1930's fashion help

[Jivin4Java]

Can some of you ladies post pics or point me to a site that shows 1930's styles of women going out.

What I mean is I have an idea of what women wore to work, balls, festive holiday parties, even day to day wear, but what about a trip to the movie theater to see the latest film or going to a club to see a band. They certainley did not wear beautiful gowns to the movie theater/club or did they?

Thanks for the help.

Jenn

 

[jitterbugdoll]

Style of dress would depend on exactly where she was going--a more casual club, or a formal setting. There were many instances where it would be appropriate to dress to the nines for an evening on the town, and that includes going to a club to hear your favorite band.

To a movie theatre, you would have worn a nice dress, stockings, heels, a hat--not necessarily "After 5" attire, but certainly much dressier then what people wear to the movies today To the theatre to see an evening play--then a long gown or cocktail dress.

Dress also depended on your age--younger women would dress in more youthful styles then your average 30-something would.

Outside a movie theater in 1940:

Outside a theater in 1935:

The Stork Club in 1947 (a little later than you are looking for, but it gives you a general idea):

A nightclub in 1931:

More casual dress at a nightclub in WWII:

Another shot taken in the 1940s:

 

[Daisy Buchanan]

A good resource that I have found is "The Costumers Manifesto", they have information about dressing in the 1930's as well as other era's, and also links to other places of reference.http://www.costumes.org/history/100pages/1930links.htm
Another good source is "Everyday Fashions Of The Thirties: As Pictured in Sears Catalog" . It's a compilation of pictures from the Sear's catalogs of the 30's. They also make them for other decades too.
I usually get my ideas for dress from movies. "The Notebook", "Radio Days" and "Lost in Yonkers" are good points of reference. "Bright Young Things" is also a great film with incredible 30's costumes.
I have the understanding that people dressed for the movies or to go out for dinner. Not in ball gowns, but more like a jazzed up day dress, more likely out of wool or rayon, verses a cotton day or house dress. Fancier accessories.
Back then dress was fancy and going to the movies or to see a band was a big deal, yet from what I've seen, it looks like woman were dressed up every time they stepped out of the house. So it is possible that the same outfit that they wore for an evening out on the town they would have worn for an afternoon shopping.
Here's a few more sites that have links and offer books of reference:
http://www.fashion-era.com/online/lib_8_1930s.htm
http://www.angelfire.com/ultra2/missevelyn/30sfashion.html
http://www.costumegallery.com/1930.htm

 

[Jivin4Java]

Thanks ladies. I knew this was the place!

 

[jitterbugdoll]

If you ever catch it on TCM, there is a 1940s Pete Smith short that pokes fun at going to the movies. You can see how people dressed (and though the styles are different, the basic idea is the same in the 1930s) and he mentions such pitfalls as sitting behind the woman with a huge hat (who turns out to have huge hair when she takes of the hat lol )

If you were attending a matinee, you probably could get away with a nice cotton day dress, which would have been accessoried with a hat, gloves, stockings, and purse.

These women are simply out shopping, and you can see how well-dressed they are:

I frequent this site a lot as it has great illustrations:

http://100megspop3.com/adira/20th.htm

 

[Tourbillion]

Here's a photo c.1940 inside the Casino at Catalina.

The ladies are pretty casual, but this was a ballroom on a beach resort. The gents still have coats and ties (and white bucks!).

My understanding is that the ladies in the 30's wore those lovely long dresses with their high heels to dance the Balboa, although I haven't seen any photographic proof.

 

[jitterbugdoll]

My understanding is that the ladies in the 30's wore those lovely long dresses with their high heels to dance the Balboa, although I haven't seen any photographic proof.

I have seen an Arthur Murray short from the 30s which shows the Shag (he is supposedly teaching a group of novice couples.) The couples go on to perform that evening and every woman is in a long gown.