Day One

Initial Ideas

Fashion and femininity in 1930's Hollywood

Sarah Berry

Interesting to see the development and progression of social constraint. Initially there is social anxieties towards women having the freedom to suit themselves. This continues to worries about the disruption of social class distinction due to woman dressing above their means. The conclusion is that women are finally free to express their personalities, however they must choose from a selection of 'personalities', suppressing them into a target market of mass consumption. This was in effect to control overproduction by creating a market that demanded constant change.

Movies by this stage had become an 'engine for imposing types of beauty' (James Laver)as particular actresses were categorised for their chosen personalities.

Although fashion types originated as a marketing tool, it later translated into a style spectrum of Hollywood stars which highlighted the function that theatre and film stars gained as fashion leaders.

100 years ago there weren't magazines - women saw clothes through short films.

During the 19th century only actresses and prostitutes were the only people that wore make up.

The founder of make up on a commercial scale was Max Factor, a Hungarian make up artist who began selling it to the general public.

1920's & 30's to the 50's was the main time period for the development of department stores.

Within early Hollywood line, texture, and beading were important in the telling of a story, particularly since the films were black and white, and silent. Particular attention was also taken to the eyes and the mouth to help emphasise the expressions of the face, this was achieved through heavy make up, which was also worn by men, mainly eye liner and lip colour.

Jean Harlow was the first artificial blonde in Hollywood, and fueled the trend of peroxide blonde hair. However at the time, products readily available today were non existent and serious reactions often occurred to home chemical dye jobs.