From Flappers to Fringe: Color Trends of the Early 20th Century

From extravagant flapper dresses to utilitarian wartime uniforms, women’s fashion underwent dramatic shifts in color trends across the early 20th century.

The vibrancy of the Roaring Twenties, somber shades of the Depression era, patriotic tones of wartime, and optimism of the post-war 50s all influenced prominent colors and patterns of the day.

While menswear remained more understated, designers still integrated bolder hues and prints for men throughout this period. Understanding these evolving color fads provides insight into the social context and zeitgeist of the early 1900s.

Women’s Fashion Colors in the 1900s and 1910s

During the late Victorian and Edwardian eras of the early 20th century, deep jewel tones and moody hues were the height of fashion. Rich shades like emerald green, sapphire blue, and amethyst purple were popularized in women’s gowns and day dresses. Mauve and violet also came into vogue in this period.

These colors were often paired with detailed trims and lace in black or ivory for high contrast. The muted tones and ornate detail created an opulent yet somber aesthetic. This reflected the formality and subtlety of dress expected of upper class women at the time.

The Rise of Vibrant Color in 1910s Styles

As women’s fashions shifted from constricting corsets to looser silhouettes in the 1910s, bolder and brighter colors emerged. Red, yellow, turquoise, and emerald green became fashionable choices, foreshadowing the explosion of vivid color that would define 1920s style. Younger flappers pushed sartorial boundaries by embracing these loud shades in rebellious new garments like drop-waist dresses and fringed skirts.

Influence of the Ballets Russes

The innovative costumes of the Ballets Russes had an enormous impact on color trends in the 1910s. Designers like Leon Bakst used bold oranges, pinks, and electric blues in fantastical designs for the ballet’s productions. These exotic color schemes offered inspiration for avant-garde fashion designers and houses. Paul Poiret, for instance, translated the vibrant Ballets Russes aesthetic into his revolutionary styles. The vibrant orange and green Oriental-inspired dresses he created for Denise Poiret caused a sensation.

The Color Palette Expands in 1920s Women’s Fashion

The 1920s saw an explosion of bright, vibrant colors across all aspects of women’s fashion. Hemlines rose and restrictive corsets vanished, ushering in playful new styles for the newly liberated flapper.

Vivid jewel tones remained popular, pairing emerald, sapphire, ruby, and citrine shades. But an expanded color palette also emerged with the increased use of synthetic dye techniques. Dynamic new hues like canary yellow, vermillion, and electric blue enlivened the fashions of the day.

Bright Red

Fiery tomato reds were ubiquitous on flapper dresses and evening garments. At a time when social norms were dramatically shifting, a bold red dress made a rebellious statement and signified the wearer’s modernity.

Vivid Oranges and Yellows

Pumpkin orange and bright marigold yellow color schemes added warmth and vibrancy to 1920s day dresses. These energetic shades conveyed the youthful optimism of the era.

Emerald Green

Deep emerald and jade green hues remained a staple in 1920s formalwear. Sleek emerald evening gowns and beaded flapper dresses provided an elegant accent to the decade’s color trends.

Metallic Accents

The art deco movement influenced the addition of shiny metallic trims on dresses and shoes. Silver, gold, and bronze details added literal and symbolic brightness.

Masculine Color Schemes in 1920s Menswear

While women’s 1920s fashion innovated with an expanded color palette, men’s clothing remained more restrained. Traditional dark wool suits in navy, black, and charcoal gray continued to dominate menswear. The increased leisure activities of the era promoted casual wear like knickerbocker golfing suits in similar dark earth tones like hunter green, deep brown, and slate blue. The choice of muted, masculine hues distanced men’s fashion from the flamboyance of flapper styles.

Greys and Blacks

Most business and formal suits came in shades of black, charcoal, or steel grey, often with subtle stripe or plaid patterns. These somber colors maintained the serious and conservative aesthetic expected of businessmen.

Neutrals

Casual weekend sportswear favored neutral browns, tans, cream, and white for pants, sweaters, and shoes. These colors aligned with the outdoor leisure activities in vogue for men.

Bold Accents

While cut and fabric of suits remained traditional, small touches of vibrant color emerged in men’s neckties, pocket squares, socks and other accessories. Scenes of aviation, cars, or college life brought brightness to men’s looks.

New Color Combinations in 1930s Fashion

The 1930s moved away from the vibrancy of the previous decade and ushered in more subdued color palettes across both men’s and women’s fashion. Garment construction also shifted towards emphasizing the natural shoulder line while cinched waists came back into style. But wider skirts and looser trousers still required innovative ways to add visual interest. This resulted in an explosion of bold new prints and fabric pairings.

Checked and Plaid Patterns

Large-scale buffalo check and plaid patterns gained popularity for day dresses, suits, and coats. Black and white gingham prints also came into vogue, echoing the new silhouette’s graphic contrast of light and dark.

Color Blocking

Instead of all-over vibrant hues, color blocking emphasized strategic pops of color. Dresses might pair somber navy tops with bright crimson skirts, for example. This trend mirrored the sleek Art Deco aesthetic.

Warmer Neutrals and Pastels

Softer earth tones like rust, mustard, and moss replaced primary colors, bringing warmth to suits, day dresses, and coat. Likewise, pastel pinks, yellows, blues, and greens emerged as fashionable in women’s wear.

Nautical Looks

The nautical trend brought color schemes of navy blue with crisp whites into mainstream fashion. Anchor and sailing motifs reinforced these cool blue and white pairings.

Patriotic Colors Dominate 1940s Wartime and Utility Fashion

World War II exerted an enormous impact on the color story of 1940s fashion. Restrictions on fabrics for civilian use meant clothing had to be practical, sparing, and patriotic in its color choices. Bold prints and vibrant hues gave way to muted neutrals that echoed military uniforms. Blue, tan, olive drab, and brown came to dominate everyday wear.

Khaki and Olive Green

Earthy khaki green and olive drab were the most prominent colors of 1940s fashion. They mirrored the hues used in military uniforms and conveyed patriotic pragmatism. Women’s day dresses, workwear, and men’s suits favored these militia-inspired greens.

Navy Blue

Deep navy blue also carried patriotic meaning. Combined with clean whites, navy and white color schemes reflected the uniforms of the U.S. Navy. This nautical look translated widely to everyday and work fashions.

Greys

Charcoal, steel, and ash grey offered an alternative neutral that aligned with the wartime ethos. Grey suiting and utilitarian frocks blending with crowds and required no special fabrics.

Pastels as Contrast

The drabness of wartime necessitated occasional contrast with lighter hues. Soft pastel pinks, yellows, and blues in day dresses and blouses provided temporary optimism.

The Feminine Pastel Revival in 1950s Fashion

After years of wartime austerity, the 1950s sought to reclaim colorful, overtly feminine fashion. Designers leveraged new synthetic fibers to craft full, billowing skirts and dresses in candy-colored pastels. Pale pinks, mint greens, powder blues, and buttery yellows defined the era’s color trends. Soft floral prints and dainty accessories added decorative contrast without going overboard. The pastel and floral palette aimed to reflect domestic ideals and traditional gender roles.

Soft Pink

No color captures the femininity of 1950s fashion more than whispers of blush, carnation, and bubblegum pink. This “pretty in pink” trend extended from party dresses to pants ensembles.

Lemon Yellow and Lilac

Buttercream yellow and pale lilac purple complemented pink in rounding out the quintessential pastel trifecta of 50s style. These sweet hues appeared on full midi-length skirts and pert jacket suits.

Robin’s Egg Blue

Crisp yet soft robin’s egg blue offered a cool counterpoint to the warmth of pinks and yellows. This versatile pastel worked for day dresses, overcoats, suits, and evening gowns.

Floral Prints

Small-scale floral patterns in assorted pastel shades reinforced the feminine aesthetic. Roses, peonies, and cherry blossoms adorned full-skirted swing dresses and shirtwaist blouses.

1960s Mod Fashion and Psychedelic Prints

The youth counterculture explosion of the 1960s radically departed from the muted pastels of 50s style by embracing trippy prints, op art graphics, and earthy brights. Street styles like mod and hippie defined these new avant-garde color trends that broke free from tradition.

Black and White Op Art

The minimalist mod fashions leveraged black and white geometric prints, patterns, and color blocking. This op art aesthetic extended from shifts dresses to men’s suits in a unisex way.

Psychedelic and Kaleidoscopic Prints

Mind-bending patterns that mimicked hallucinogenic experiences defined the hippie’s eclectic style. Swirling rainbow tie-dyes, optical illusions, and distorted floral motifs were common.

Earth Tones

Warm earth tones like saffron, mustard, rust, and avocado aligned with hippie environmental ideals. Handcrafted and natural fabrics in these tones added to the organic movement.

Electric Neon Brights

For a more futuristic contrast, neon yellow, green, pink and orange prints also flooded the scene. These hyper-synthetic shades gave a shock factor to mod go-go boots and mini-skirts.

Metallic Disco Fashion of the 1970s

No color trend captures the glitz and decadence of 1970s disco culture more than metallics. Shimmering golds, silvers, and bronzes came to dominate both discotheque fashion and mainstream clothing. Sequins, lamé, glitter, and glossy satins created a glam look under the disco ball. But earthy tones also persisted through the decade for mellower daywear.

Silver and Gold

Shimmering metallics added sparkle and luxury to the disco scene. Slinky halter dresses, platform boots, and bell bottoms shone in silver and gold lame fabrics. Disco queens and kings wore these flashy metals unapologetically.

Glossy Satins

Satin fabrics with high shine epitomized the night life aesthetic. Hot pink, red, and electric blue satin jumpsuits, shirts, and wrap dresses glowed under dance floor lights.

Sequins and Rhinestones

Liberal use of sequins and rhinestone trim amplified the decadence of after-dark fashion. These decorative accents glittered on tops, dresses, and accessories.

Earth Tones Persist

For daytime, earthy brown, tan, olive, and terracotta colors continued their hold on casualwear like flared jeans, peasant blouses, and maxi dresses. These warmer neutrals aligned with mellower hippie mindsets.

Conclusion

Across five decades of evolving social ideals, political climates, and cultural movements, color trends in fashion constantly shifted to reflect the spirit of the times. The vibrant hues of the roaring 1920s dramatically differed from the muted wartime shades just twenty years later. Yet throughout the modernization of the early 1900s, color’s ability to capture a cultural zeitgeist persisted. Understanding these cyclical color trends provides deeper insight into our fashion history.

Frequently Asked Questions

What colors were popular in the 1920s?

Vibrant jewel tones like emerald green and sapphire blue remained stylish in the 1920s, but the era also introduced bold new bright colors like tomato red, sunshine yellow, and grape purple thanks to new synthetic dye techniques.

How did WWII impact clothing colors?

Wartime rationing and patriotic sentiment led to muted, earthy shades like olive drab, navy blue, tan, and charcoal dominating everyday fashion. Vibrant colors were viewed as unpatriotic and frivolous.

What sparked pastel colors in the 1950s?

After the drab colors of wartime utility wear, 1950s style swung towards ultra-feminine pastels like pink, lilac, and mint green. New synthetic fabrics allowed full, voluminous skirts and dresses in these soft hues.

Why was black and white mod fashion popular in the 1960s?

The mod youth subculture favored basic black and white color schemes in geometric op art prints and color blocking. This minimalist aesthetic rejected tradition and aligned with modernity.

What did disco fashion embrace color-wise?

Disco style fully embraced glittery metallics like silver, gold, and bronze. Sequins, lamé fabrics, satins, and rhinestones added shine and sparkle to quintessential 70s party looks.

How did Ballets Russes costumes influence fashion?

Fantastical Ballets Russes costumes designed by Leon Bakst featured vivid, exotic color schemes with bold oranges, pinks, and electric blues. These colors directly inspired avant-garde fashion designers.

What colors were popular for men in the 1920s?

Unlike flapper dresses, 1920s menswear remained subdued with dark, neutral suits in black, navy, and grey wool. Pops of color emerged in neckties, socks, and accessories.

What contributed to wider color options in 1930s fashion?

The 1930s moved beyond vibrant all-over color to introduce bold new prints like buffalo check and color blocking. This added visual contrast and interest.

How did 1930s prints reflect the era’s aesthetic?

Graphic black and white gingham and wide plaid prints echoed the sleek, angular Art Deco movement popular in the 1930s in architecture and product design.

Why were pastels revived post-war in the 1950s?

After the drab utility fashions of WWII, the 1950s sought to reclaim overtly feminine style through soft pastel colors like pink, blue, and yellow. New synthetic fabrics enabled full skirts and dresses.