A History of Blouses Part 3 (1910s)

Clothes the College Girl Will Need by Katherine Clinton

...But you can not do without shirt waists and a tailored skirt.  In fact, you will be able to get on satisfactorily with a sufficient number of shirt-waists and a skirt...

Designer and Woman's Magazine, September 1911.

Weldon's Ladies Journal, May 1911

 42022—A Dainty Blouse.  Of heather coloured silk, trimmed cream lace and insertion, and tucked cream ninon, the velvet straps being of deep heather shade.

If a modern woman was to don a blouse from 1910  people would think she was wearing fancy dress.  If the same woman wore a blouse from 1919, people would think her appearance a little odd, but have trouble working out why.  In other words, the decade saw a desire for practicality merge with a pared-down aesthetic to create the first modern fashions.

National Cloak & Suit Co., Spring-Summer 1912

6437.  A Waist that every woman should have in her wardrobe—a fashionable and becoming model made of Pure Irish Linen.  The front is attractively tucked and the becoming side closing is tastefully effected with pearl buttons.  It has a soft, turned-down detachable collar...

6438.  A delightfully dressy Waist of Striped messaline beautifully made and trimmed.  It has a becoming yoke and high collar of handsome all-over net...

6439.  A charmingly dainty Waist of fine quality Lawn, prettily made and exquisitely trimmed.  The new and attractive double side frill is of plaited Val lace, while the front is becomingly tucked and lavishly embellished with rich Val and Cluny insertions...

6440.  Rich Hand-Embroidery and dainty material make this beautiful Waist of fine quality Lawn a most unusual value at $1.98.

The change didn't come immediately, however.  The first three years of the 1910s saw a continuation of Edwardian styles, with women offered a choice of blouses imitating men's shirts (complete with high starched collar) or blouses ornamented with lace, tucks, embroidery and insertions (also high-collared).

Advertisements, 1913

From Barkers: Jacqueline—Real Cluny and Valenciennes Lace Blouse, trimmed down the front with crochet balls.  Godiva—Good Quality White Japanese Silk Blouse with low turn-collar finished with a soft silk bow.

D.H. Evans & Co: No. 1 LB—Smart and becoming charmeuse Model with hand-stitched Robespierre collar...  No. 2 LB—Charming Broché Model of exquisite design with Robespierre collar (edged fancy handstitching)..

A new garment rendered necessary by the very transparent nature of the blouses and waists now worn is the under bodice of net or shadow lace.  These garments run from the bodice of net or all-over lace, trimmed with a ruffle of lace, to quite elaborate affairs threaded with ribbons in different widths.

The Dry Goods Review, July 1913

This began changing shortly before the First World War (as seen in the illustration below).  Necklines became lower, fastenings simplified, and decorative effects were largely achieved by the use of coloured and patterned material rather than the application of lace and embroidery.  (Judging by my sources, both stripes and checks were immensely popular through the second half of the decade.)

Home Fashions June 1914

No. 18,795... shows the new way of cutting the yoke and sleeves in one.  The lower part of the front is gathered beneath the yoke and arranged to cross slightly over it...

No. 18,794 ... an exceedingly smart blouse, to be carried out in one of the fashionable striped materials.

No. 18,693 ... illustrates the use of the accordian-pleated ninon or chiffon frill.  The blouse is simplicity itself, cut in the Magyar style...

La Mode, April 18 1915

Corsage simple en linon, garni du jours et d'un entre-deux de filet.  Cravate de velours noir.

Blouse en tissu froncée au bord d'un emplècement découpé en cent.

Corsage habillé en soie au en linon garni d'entre-deux de filet, formant bretelles et formant col. 

A Word About Blouses

Separate blouses for summer wear are made of fine handkerchief linen, embroidered voile, Swiss muslin, organdie, batiste, law, Georgette crepe, cotton voile, or marquisette, in white or one of the many pale tints available.  Most of the new blouses show a tiny yoke, a somewhat low-cut neck opening, and a long sleeve, and are joined with machine hem stitching.

Everylady's Journal, November 1916

W.&H. Walker Bargains for Fall of 1916

E411. A stylish waist of sport stripe tub silk in a very pretty combination of dark blue and green stripes.  Black velvet collar, cuffs and vest buttoning through with novelty buttons.

E12.  Middy of good quality linene.  Sailor collar, long sleeves and pocket.  Laces at neck.

E13.  Serviceable waist of white lawn.  Entire front is embroidered; trimmed with deep tucks; turn-down collar, long sleeves with cuff.

E601.  Exquisite and becoming taffeta silk waist.  High or low neck.  Buttons with silk loops and silk covered buttons.

E206.  A serviceable middy for Fall and Winter of gray flannel, with collar, cuffs and belt of contrasting plaid colors.

E410.  Handsome waist of wool-finished plaid flannel.  Vest, collar and cuffs of plain gray flannel edged with contrasting colors.

There has probably never been a greater demand for shirts and blouses than there is to-day, and with a practical tweed coat and skirt for morning wear there is nothing smarter than a well-tailored shirt.  In the afternoon, too, with their serge cloth suits women are wearing crȇpe de chine blouses of the simple, well-cut order.

The Gentlewoman, December 20 1916

The social upheavals of the First World War consolidated these trends.  Large numbers of working women marched off to the factories to do war work, meaning that the low-paid seamstresses, laundresses and ladies maids' who made and cared for the elaborate Edwardian blouses were no longer available.  Meanwhile, middle and upper class women were mostly doing war work of their own, so blouses that could be donned without help, worn throughout a busy day, and washed easily, became desirable.

Ladies Home Journal, March 1918

6. Such pretty waists as this one of plaided voile, collared and cuffed in white piqué with a tiny edge of Irish, forecast a demand for tailored coat suits.

19.  It is made of striped silk, the practical waist above, which will take a tubbing with the same equanimity as the juvenile white piqué turndown collar and cuffs which are such a youthful and essential part of it.

[Fashion]... has lost none of its taste for one-piece dresses and long blouses.  The idea of the long body has been transferred to the separate waist which is worn over a skirt, either a suit skirt, a sports skirt or a dress skirt, as the case may be...

The Delineator, August 1919.

Le Petit Echo de la Mode, August 10 1919

P.L. 4778.  Joli KIMONO en voile de coton, desin cachmire, avec collreette plissée en voile de coton blanc, et mȇme petit plissée au bas de la manche courte.

P.L. 5067.  Elégante TUNIQUE en voile de coton, dessin cachmire.  Le col marin se fait en voile blanc orné d'un jour et d'une petite cravate feminée par deux boules.

P.L. 5071.  CASAQUIN "haute monde", forme marinère, en beaux voile de coton, fond blanc à carreaux de couleur, col uni, manches kimono terminées par un large ourlet uni...

P.L. 4971.  Gentille BLOUSE en voile de coton uni, col marin, voile fond blanc à carreaux de couleur, cravate assortie au col et terminée par une boule.

In 1919 there was an emerging trend for unstructured overblouses—a fashion that was going to last through the 1920s.  Though the war had ended, it was clear that fashion wasn't going revert to pre-war modes.  Ease and simplicity were here to stay.