The key to any look is to look well put-together: everything pressed and mended, the entire outfit matching and in perfect form, hair neatly styled, makeup perfect, and a regal composure. Remember, women used to be ladies, and men were gentlemen.

WOMEN

Fashion of the 1930s was directly influenced by the Wall Street Crash of October 24, 1929 and the subsequent Depression. The Autumn, 1930 Sears Catalogue admonished, "Thrift is the spirit of the day. Reckless spending is a thing of the past." The focus turned away from new clothing for every season and moved to reusing and remaking the clothes one already owned. The beginning of the decade saw women sewing more. Clothing was mended and patched before being replaced. It was also during this time that the practice of changing clothes several times each day fell out of style. (Before this time, many people had different outfits for morning, afternoon, and evening).

A new passion for hiking, sports, sunbathing, and even nudism, invites briefer sportswear. Bathing suits are slashed and backless, made of linen and lastex yarn. Bare midriffs are everywhere in the late 30's. Womens gloves usually matched their shoes and handbags. Hats were worn at an angle. Pill boxes became popular along with brimmed hats. Towards the end of the decade, turbans emerged. Fashionable hats range from the pillbox toque, trimmed turban, and Basque beret.

Women of the 30's were quite pale since a suntan was seen as lower class. Rouge, lipstick, and eyeshadow were used to brighten their faces, and women used artificial eyelashes that took two hours to apply in a salon. Women's hair was fairly short and generally styled in finger-waves or soft curls with hardly any body.

The shape of the 1930s, for both men and women, was long and sleek. With the Clara Bow flapper passe, the rage is for the sophisticated Garbo look. Skirts widen softly below the hip and then reach mid-calf. Thick clinging fabrics are enormously popular. Broadening and squaring of the shoulders leads to three-inch shoulder pads, even in nightgowns.

Muted and deep hues were popular, as were abstract and geometric prints. Daytime hemlines reached midcalf, with evening hems at the ankle or floor. Dresses had a natural waistline, sometimes emphasized by flounces or seams. Moderately full skirts accentuated a small waist and minimized the hips. The long skirts of the 30s sometimes flared in flounces or were trimmed with ruffles, but just as often they were simply long and slender. The bodices sometimes had puffed, flounce, or ruffled sleeves. V-neck or crossover styles were the most common, accented with lace, ruffles, or ties. Separate lace collars or scarves were popular, as well. Necklines were lowered while torsos were sensuously molded beneath squared shoulders. Darts were replaced by soft gathers. Dress bodices were designed with inset pieces and yokes. Necklines received dramatic attention, often with wide scallop-edged or ruffled collars. Feminine V-neck sweaters or cardigans worn over long, slender skirts were also common. Popular fabrics included cotton, tweed, rayon, silk, and wool.

Evening fashion consists of backless dresses with slightly bloused bodices and fox furs with heads and tails. A popular formal look was the empire-waisted gown, with ties at the back. The dress might boast butterfly or large, puffy sleeves. Hemlines fell at the ankle and trains added a further formal touch. Fabric flowers might be placed at the neckline, on one shoulder, or at the center waist or center neckline. Bows were another popular accent. The peplum made its debut in the late thirties evening wear. Later in the 30's women started wearing slinky silks popularized through the movies.

The one-piece garments known as corsets consisted of a brassiere and girdle with garters. Underpinnings of the early thirties continued to show the influence of the corset, although most of the corsets sold boasted "no boning"; boning was available for women who felt it was necessary. By the late thirties, the separate bra and girdle had become acceptable, but one piece corsets continued to be widely available.

A well-tailored suit was a good wardrobe addition, especially for the woman in business. This masculine fashion was seen to indicate a seriousness of intent, a perception that remains to this day. Women's suits were "feminine" pleated, flared, or straight with tightly fitted jackets.

Fur of all kinds was worn extensively during this era, both during the day and at night. Fur capes, coats, stoles wraps, accessories and trimmings adorned women's dresses. Pelts in demand were sable, mink, chinchilla, Persian lamb and silver fox.

A variety of shoe styles was available during this era. Rounded toes were seen with wide, thick heels. Pumps and flat shoes were available, and ankle strap styles with moderate heels also appeared. Slip-on styles, lace-up shoes and buckle shoes were all worn. Spectator (two-tone shoes) appeared in the early thirties.

The first openly synthetic fibers were developed in the 1930s. Prior to this, manufactured fibers had been developed to emulate natural fibers. In 1935 the Du Pont de Nemours Company successfully synthesized nylon. Nylon was introduced in stockings during 1939 but its use in fashion was interrupted by World War II. Widespread use of this synthetic fiber didn't occur until after World War II.

The zipper's popularity continued during the 1930s. It was first commonly known as a "slide fastener." B. F. Goodrich coined the name "zipper" and used it as a fastener in an overshoe. The predominance of zippers in manufactured clothing increased toward the end of the decade, primarily as a side closing fastener.

For casual wear, women wore housedresses most of the time for doing housework or lounging. Dressier housedresses were sometimes worn to play cards or other casual social occasions. For summer wear, shorts outfits or playsuits were popular, in cotton or rayon.

In 1941, war good manufacturing took center stage. During 1942, the War Production Board began severely restricting the amount of yardage used in garments. On March 8, 1942 the War Production Board issued regulation L - 85, which regulated every aspect of clothing. Stanley Marcus was the apparel consultant to the War Production Board. At this time he took the stand that it was the designer's patriotic duty to design fashions which would remain stylish through multiple seasons.

American designers introduced the concept of separates and coordinating components in order to create the illusion of more outfits than one actually had. Classic sportswear styles took hold on college campuses and were soon adopted by all levels of society and all age groups.

Dresses and suits became slimmer and shorter; most skirts were only as wide as was needed to walk and sit, and hem lengths rose to the knee. Padded, square shoulders imitating a military uniform were popular, and a common dress style buttoned down the front of the bodice and was trimly belted at the waist. Many bodices and blouses had gathers or darts at the shoulder and waist to give shape and fullness at the bust but still keep a trim waistline. Suits remained popular, with padded, square shoulders and fitted skirts. Dress and suit styles were simple and practical with clean lines. "Air force blue" becomes the popular color. Slim tubular look in knitted dresses or chemises with cinch belts also became popular. Another popular style was the one strap dress with an uneven hemline.

Night dresses throughout the 40's were frilly short skirts. Satin evening suit is also worn with high-heeled ankle straps, short satin evening skirts appear with lace blouses in a variety of colors.

Through the 40s, translucent powder, red lipstick, black eyeliner, and red nail polish were quite popular. Long hair became the fashion in the 40s, even though working women were encouraged to keep it short. Popular styles included the pageboy, the Victory Roll, and barrel rolls. Hair became neatly folded at the ear, netted at the back, twisted into braids, or pinned on top of the head. Ballet slippers with winding ribbons are popular along with leather platform shoes.

Undergarments at the end of the forties had finally made the transition to two separate pieces, the bra and the girdle. The term "bra" was now widely used to identify the upper portion of the outdated corset. After World War II, wire was introduced into bras and nylon stockings came back on the market. A new look is boned girdles with waistbands and padded bras that flatten the midriff, cinch the waist, and point the breasts.

For casual wear in the 1940's,  women wore housedresses most of the time for doing housework or lounging. Dressier housedresses were sometimes worn to play cards or other casual social occasions. For summer wear, shorts outfits or playsuits were popular, in cotton or rayon.

Accessories
Hats
Ladies in the 1930s-50s generally wore a hat or scarf when leaving the house. In the 1930s, berets and pillboxes were popular, but a brimmed hat, worn at a jaunty angle, more typifies the look of the era. During WWII, women's hats often resembled military hats and berets, but large-brimmed hats were worn, as well. For ladies engaged in factory work or labor, turbans, snoods, or scarves were a necessity to hold hair out of harm's way. This style was soon taken up by the general population for casual dress. In the 1950s, the pillbox hat was all the rage, and it looked very charming with the suits of that decade. By the 50s, though, it had become acceptable for a woman to go out without a hat.

Gloves
In the 30s and 40s, women generally wore gloves, as well. In both decades, two styles were common: shorter, wrist-length gloves or longer gloves worn pushed down. Gloves were made of cotton, chamois, knit, or jersey. During the war, however, they slowly went out of style, and by the 50s, were only worn for the dressiest of occasions.

Purses
A clutch purse was by far the most popular style during the 30s, 40s, and 50s. It was sometimes beaded or made of mesh, knitted or crocheted, or made of leather or even felt. Shoulder bags gained popularity after the war, and were a common choice for everyday.

Shoes
In the 1930s, women's shoes were generally made of leather. Two-tone wingtips, pumps with a buckled ankle strap, and high-heeled lace-ups were all popular. Heels were thick, usually one to four inches, and the entire shoe had a clunky appearance.

In the 40s, after M-217 mandated the conservation of leather, shoes were limited to six colors and one-inch heels. Wood or cork soles were common as leather became harder to find, and the wedge heel was both comfortable and popular. For dressier occasions, "peep" toes and sling-backs were often worn. The college set took to wearing saddle shoes toward the end of the decade, and ballet slipper-type shoes enjoyed some popularity with the New Look.

Bloomers
I can't overemphasize the importance of bloomers for dancing. Many people wear tap pants or bike shorts under their skirts, or special undergarments made for dancing.

Hair
If you have long hair, do your partner a favor and tie it up.

Jewelry
If you value it, take it off before going out dancing.

MEN

The shape of the 1930s, for both men and women, was long and sleek. Muted and deep hues were popular, as were abstract and geometric prints. Ties were more conservative and slightly wider than today's ties, and were usually made of silk.

The decade of the 1930s saw dramatic changes in men's fashion which began with the great Wall Street Crash of October 24, 1929. By 1931, eight million people were out of work in the United States. Less or no work meant little or no money to spend on clothing. The Edwardian tradition of successive clothing changes throughout the day finally died. Tailors responded to the change in consumer circumstances by offering more moderately priced styles.

In the early part of the decade, men's suits were modified to create the image of a large torso. Shoulders were squared using wadding or shoulder pads and sleeves were tapered to the wrist. Peaked lapels framed the v-shaped chest and added additional breadth to the wide shoulders.

This period also was a rise in the popularity of the double-breasted suit, the precursor of the modern business suit. Masculine elegance demanded jackets with long, broad lapels, two, four, six or even eight buttons, square shoulders and ventless tails. Generous-cut, long trousers completed the look. These suits appeared in charcoal, steel or speckled gray, slate, navy and midnight blue.

Dark fabrics were enhanced by herringbone and stippled vertical and diagonal stripes. In winter, brown cheviot was popular. In spring, accents of white, red or blue silk fibers were woven into soft wool. The striped suit became a standard element in a man's wardrobe at this time. Single, double, chalk, wide and narrow stripes were all in demand.

In 1935, some signs of prosperity returned. The rebounding economy demanded a redesign of the business suit, to signal the successful status of the man who wore it. This new look was designed by the London tailor, Frederick Scholte and was known as the "London cut". It featured sleeves tapering slightly from shoulder to wrist, high pockets and buttons, wide, pointed lapels flaring from the top rather than the middle buttons and roll, rather than flat lapels. Shoulder pads brought the tip of the shoulder in line with the triceps and additional fabric filled out the armhole, creating drape in the shoulder area. As a result of this last detail, the suit was also known as the "London drape" or "drape cut" suit.

Other versions of the new suit included four instead of six buttons, lapels sloping down to the bottom buttons, and a longer hem. This version was known as the Windsor double-breasted and the Kent double-breasted, named after the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Kent respectively. Clark Gable, Jimmy Stewart, Fred Astaire and Cary Grant were a few of the Hollywood stars who lent their endorsement to this style by wearing the suits in their movies. From there it became popular in mainstream America.

The famous "Palm Beach" suit was designed during the 1930s. It was styled with a Kent double or single-breasted jacket, and was made from cotton seersucker, silk shantung or linen. Gabardine was also used to make this suit. It quickly became the American summer suit par excellence and was touted as the Wall Street businessman's uniform for hot days.

During this time, blazers became popular for summer wear. Blazers are descendants of the jackets worn by English university students on cricket, tennis and rowing teams during the late nineteenth century. The name may derive from the "blazing" colors the original jackets were made in, which distinguished the different sports teams. The American versions were popular in blue, bottle green, tobacco brown, cream and buff. Metallic buttons traditionally adorned the center front of the jackets, and they were worn with cotton or linen slacks and shorts

A discussion of men's fashion during the thirties would be incomplete without recognizing the gangster influence. Gangsters, while despised as thieves, paradoxically projected an image of "businessman" because of the suits they wore. However, they didn't choose typical business colors and styles, but took every detail to the extreme. Their suits featured wider stripes, bolder glen plaids, more colorful ties, pronounced shoulders, narrower waists, and wider trouser bottoms. In France, mobsters actually had their initials embroidered on the breast of their shirts, towards the waist. They topped their extreme look with felt hats in a wide variety of colors: almond green, dove, lilac, petrol blue, brown and dark gray. High-fashion New York designers were mortified by demands to imitate the gangster style, but obliged by creating the "Broadway" suit.

Though men's fashions generally change much more slowly than women's, men's styles in the 30s, 40s, and 50s did have distinct differences. The 40s can be divided into three distinct periods: pre-war, which differed little from the 30s; the war years, marked by War Production Board regulations and dwindling numbers of male civilians; and the post-war years, characterized by excessive use of fabric and exaggerated styles.

On September 3, 1939, England and France declared war on Germany for invading Poland, and refusing to withdraw troops. The United States officially entered World War II on December 8, 1941. On March 8, 1942, the US Government War Production Board issued regulation L - 85, which regulated every aspect of clothing and restricted the use of natural fibers. In particular, wool supplies for civilian use were cut from 204,000 to 136,000 tons in order to meet military requirements. All countries turned to the production of artificial fibers. Viscose and rayon (derived from wood pulp) were the most common. Unfortunately, however, they weren't a good substitute because they weren't very warm and had a tendency to shrink.

Stanley Marcus, the apparel consultant to the War Production Board, took the stand that it was the designer's patriotic duty to design fashions which would remain stylish through multiple seasons and use a minimum of fabric. Therefore, men's suits were made without vests, pocket flaps, and trousers lost their multiple pleats and cuffs.

There was one exception to the strict rationing of the early forties - the zoot suit. By no means was it sanctioned by the War Production Board - as a matter of fact, the zoot suits were thought of as contraband and illicit items during the War. The fashion was born during the early thirties in Harlem's nightclubs. It was an exaggerated look comprised of an oversized jacket, wide lapels and shoulders, with baggy low-crotched trousers that narrowed dramatically at the ankle. The zoot influence remained through the 1940s and men's coats were noticeably roomier as a result of it. Higher-waisted trousers were also due to the influence of the zoot suit.

The end of the war and rationing brought a dramatic change in fashion. After the war, most men, tired of uniforms and restrictions, preferred generously cut suits in pinstripe, herringbone, or glen plaid fabrics. Long coats and full-cut trousers were a sign of opulence and luxury, coming in a full spectrum of colors from garish to delicate hues. Jackets were very broad-shouldered with wide lapels and two or three buttons. These were worn with generously pleated and cuffed pants with deep patch pockets and slightly tapered ankles. These suits were everything wartime suits were not! After years of not being able to purchase vests, wearing a suit without one became the social norm, and remains so to this day.

One of the most extreme changes in postwar men's fashion was the adoption of the casual shirt. In 1946 and 1947, Hawaiian or Carisca shirts were first worn on the beaches in California and Florida. Made in bright colors, the shirts sported fruit, flowers, flames, women or marine flora. About this time, a man walking the streets of New York without a jacket, became a common sight.

Common tie styles included solid or red, blue, and white striped ties worn in Windsor knots. Ties were quite wide, fairly short, and loudly colored and patterned. Popular were wide tie clasps, heavy gold key chains, bold striped ties, big buttons, and the coordination of hair coloring and clothing.

Hair is short and natural, parted on the side. Mustaches remain on the older sophisticated. The hearty, "tough" look appears with the double-breasted darker suit and the hat brought down over the face.

In 1949, Esquire promoted a new look by labeling it "the bold look". Its characteristics were a loose fitting jacket with pronounced shoulders. Other style changes included single-breasted jackets with notched lapels and three buttons. Henceforth, peaked lapels were reserved for double-breasted jackets. These jackets also included a center vent.

The end of the decade saw American men home from the war and craving a new look, tired of uniforms. American designers left their mark on the world with sportswear. Europe now looked to the United States for trends in sportswear. For the first time in history, young men were setting fashion trends and the older men were following.

Men's casual fashions didn't change a whole lot during the 40s. Sport jackets and sweaters remained fashionable, and the loafer coat was made. This was a soft-tailored sport jacket with a shirt-like spread collar, patch pockets, and a two-tone look.

Accessories
TIES
In the 1930s, ties were more conservative and slightly wider than today's ties, and were usually made of silk. 40s ties were quite wide, fairly short, and loudly colored and patterned. Tie clips are the choice for men of class. Why would you want to stick a pin through a nice tie?

Cufflinks
Worn by the classiest men, great cuff links are a must if you've got French cuff shirts.

Braces
Braces are button-on suspenders. They are much classier than clip-ons, which only became popular lately. They were generally worn with nice suits through all three decades. And, remember, braces hold your pants up, so you really don't need a belt, too.

Watch Chains
Your normal man in the 30s-40s wore his watch in a vest pocket with a small chain leading to a fob in his other pocket. However, if you're going for a more alternative look, or a gangster or zoot look, a long chain is a must. Double or single ones are available, which ever suits your style. This chain hangs from either the front pocket to the back pocket or from a front belt loop to a back pocket, on either the right or left side. Just make sure you tuck it into your pocket when you dance!

Shoes
Through the 30s and 40s, men's shoes didn't change much. Black and white or brown and white two-tone cap toes or wingtips were quite stylish, as were solid-colored, dark shoes.

Socks
Socks just haven't changed a whole lot. Argyle and wool were more common in the 30s, with cotton gaining popularity as time went on.

Hats
For dress and evening wear, a fedora was the hat of choice from the 30s through the 50s. For casual, the 30s man often wore a golf-style cap, as did the 40s man. Casual hats had fallen out of style by the 50's.

Zoot Suits
Worn first by black and Hispanic teenagers on both coasts in the late 20s/30s as a statement against the majority, the zoot was soon picked up by musicians and dancers in the early 1940s and even found its way into mainstream fashion (albeit a tad watered-down). Most zoot suiters were not white, but some were. There is some evidence that white zoot suit wearers were made fun of by the minority zoot suiters. Most of the zoot-wearing people did not dance, so if your goal is to be as authentic as possible, don't get a zoot. However, if the style appeals to you, a zoot suit can be a wonderful addition to your dance wardrobe.
   The zoot jacket is oversized, wide-shouldered, and hangs almost to the knees. Often, it is double-breasted with wide, low lapels. Zoot pants are low-crotched and high-waisted, often coming halfway up the torso. They are deeply pleated at the waist (generally two or three mammoth pleats on each side) and generously cut at the knee. Zoot pants taper sharply at the ankle to end in a deep cuff that rests on the shoes. The width at the ankle is generally only be as wide as needed to get over the heel (though some men had zippers sewn into their cuffs go get a tighter fit) and the cuff was 1-2".
   The fabric for zoot suits was like the suits themselves - dramatic and overstated. The fabric was either brightly colored or boldly patterned with wide pinstripes or glen check. With fabric, the bolder the better - the goal was to distinguish oneself from the mainstream.

Other Clothes for Dancing
If you can't find or don't want a vintage look, any pair of nice pants will do for dancing. Just make sure they're comfy and have a strong crotch seam. Likewise, any nice shirt will work, as well. Some prefer a more casual look, with pants and a T-shirt, but a button-down and tie with braces usually looks classier. The wifebeater, tough guy look is also popular for swing dancing for some reason - nice pants, a tank-top ribbed undershirt, and braces. Please only wear this if you've got a nice upper body.

Shoes for dancing are a topic of much debate and discussion among most dancers. Some wear leather bottoms, some wear Bleyers, some wear ballroom shoes. It's generally better to keep your dancing shoes off the street, because it keeps the soles nicer, especially leather soles. Whatever you prefer, make sure they're comfortable and easy on the feet.

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