1930's American Music and Fashion

1930’s AMERICAN MUSIC AND WOMENS
FASHION

In the 1930s Americans were struggling with the impact of ‘the great depression’, this often influenced the music during the era. American popular music from the 1930's reflected the cultural and social conditions that shaped the American identity during the period. Music became a way of escaping the horrid of reality for many people who lost jobs and were struggling to survive. American music changed dramatically during the 1930s from the bland and unchallenging "sweet" sound of Guy Lombardo and the Jazz Age dance bands to the more rhythmically involved horn arrangements of the Swing Era such as Benny Goodman and Tommy Dorsey.

The jazz and blues selections in the first set of songs clearly demonstrate the emergence of significant musical forms with selections by pre-swing greats Louis Armstrong and Fletcher Henderson. The second set of songs from the middle of the decade to the end represents the emerging modern forms of American popular music. ‘One can hear the fine-tuning of rhythm and blues in works by Ellington, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald and Cleo Patra Brown. The swing era is realized with recordings of Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman and Artie Shaw’(‘Music in the USA, in the 1930s’, modified 2008, viewed 10th of March 2008, http://www.sbgmusic.com/html/teacher/reference/historical/1930s.html). Stars on the silver screen and in the sound booth, Fred Astaire and Judy Garland let us know of an alliance between the Hollywood machinery, the record industry and radio that grew in strength and influence as the decade wore on.

American music often combined with dancing in the 1930s. Popular singers and/or dancers of the 1930s include the Andrews Sisters, Fred Astaire, Gene Autry, Bing Crosby, Billie Holiday, Roy Rogers, Ginger Rogers, Shirley Temple, and Ethel Waters.

The fashion in America during the 1930s was very poor due to the living conditions and financial positions many people were in due to the great depression. Clothes were being made and sown instead of being replaced. The tomboy look of the 20s changed and became a softer feminine look. ‘Hemlines dropped to the ankle, necklines were lowered and were wider often with ruffled collars. Since zippers were less expensive, they became more fashionable and replaced buttons’(‘Fashion of the 1930s’, modified 2008, viewed 10th of March 2008,
http://www.marquise.de/en/1900/pics/1930/index.shtml). The movie stars' styles in the 1930s have become your evening wear because Paris styles are now too expensive for all but the very wealthy. Women’s underwear grew into wider range, from corsets to the separate bra and girdle. The rich popular look was the empire-waisted gown with ties at the back, it even boasted large puffy sleeves.

Some of the materials that were popular during the 1930s were cotton, wool, silk, acetate, rayon, velvet, georgette, crepe, organdy, satin, jacquards, tapestries, chamois, chiffon, and flecked tweed. ‘For younger girls polka dots in summer, and paisleys in winter were fashionable. For rich teenage girls there were satin evening gowns, gloves in taffeta plaid, gazelle kid with a jewelry clip, and coats in white for the summer’(‘Fashion of the 1930s’, modified 2008, viewed 10th of March 2008,
http://www.marquise.de/en/1900/pics/1930/index.shtml). Popular colors during the 1930s were powder blue, maize, gray, navy, and rose for teenage and young girls. Women wore grays, greens, some browns, reds and white. Blacks were only on evening gowns with white and usually only worn by the very rich.


The fashion and music of the 1930s in America would be of interest to a journalist or a market researcher; this is due to its historical influence. The impact of the ‘great depression’ was sever upon everyone, especially those living in America at the time. ‘By the 1930s money was scarce because of the depression, so people did what they could to make their lives happy’ (‘American History’, modified 2008, viewed 10th of March 2008,
http://kclibrary.lonestar.edu/decade30.html). A journalist would need to know the history of how society had been influenced by the great depression in order to know how people reacted within music. Music was a way of escaping the harsh conditions that the great depression brought upon society, a real sense of escaping was brought out of the types of music. Fashion was used in a cheap way due to the country being so poor, money was tight and fashion was unable to have a sense of expression and individuality. The loud and fast past music was used to demonstrate a way of speeding up time and moving fast out of their depressed day.






REFERENCE LIST:

‘American History’, modified 2008, viewed 10th of March 2008,
http://kclibrary.lonestar.edu/decade30.html

‘Fashion of the 1930s’, modified 2008, viewed 10th of March 2008,
http://www.marquise.de/en/1900/pics/1930/index.shtml

(‘Music in the USA, in the 1930s’, modified 2008, viewed 10th of March 2008, http://www.sbgmusic.com/html/teacher/reference/historical/1930s.html