel, by her own admission, spent her entire life trying to adapt a men's suit to the needs and lifestyle of a modern woman.

Coco Chanel began her journey in the fashion world in 1909, when she opened her own hat shop in Paris. Rumors about the new designer quickly spread throughout the French capital, and the very next year Coco was able to launch not only hats, but also clothes, opening a store at 21 rue Cambon, and then her own fashion house in the resort of Biarritz. Despite the high cost of clothing and the simplicity of the cut, which was unusual for that time, Chanel’s models rapidly gained popularity, and the designer gained a wide clientele.

The main task of the clothes that fashion designers previously offered to women was to emphasize the wasp waist and highlight the chest, creating unnatural curves. Coco Chanel was thin, tanned and athletic, and the style common at that time did not suit her at all - no matter how hard she wanted, no clothes could make an “hourglass” out of the girl’s figure. But she was an ideal model for her own outfits. “Shackled in a corset, breasts out, butt exposed, pulled so tightly at the waist as if cut into two parts... maintaining such a woman is the same as managing real estate,” said Coco.

Promoting comfort and unisex style, the designer created very simple dresses and skirts, characterized by clean lines and a lack of embellishment. The girl, without hesitation, swept aside unnecessary details and unnecessary accessories in search of the ideal model that did not restrict movement, and at the same time allowed a woman to remain a woman. Regardless of public opinion, she deftly introduced elements of masculine style into women's clothing, independently setting an example of the correct use of simple outfits. “Once I put on a man’s sweater, just like that, because I was cold... I tied it with a scarf (at the waist). That day I was with the British. None of them noticed that I was wearing a sweater...” Chanel recalled. This is how her famous sailor suits with a deep neckline and turn-down collar and “jockey” leather jackets appeared.

When creating clothes, Chanel used simple materials - cotton, knitwear. In 1914, she shortened women's skirts. At the outbreak of World War I, Coco designed practical sweaters, blazers, shirtdresses, blouses and suits. It was Chanel who contributed to the popularization of pajamas, and in 1918 even created women's pajamas in which you could go down to the bomb shelter.

Closer to 1920, Coco, like many artists of that time, became interested in Russian motifs. This line in Chanel’s work was developed already at the beginning of the third decade of the twentieth century.

The second decade of the twentieth century, despite all the hardships and adversities, became a turning point in the evolution of fashion - it was in the 1910s that artists began an active search for new forms that could provide women with freedom without depriving them of grace. The reforms introduced into fashion by the war and the trends of the post-war years became decisive in the development of the industry in the following decades.