Fashion 1920-1950
The world wars caused havoc in the doll world. Prior to WW1, the French doll makers joined forces as Societe Francais de
Fabrication de Bebes et Joets (SFBJ) to more effectively compete with the German doll industry. The wars, however,
interrupted business and flow of dolls to the international markets. This interruption provided the opportunity to develop doll
industries in other nations especially Japan and the United States.
The world was shifting its priorities and focus in many realms. Instead of the haute couture of the French lady doll, the ideal
child doll appeared in the 1880s. By the turn of the century, thought and art had shifted focus from the ideal child to the
character of the child. In so doing, the character doll expressed emotions and more child like modeling.
Materials chosen for child dolls during this time were partly a reaction to the issues with bisque and partly a result of
availability. Bisque was breakable-no getting around that. It was cold. It was not child like. French and German firms
continued to use bisque but its popularity was waning. Kathe Kruse turned to cloth to create a more approachable child doll.
Americans, with limited porcelain resources, turned to more available materials such as composition to create child dolls.
Cloth
Cotton, silk and wool and their combinations were popular. Additionally, sheer fabrics and felt were popular.
Chubby children dolls were commonly produced during this time as the United States producers filled the void of dolls from the
wars. Colemans’ note
dressed in the United States so clothes resembled those on American made dolls. Chinese dolls of the time were not made for
play but as a symbol of the society to aid in supporting the Door of Hope Mission in Shanghai. They wore silk or cotton
depending on the status of the individual represented.
Lenci Kathe Kruse Door of Hope
Manufacture:
The technological development of new fabrics and new closures in clothing were affecting fashions of the 20’s. Natural fabrics
such as cotton and wool were the abundant fabrics of the decade. Silk was highly desired for its luxurious qualities, but the
limited supply made it expensive. In the late 19th century, "artificial silk" was first made from a solution of cellulose in France.
After being patented in the United States, the first American plant began production of this new fabric in 1910; this fiber became
known as rayon. Rayon stockings became popular in the decade as a substitute for silk stockings. Rayon was also used in
some undergarments. Many garments before the 1920s were fastened with buttons and lacing, however, during this decade,
the development of varieties of metal hooks and eyes meant that there were easier means of fastening clothing shut. Hooks and
eyes, buttons, zippers or snaps were all utilized to fasten clothing.
Dye:
Pastel colors were popular. In particular apple green and pinks are associated with this period.
Embellishments of the clothing of the time included both man made and machine made:
Plain white cloth
Printed cloth
Lace
Braid
Belts
Cost
Style
Fashion shifted from the rigid ideal (think corset) to functional and childlike clothing for these characters (dolls). While there
were many styles, cotton dresses with short sleeves were common. Clothing could be plain or printed. It might have a high,
natural, low or no waist. The slim silhouette of adult clothes was common as well. This was a time that many styles from the
previous century were revived as well.
Samples of original clothes on dolls of the 1920s and 1930s.
Note different waists, sleeves, collars and even pajamas yet all outfits are designed for
children to play in as opposed to children's clothes of the 19th century.
During this period the chemise and pantaloons had been replaced by the chemise and bloomers and then the combination of
panties and full slip. White stockings with white shoes or black patent leather shoes were the style. Shoes were often fastened
with a strap. They seldom had heels.
A doll’s trousseaux of the time might include:
Several dresses including a play dress, organdy dress
Raincoat and hat
Coat
Hat
Apron
Combination
Shoes including leather sandals and slippers, socks, gloves and handkerchief
Pajamas and bathrobe
Rompers
This classic trousseaux can be seen in the garments made for Shirley Temple.
Shirley Temple Zipper Dress Rain Coat
Lady dolls had all but disappeared with the focus on expressive child dolls that a child could actually play with. Lady dolls of the
period were long limbed boudoir dolls or characters such as Scarlet O’Hara. The boudoir dolls frequently had cigarettes, large
hats and felt or organdie flowing dresses or (horror!) pant suits. Character ladies were dressed in character. This was a
unique time for dolls as their garments seldom reflect actual fashions of women of the time.
Lenci Boudoir Doll Madame Alexander Scarlett O'hara
Wikipedia notes of women's clothing of this period:
costumed ladies of literature and history.
Infants represented by dolls were reinvigorated by the Bye-Lo baby. The original gown was still long and white but of a more
sheer material. Trimming was simple with lace at the base and neck. Layettes may have included sleeping pad, pillow,
blankets, petticoats, bottles, jackets, caps, diapers.
Boys dolls were few and far between early in this period. When found dressed they might have worn a variety of costumes
including rompers, short or long trousers. They may also have been dressed as sports players, golf and tennis were popular.
Later, a few boy dolls were found often dressed in military uniforms or work uniforms.
Schoenhut Nature baby in Romper Lenci 300 Bogart Effanbee Skippy Buddy Lee
Men dolls were very rare. When they were found, they wore clothes of their occupation for dolls houses, grooms and
occaisionally as aviators (Lindbergh was popular at the time).
Resources
Coleman, Dorothy, Elizabeth, and Evelyn. Collector's Book of Dolls' Clothes Costumes in Miniature: 1700-1929. New York:
Crown Publishers 1975.
Gosh, Pat. www.dollcostumersguild.com Site for information on making appropriate period costumes for dolls
Maginnis, Tara, http://www.costumes.org. Site is well organized with excellent pictures and links.
Trestain, Eileen. Dating Fabrics A Color Guide 1800-1960. American Quilters Society, Paducah Ky. 1998.
www.vintageconnection.net resource for information on period costumes including fastenings
www.offray.com resource for history of ribbon
www.fashion-era.com
www.hal.ucr.edu Site for information on Regency dress
www.mini-magic.com Resource for silk ribbons and miniature trims
www.spnea.org New England History Museum
www.straw.com Reference for the history of dyes
www.vroma.org Reference regarding dress of the Roman Empire
www.history.com History Channel collection of articles
www.pastpatterns.com Overview of history of fashion and person sized patterns from many fashion periods
www.gallery.vintagehatshop.com Resource with pictures of headware throughout history
www.orignals-by-kay.com Overview of history of fashion and patterns from many periods
www.koshka-the-cat.com Overview of history of fashion and person sized patterns from many fashion periods
www.robinstokes.com 1860s prints from Godeys
www.history.rochester.edu/godeys 1850s prints from Godeys
www.usc.edu/e_resources Complete Godeys Ladies Book 1830-1880. Must be a member of USC to access electronically.
Other colleges also have access to this complete information. Contact your local University library for information.
www.marlamallett.com Exquisite examples of lace from her personal collection
Fabrication de Bebes et Joets (SFBJ) to more effectively compete with the German doll industry. The wars, however,
interrupted business and flow of dolls to the international markets. This interruption provided the opportunity to develop doll
industries in other nations especially Japan and the United States.
The world was shifting its priorities and focus in many realms. Instead of the haute couture of the French lady doll, the ideal
child doll appeared in the 1880s. By the turn of the century, thought and art had shifted focus from the ideal child to the
character of the child. In so doing, the character doll expressed emotions and more child like modeling.
Materials chosen for child dolls during this time were partly a reaction to the issues with bisque and partly a result of
availability. Bisque was breakable-no getting around that. It was cold. It was not child like. French and German firms
continued to use bisque but its popularity was waning. Kathe Kruse turned to cloth to create a more approachable child doll.
Americans, with limited porcelain resources, turned to more available materials such as composition to create child dolls.
Cloth
Cotton, silk and wool and their combinations were popular. Additionally, sheer fabrics and felt were popular.
Chubby children dolls were commonly produced during this time as the United States producers filled the void of dolls from the
wars. Colemans’ note
- Dresses showed great variety in materials and design. French dolls and those in French model dresses often wore silk,
but nearly all other dolls wore cotton, especially the sheer fabrics such as organdy, dimity, or voile. Knit and crocheted
wool garments were common, particularly jackets and outdoor suits with bloomer leggings. Plain colors, white in particular,
were popular, but there were prints and checks too.
dressed in the United States so clothes resembled those on American made dolls. Chinese dolls of the time were not made for
play but as a symbol of the society to aid in supporting the Door of Hope Mission in Shanghai. They wore silk or cotton
depending on the status of the individual represented.
Lenci Kathe Kruse Door of Hope
Manufacture:
The technological development of new fabrics and new closures in clothing were affecting fashions of the 20’s. Natural fabrics
such as cotton and wool were the abundant fabrics of the decade. Silk was highly desired for its luxurious qualities, but the
limited supply made it expensive. In the late 19th century, "artificial silk" was first made from a solution of cellulose in France.
After being patented in the United States, the first American plant began production of this new fabric in 1910; this fiber became
known as rayon. Rayon stockings became popular in the decade as a substitute for silk stockings. Rayon was also used in
some undergarments. Many garments before the 1920s were fastened with buttons and lacing, however, during this decade,
the development of varieties of metal hooks and eyes meant that there were easier means of fastening clothing shut. Hooks and
eyes, buttons, zippers or snaps were all utilized to fasten clothing.
Dye:
Pastel colors were popular. In particular apple green and pinks are associated with this period.
Embellishments of the clothing of the time included both man made and machine made:
Plain white cloth
Printed cloth
Lace
Braid
Belts
Cost
Style
Fashion shifted from the rigid ideal (think corset) to functional and childlike clothing for these characters (dolls). While there
were many styles, cotton dresses with short sleeves were common. Clothing could be plain or printed. It might have a high,
natural, low or no waist. The slim silhouette of adult clothes was common as well. This was a time that many styles from the
previous century were revived as well.
Samples of original clothes on dolls of the 1920s and 1930s.
Note different waists, sleeves, collars and even pajamas yet all outfits are designed for
children to play in as opposed to children's clothes of the 19th century.
During this period the chemise and pantaloons had been replaced by the chemise and bloomers and then the combination of
panties and full slip. White stockings with white shoes or black patent leather shoes were the style. Shoes were often fastened
with a strap. They seldom had heels.
A doll’s trousseaux of the time might include:
Several dresses including a play dress, organdy dress
Raincoat and hat
Coat
Hat
Apron
Combination
Shoes including leather sandals and slippers, socks, gloves and handkerchief
Pajamas and bathrobe
Rompers
This classic trousseaux can be seen in the garments made for Shirley Temple.
Shirley Temple Zipper Dress Rain Coat
Lady dolls had all but disappeared with the focus on expressive child dolls that a child could actually play with. Lady dolls of the
period were long limbed boudoir dolls or characters such as Scarlet O’Hara. The boudoir dolls frequently had cigarettes, large
hats and felt or organdie flowing dresses or (horror!) pant suits. Character ladies were dressed in character. This was a
unique time for dolls as their garments seldom reflect actual fashions of women of the time.
Lenci Boudoir Doll Madame Alexander Scarlett O'hara
Wikipedia notes of women's clothing of this period:
- The tubular dresses of the ’Teens had evolved into a similar silhouette that now sported shorter skirts with pleats, gathers,
or slits to allow motion to rule women’s fashion for the first time in history. Undergarments began to transform after World
War I to conform to the ideals of a flatter chest and more boyish figure. The corset was diminishing and the bandeau,
flattening style was prevalent in the early 1920’s. During the mid-twenties all-in-one lingerie became popular, leaving
behind the corset and moving into the curvier brassiere era of the 1930’s.
Instead of drawers and knickers women were now able to wear panties which were more comfortable. The chemise or
camisole was employed in place of the corset. During the early part of the decade, chemises paired with bloomers kept a
woman decently covered beneath her outer garments. For the first time in centuries, women's legs were seen with
hemlines rising to the knee and dresses became more fitted. A more masculine look became popular, including flattened
breasts and hips, short hairstyles such as the bob cut, Eton Crop and the Marcel Wave.
The straight-line chemise topped by the close-fitting cloche hat became the uniform of the day. Women "bobbed," or cut,
their hair short to fit under the popular hats, a radical move in the beginning, but standard by the end of the decade. Low-
waisted dresses with fullness at the hemline allowed women to kick up their heels literally in new dances like the
Charleston.
As the century progressed from the roaring 20s to the very down to earth 30s and 40s, most women wore skirts at or near
knee-length, with simply-cut blouses or shirts and square-shouldered jackets. Popular magazines and pattern companies
advised women on how to remake men's suits into smart outfits, since the men were in uniform and the cloth would
otherwise sit unused. Eisenhower jackets became popular in this period. Influenced by the military, these jackets were
bloused at the chest and fitted at the waist with a belt.
Wartime austerity lead to restrictions on the number of new clothes that people bought and the amount of fabric that
clothing manufacturers could use. Women working on war service adopted trousers as a practical necessity. The nylon
stocking was introduced in the US in 1940, to huge success, but later withdrawn as all supplies were needed for military
uses such as parachutes. When nylon stockings reappeared in the shops there were "nylon riots" as customers fought
over the first deliveries. Easily laddered stockings were a particular concern in Britain; women were forced to either paint
them on (including the back seam) or to join the WRNS, who continued to issue them, in a cunning aid to recruitment. Later
in the war, American soldiers became a source of the new nylon stockings.
costumed ladies of literature and history.
Infants represented by dolls were reinvigorated by the Bye-Lo baby. The original gown was still long and white but of a more
sheer material. Trimming was simple with lace at the base and neck. Layettes may have included sleeping pad, pillow,
blankets, petticoats, bottles, jackets, caps, diapers.
Boys dolls were few and far between early in this period. When found dressed they might have worn a variety of costumes
including rompers, short or long trousers. They may also have been dressed as sports players, golf and tennis were popular.
Later, a few boy dolls were found often dressed in military uniforms or work uniforms.
Schoenhut Nature baby in Romper Lenci 300 Bogart Effanbee Skippy Buddy Lee
Men dolls were very rare. When they were found, they wore clothes of their occupation for dolls houses, grooms and
occaisionally as aviators (Lindbergh was popular at the time).
Resources
Coleman, Dorothy, Elizabeth, and Evelyn. Collector's Book of Dolls' Clothes Costumes in Miniature: 1700-1929. New York:
Crown Publishers 1975.
Gosh, Pat. www.dollcostumersguild.com Site for information on making appropriate period costumes for dolls
Maginnis, Tara, http://www.costumes.org. Site is well organized with excellent pictures and links.
Trestain, Eileen. Dating Fabrics A Color Guide 1800-1960. American Quilters Society, Paducah Ky. 1998.
www.vintageconnection.net resource for information on period costumes including fastenings
www.offray.com resource for history of ribbon
www.fashion-era.com
www.hal.ucr.edu Site for information on Regency dress
www.mini-magic.com Resource for silk ribbons and miniature trims
www.spnea.org New England History Museum
www.straw.com Reference for the history of dyes
www.vroma.org Reference regarding dress of the Roman Empire
www.history.com History Channel collection of articles
www.pastpatterns.com Overview of history of fashion and person sized patterns from many fashion periods
www.gallery.vintagehatshop.com Resource with pictures of headware throughout history
www.orignals-by-kay.com Overview of history of fashion and patterns from many periods
www.koshka-the-cat.com Overview of history of fashion and person sized patterns from many fashion periods
www.robinstokes.com 1860s prints from Godeys
www.history.rochester.edu/godeys 1850s prints from Godeys
www.usc.edu/e_resources Complete Godeys Ladies Book 1830-1880. Must be a member of USC to access electronically.
Other colleges also have access to this complete information. Contact your local University library for information.
www.marlamallett.com Exquisite examples of lace from her personal collection
