Garden Party Gowns in the 1900s
Despite the many changes in fashion during the 20th century, the garden party dress endured as a blend of pastoral romance and chic sophistication. Garden parties offered female party-goers a reason to wear semi-formal dresses, be it late spring, summer or early fall. These garments tended to be made of soft materials like organdy, linen or silk. The dress itself offered a blend of comfort with style for the outdoor party. Does this Spark an idea?
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The Pre-War Years to the Stock Market Crash
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The beginning of the twentieth century ushered in the remains of the structured, hourglass shape of the Gibson Girl. As the decade progressed, the silhouette softened. The soft fabrics of organdy and chiffon clung to the wearer's shoulders and arms while the loose waist was gently outlined by a fabric belt worn at the waist or slightly below. Hems hovered about the ankles. Wide-brimmed hats provided shade from the sun. After the war, Jazz Age flappers brought shorter hems to garden party dresses, along with additional decorations of fringe and sparkles. The wide hats gave way to close-fitting cloche types. With the 1929 stock market crash, skirts lengthened but kept their narrow silhouette, with longer waistlines.
Bust to Boom, from Depression to Baby Boom
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The Depression, which lasted from 1929 to the 1950s, along with the Second World War impacted the fashion business. Garden party dresses were simple, following the silhouette of everyday dresses, but were formalized by organdy, chiffon and silks in pastel colors. More economical choices included cotton and rayon. With the end of the war and the re-emergence of haute couture, newly structured designs from artists such as Christian Dior and Coco Chanel returned the hourglass shape to garden party dresses. Materials began to include brocades and silks. By the 1950s, garden party dresses featured long, flowing skirts or narrow skirts with shorter hemlines that hit below the knee.
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The Age of Rebellion
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The second half of the century continued the structured clothing of the post-war years. Dresses aimed at an hourglass form. Brassieres were sewn into stiff pointed cones, waists were cinched and full skirts flared down below the knee. Materials included pastel colors in organdy and chiffon, with trims of lace or satin. In 1964, the British band the Beatles brought London fashions stateside, including A-shaped mini-skirts and mini-dresses. Each year, the hemlines reached higher above the knee. Materials included popular traditional organdy and chiffon, as well as cotton and polyester prints. This trend continued into the mid-1970s, when hemlines crested and began to fall. The silhouette returned to that of the 1950s with structured shoulders, cinched waists and longer skirts, both full and narrow.
The End of the Millenium
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The rebellion of the late 1960s and mid-1970s channeled into an emphasis on success and wealth. A corresponding recession resulted in disenfranchised youth, as seen in the punk movement of pared-down dressing. Sleek lines of casual look couture designers such as Armani and Versace resulted in garden party dresses being made in unconventional blacks alongside traditional flowered prints, pastels, bright patterns and free-fitting silhouettes. Alternative party dresses were simple garments with a "house-dress" shape in gingham or prints, or minimalist sheaths in organza or silk chiffon.
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