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Changes in Men’s Clothing: Part One

Amanda Rockwood

Wednesday Oct 27th, 2021

Today’s blog will be in three parts. I thought it might be interesting to look into the changes in men’s clothing throughout the years. Usually, we hear much about women’s clothing simply because there were so many more changes. This does not mean men’s clothing didn’t evolve over time also.

Most suits in the early 1900s consisted of three pieces: the jacket, the trousers, and the vest also known as a waistcoat. Men would wear a morning coat during the day, and then switch to a tailcoat in the evening. Their trousers would match the jacket. Tall stiff collars also became popular at this time.

Mens Clothing 1

By 1910 suits were becoming simpler and fabrics were lighter. Outfits consisted of straightforward double-breasted jacket and straight trousers. Button down shirts were pastel and striped, with a rounded collar complimented by a silk tie. To tie the whole outfit together, men wore a boater or gambler hat, along with two-toned boots.

Mens Clothing 1.1

The 1920s saw slimmer and brighter suits come into fashion. Instead of the usual black, grey, or navy we begin to see white and other more vibrant colors. The shoulders of the jacket would begin to slope more due to the disappearance of shoulder pads. Silk ties would also be replaced by knit ones, and bowties would become popular.

Button down collars would still be in style at this time, but detached collars became a big thing. Like the jacket, shirts also became more colorful. Collars would go from rounded to a more pointed end. With lower waisted trousers came belts instead of suspenders. Befitting hats also were a huge asset to any proper outfit.

Mens Clothing 1.2