What did people wear in USA between '16 and '20?

[rainer]

Hello.

I start looking for "authentic" clothing for men and women.

I was googling, but most all pictures show primarily female clothing from fashion magazines.

Can I find pictures in this forum, or can you send me links? It would help me a lot.

Thanks,

Rainer

[MichaelPawelek]

Google WWI Men’s Fashions and then go to the pictures. Also try Post WW1 Fashions.

[John kuehn]

Look in the Montgomery Wards, Sears, and other catalogs in that era. You might them on the net doing a search.

[Been Here Before]

My advice would be to look at the Sears or Montgomery ward catalogues for clothing ideas. It was the every man's department store. Another source would be period department store advertisements in local newspapers of the period.

[Steve Jelf]

I agree on catalogues like Sears and Montgomery Ward. The men's and women's styles George posted are from the mid-to-late twenties. You will need to find catalogues from a few years earlier. Women's styles changed tremendously in just as few years, and men's changed too, but not as much.

[Rich Bingham]

But bib overalls haven't changed very much in over a century !

[TXGOAT2]

www.shorpy.com is a great resource.

[TWrenn]

One thing, for the most part they dressed a LOT nicer than we do today! Ook at all the pics we see posted where people are all dressed up even for a simple picnic or fishing trip.

[George Mills]

I've spent years trying to settle on a mid-teens approach to period correct clothing. I look at the fashion prizes for original and reproduction that the other club holds at its annual, I try to look at pictures, I try to pay attention to what others at shows, etc.

The problem becomes...most of it isn't 'right' for a T! Can it be period correct? Most certainly but I have difficulty thinking of m'lady fashion or a high order Edwardian belted suit as being Model T correct! Maybe for an '09 lol, but for a black and brass car and newer? I just don't know or feel comfortable with it.

I think the light summer dress that has a hem down to the ankles for a gal 'works'. As my Dad's Uncle George would say one day as my Dad wolf whistled a woman on the sidewalk while driving by (proper in the 50's) my Uncle George replied...look at them ankles! To which my Dad quipped back, 'Ankles, there's a whole lot more to notice!). To which Uncle George sighed and justified his statement...In my day all you ever got to see WAS ankles! And, that was that but that comment has always been in my brain since I was still in single digit years!

My guess on the male side is most of the men had 'Sunday come to meeting' ' clothes that were not at all that fancy...usually hand me downs from some Uncle who was in commerce, but never worn other than 'go to meeting'. Separate celluloid collar on a nice cotton shirt? Check. Pants that may or may not have been knickers. Check. Braces? No doubt. Straw hat or a simple fedora or bowler? Check, probably never a Stetson. Shoes? My grandfather was born in 1881, he was a coal miner, and his dress up shoes were always ankle high lace ups, even in long pants. (Henry always tried to wear a bowler as a fashion statement...it visually meant that he was not at the top of the food chain and could relate to average folk)

Thats just one guys view...picka theme that you want, it seems to always be OK in Model T circles...good luck

[TRDxB2]

GOOGLE it
https://www.google.com/search?q=1916+wo ... ezs7Io76IM

https://www.google.com/search?q=1917+wo ... ezs7Io76IM
https://www.google.com/search?q=1918+wo ... ezs7Io76IM
https://www.google.com/search?q=1919+wo ... ezs7Io76IM
https://www.google.com/search?q=1920+wo ... ezs7Io76IM

[Steve Jelf]

Social class is a consideration. A blacksmith or a mechanic would dress much differently than a banker or a company president, and that goes for work or leisure, not just "dress-up" occasions.

[Been Here Before]

Period clothing can be an older out of style garb, but never a later period - unless you are a time traveler, and misplaced you stop in time.

Given:
1. Where a hat.
2. Always were a tie. The wider the better......
3. Being bare foot is acceptable.
4. Bathing optional...Saturday baths preferred.
5. Smoking..rolled cigarettes OK. Pipes acceptable. Reed stem clay bowel, corn cob, traditional wood bowel.

[Norman Kling]

The catalog is a good idea, because from pictures it is hard to find the everyday clothes. The reason is because with film cameras, people didn't take a lot of pictures, and the ones they did take were of special occasions where people dress up.
Having sad that, I have found some pictures of my uncles on a hike, at least 5 miles from the nearest road at that time, approximately 1918. They were wearing ties! And one of my grandfather lifting a large stone while building a stone wall, wearing a tie! I think the everyday clothes were the same as the Sunday clothes, only used more often. They also did not take a bath every day, so would wear the every day clothes and then take a bath Saturday night and wear Sunday clothes to church.
Norm

hiking trail

Strong man

[Art M]

I looked at family pictures. My uncle born in 1894, was married in 1918. He was a till wearing his ankle high polished leather wedding shoes in the late 1970s. So family pictures aren't always a good indication of current styles. Wedding pictures tend to reflect period styles.
Art Mirtes

[Wayne Sheldon]

Catalogs are a great place to look. Unlike photos, they tend to show the then current trends. For men OR women, details are shown better. How curvy, how straight. pleats, folds, pockets where and straight or angled. However, era photographs also show people in daily life, although a tendency to be a bit more dressed up than every day work type.
Women's styles tended to change a lot over few years in those days. Bustles in, out, then in again, Then out again. Colors dark, then light, then dark again. Plain, then heavily striped, or flowery, then plain again, and then back around again. Hats small, huge, partial brim, no brim, huge brim.
Men's styles did change, just not nearly as drastically. A suit Abe Lincoln may have worn in 1860 might not be all that different than one a person could buy in 1960. They did change some, became tighter fitting, a bit looser, lapels narrow, then wide, then narrow again. Trouser pleats came and went a dozen times. And most of those variations, people wore old suits for years, and many people preferred older styles, so that the old styles were often still available regardless of what the then current 'style' was.
The old joke was that if one had an old suit? Just hang it in the closet for a few years and it would be back in style again.

Off and on, there were various styles that became somewhat era specific. Things like knickers or riding breaches for men or women, knicker sport suits, form-fitting suits for men. Zoot suits and Nehru jackets are others for later eras.

One of the best ways to see how people looked in those days is era photographs. The black and white photos don't give much indication of colors. That is where old catalog pictures help. But even black and white photos give a good indication of brightness and general styles.
Good photos of people with their cars, in their cars, give a good look at everyday life.

One very good place to start looking at era photos is right here, in our forum's Gallery,

https://mtfca.com/phpBB3/app.php/gallery/album/6

Ignore the license plate photos that were posted in the wrong area.

[Norman Kling]

Even as late as the 1940's, many men wore Khaki work clothes when they worked at the furniture factory, but they had a locker, and wore a suit to and from work. Interestingly, when we went to visit my aunt and uncle, my dad wore a suit, but my uncle wore "sport clothes". He worked in an office. He wore a suit at work, but actually had casual clothes to wear at home, however my dad either wore an old suit or khaki clothes when working in the factory, but changed to a suit to come home. None of us had "casual" clothes. I wore my "better" clothes to school, and changed to old clothes at home. They were the same clothes which had either been outgrown, or were patched.
Norm

[Les Schubert]

Check out what Tom Branson wears on Downton Abbey!

[Steve Jelf]

Along with what I mentioned earlier about social class, I submit as evidence the Dick & Jane readers we had when I was in the primary grades in the forties. It struck me as supremely weird that Father went on a picnic wearing a suit, and that he wore a sweater and tie when painting the screens. The only time I ever saw my Dad wear a suit (Desmond's, 1941) was when he was dragged to church.

Father often wore a suit, much to my bemusement

My uncle Lester Parker and his stepson Herman Roach are taking turns being the mule, about 1919. Note Lester's tie.

Lester and Herman with their crop. The first car on the farm was this Chevrolet (1916, I believe) bought used in 1919. Lester is dressed more typically for a farmer/blacksmith/welder.

[BuddyTheRoadster]

As you're posting from Vienna, do you want Austrian or American fashion? Also, are you looking at working class, middle class, or wealthy fashion? In America, poor people had whatever clothing they could get and afford, middle class people had usually about three sets of clothes, and the wealthy dressed like Downton Abbey and changed outfits at least twice a day.

[rainer]

Thank you so much. Now I know what to do and choose.

[Loftfield]

We like to "dress" for parades. shows, tours, etc, often bringing weird looks from the people whose only interest is the mechanics and bodywork of their cars. "Dressing" just adds that extra little bit of authenticity. But what is authentic? The first mistake most make is looking at Downton Abbey and trying to dress like the elite, not what the owner of a Model T would wear, or could afford. Then, it is necessary to decide if your character is going to church on Sunday, the feed store on Saturday, or plowing the fields during the week.

Reproduction clothing can be had from Historical Emporium, who will help you with years, styles, etc, and from Recollections. Period clothing can be found on eBay, Etsy, and a few others such places, as well as in period clothing stores in larger cities.

We have both reproduction and period outfits for our brass-era vehicles, always a bit worried about getting grease on period items.

Of course, in the end I always tell people that for men driving a Model T the only clothing needed is a a pair of bib overalls; shoes, socks, shirt, and underwear are not required.

[Rich Eagle]

From family album '22-'25:

[NY John T]

Many people Made their own clothes. My mom was one. On our dining room table she pinned tissue patterns on to cloth; then carefully cut out the pieces and sewed them in to a dress with a Singer sewing machine. I'm sure many of you have such recollections. They lived through the Depression. What a difficult time!

[Jerry VanOoteghem]

From family album '22-'25:
Eagles22.jpg
Eagles23.jpg
Eagles24.jpg
Eagles25.jpg

Nice Buick Rich! 1924 Master 6?

Last photo: Shy girls, not wanting to look at the camera

[Susanne]

I don't think it's shy as much as they were facing directly into the sun. Look at the guys glasses!

[John kuehn]

I’ll bet the suits in that time period were hot!
After all the men usually wore long underwear most of the time!

[tdump]

My observation would be the folks driving model T's would be wearing bib overalls and subtle clothes compared to the bankers driving Peirce Arrows.
The catalogs tend to show more detail in the fancier clothes than the bibs

[ModelT46]

People always dressed up when on an "outing". My father, who was born in 1902, dressed up as an adult. Photos of him in the 1920s show him in "Sundays to go to meetings" when on picnics and with other family events. I will look for some photos. Also in the 1920s, men's suits usually had a belt in back of the coat. I have a suit (too small for me") from the 1920s with the boat with a belt. I have catalogs from the teens and 20's. I will put something together to post. I will locate the suit and photograph it.

[Rich Eagle]

Jerry, the Buick has a '23 plate on it but could be a new '24 Model.

[Steve Jelf]

I see I neglected to post this photo of Mom and her sisters.
Dressed up in the teens.

1917: Mom is 7, Ernestine is 11, Mary is 20, and Jereldine is 14.

[Fozz71]

Watch some Laurel & Hardy shorts- they were working class and captured the average Joe pretty darned well.

[TXGOAT2]

Cotton, linen, cow and goat hide, and maybe a little silk.

[Norman Kling]

One item very popular with women was a fox hide with a clip on the mouth. It would be wrapped around the neck with the head and tail in front.
Norm

[TRDxB2]

Hello.

I start looking for "authentic" clothing for men and women.

I was googling, but most all pictures show primarily female clothing from fashion magazines.

Can I find pictures in this forum, or can you send me links? It would help me a lot.

Thanks,

Rainer

I tried to Google to get photographs of people back than rather than catalogs looked for .... work clothes in the 1900's
https://www.google.com/search?q=work+cl ... efox-b-1-d
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[Barteldes]

Yellowstone Spin off 1923... shows a lot of great wardrobes and cars. I dont know how accurate it is but the cars alone are worth a look (first few episodes)

[1925 Touring]

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Re: What did people wear in USA between '16 and '20?

They wore clothes sorry i had to!

[Bryant]

1926 family reunion in the town I live in Myersville MD good group of people wearing clothes my great aunt and uncle are in the middle.
Bryant

[Rich Eagle]

Here is a look at what some wore fishing in Yellowstone and some just dressed casually. Grampa on the right.

[ModelT46]

DRESSUP CLOTHING at all outings, except when play, or work called for special; clothing such on a farm of repair work.

[ModelT46]

Dress up clothing when on an outing, specially where there was a group of people. work or occupatioanl; wear was as needed.

[ModelTGal]

Check out what Tom Branson wears on Downton Abbey!

Or the clothes they wear on Peaky Blinders... 1920's attire I believe...

Jennifer

[Chris Barker]

I thought that between '16 and '20, about half the people wore MAGA T shirts???

[hull 433]

empty image

[hull 433]

Summer time

[hull 433]

Some Fords

[hull 433]

In the field

[hull 433]

Ford salesmen.

[YellowTRacer]

I think something needs to be clarified. City folks generally dressed differently than farmers or country folk. Traveling folks generally dressed different than folks "loafing" around the house.

Ed aka #4

[Loftfield]

Why Dress?

When we drive in parades, car shows, or tours, we prefer to dress, meaning put on clothes appropriate for the period of our cars (Edwardian Era brass…sort of). At 1910-1912 we just miss the true Edwardian period (Edward VII died in 1910), but the fashions did not change that much in two years. We find that we often attract weird, nearly pejorative and disdainful, stares from car owners who are in the hobby strictly for the mechanics and sheet metal of their automobiles. But we almost always get appreciative looks and comments from the viewing public. They, it seems, understand that period attire makes for a much more complete presentation, helps to elevate mere metal to the level of living history, and displays a fuller grasp of historic preservation. The cars were never bought and used in a social, cultural vacuum; period clothing helps recreate the atmosphere of those by-gone days. We could live in high style if we had a dollar for every picture taken of us. Then, too, it is just plain fun to be on stage!

By dressing, one adds another dimension to the hobby. This dimension rounds out the experience, nicely. Not only does it make for a more complete presentation, it can add just that needed extra bit to make the hobby appealing to a significant other who may not be as enamored of mechanics and sheet metal alone. (How did I do there at not being overtly sexist?)

Period clothing falls into two categories: true period attire, i.e. pieces that have survived over the years, and reproductions. We own both, and choose which to wear depending on the event. Because a lot of driving often makes for a lot of grease and oil in 100+-year-old vehicles, tour days usually find us in reproduction clothing, not so much ruined if nasty petroleum products splash up. For shows, parades, and after-drive gatherings, we usually bring out the originals. At big gatherings, such as AACA annual meetings and the like, it is amusing to find that we who dress tend to congregate together, forming our own special sub-set.

One of the biggest hurdles, and one of the most frequent failures in dressing, is choosing the appropriate costume. Far too many people watch Downton Abbey or Titanic and think that everybody dressed that way. Wearing a fine, Paris-fashion, evening dress in a Model T Ford is just plain wrong. For high fashion to be appropriate, it requires that you drive a Rolls-Royce, Napier, Lanchester, De Dion-Bouton, or the like. On this side of the Atlantic the choices would be Locomobile, or the big three P’s (Packard, Pierce, Peerless) or Pope, etc.

Since we own only low-end cars (Model T Fords, Model 10 Buicks) our styles must come from the middling sort. Checking the Sears-Roebuck and Monkey-Ward Catalogs provides plenty of information on what the original owners of our vehicles would have been wearing. No need to watch Downton Abbey. Of course, I always tell people that to be appropriate in a Model T Ford all that is required is a pair of bib overalls; socks, shoes, shirt, and underwear are all optional.

There are numerous sources of period clothing. Originals can be found on eBay and Etsy, or in vintage clothing stores usually located in larger cities, or in cities close to the motion picture industry. We bought many period items from Pauline’s vintage clothing store in Wilmington, North Carolina, when Dino DeLaurentis had an active motion picture studio there.

Reproduction outfits can be had from several sources. For us, Recollections, and Historical Emporium, offer just the right flavor. Both carry items from colonial up through 1950’s at least. You ladies riding in 1950’s cars can get your poodle skirts, bobby socks, and saddle shoes right there! Just remember which way to twist those socks! For folks driving “antiques” that were in vogue when we were young, correct clothing can often be found in any charity or thrift store. I am happy that we don’t drive cars from the 1970’s as the thought of wearing a polyester sans-a-belt leisure suit seems most unpleasant, although I think I could do bell bottoms with a hippie peace symbol pendant.

Some final notes: Finding original men’s attire is looking for hen’s teeth. Then, just as now, men were not hugely style conscious and tended to wear their clothes to threads. For women, just accept that that your ancestors were a whole lot smaller than you are today. Unless you wear a truly petite petite, you, too, may be seeking hen’s teeth. And remember the accessories: gloves (de rigueur), hats, parasols, bags, jewelry, and if you are riding in a pioneer period car: bonnet, goggles and duster. No end to the possible fun!

Respectfully submitted,

Thomas Loftfield