The lace-up boots of the late 1800's continued on into Edwardian footwear.
Better shoes and boots were made of sealskin and were thin, durable and nearly waterproof.Expensive sealskin was thin, comfortable and insulating for both hot and cold weather.
Lesser priced shoes and boots made of tooled Moroccan leather were stiff, hot and heavy. Kid boots and shoes were a lesser quality footwear that did not maintain their shape.
The First World War created a leather shortage and saw the introduction of cloth topped shoes and boots, functional footwear that appeared mostly in black.
Wide brimmed hats were trimemd with feathers that often extended beyond the hat brim. In 1911, smaller hats still used a lot of feathers taken from the breeding plumage of wading birds created in factories called Plumassiers.
As the century changed so changed clothing design trends. Gone was the bustle (a pad at the rear end) and heavy fabrics of the previous century, A new, lighthearted concept overtook women's fashions along with a sentiment of eternal summer with dresses made of light weight fabrics for a more active lifestyle.
The 2 pieces dress came into vogue. Skirts hung tight at the hips and flared at the hem, creating a trumpet or lily-like shape. Skirts in 1901 had decorated hems with ruffles of fabric and lace. Some dresses and skirts featured trains. Tailored jackets, first introduced in 1880, increased in popularity and by 1900 tailored suits became hugely popular.
By 1904 skirts became fuller and less clingy. In 1905 skirts fell in soft folds that curved in, then flared out near the hemlines. From 1905 to 1907 waistlines rose. In 1910 the hobble skirt was introduced, a tight fitting skirt that restricted a woman's stride.
Linderie dresses, or tea gowns, mafe of soft fabrics, festooned with ruffles and lace were worn indoors.
(Info from Edwardian Fashion Trends)
The blouses and bodices of the Edwardian Era were embellished with pieces of lace and bead work, and lines of ruffles. In the late 1890's, bodices were bloused with a pouched effect. Corsets gave women a monobosom --- the corset did not divide the bust but rendered a pigeon-like look. By 1904 blousing spread to the sides of the bodice. Blouses, or bodices, featured high necks in light fabrics or lace.
Evening wear bodices showed more skin with sweet heart, round or square necklines. Early Edwardian sleeves fit tightly at the top of the arm, filled toward the lower end and gathered into a tight cuff. 1900-1905 Edwardian fashion trended toward open end and pagoda sleeves. By 1905 fullness at the wrist was gone and sleeves were wide and full on top.
Sleeves stayed full at the top through 1909. They narrowed below the elbow and fit snuggly at the wrist in a style often called Leg of Mutton. In 1910 the Kincono sleeve was open, loose and comfortable.
(Info from Edwardian Fashion Trends )
Even as all fashion eras have their archetypes, the Edwardian Era is no different.
The Gibson Girl
Was a fictitious, unnamed character portrayed in the illustrations of Charles Dana Gibson who created what would become the feminine ideal for 20 years. The Gibson Girl was shown as youthful and strong, fun loving, yet sophisticated. She was tall and slender with a long neck, ample bust and hips, and a small waist. Her upswept bouffant hairdo was all the rage and her aristocratic bearing inspired young women everywhere. The Gibson Girl was smart and independent, charming, and intelligent but was never shown to be political or interested in social causes. The Gibson Girl became a merchandizing bonanza. Her face and form were depicted on trays, on prints, pillow cases, souvenirs and ashtrays.
Alice Roosevelt Longworth
The eldest daughter of Theodore Roosevelt was a high profile society figure in the U.S.A. Beautiful and outspoken, Alice rode in cars with men, smoked, and kept a pet snake. The song "Alice Blue Crown" referred to the popular shade called Alice Blue named after her eyes --- light blue with a hint of gray. Her father, the President of the United States, once said :"Either I can run the country or tend to Alice but I can't possibly do both."
