Fashion has radically changed quite a bit by 1920s after for a quite a long time especially for women to wear skirts floor-length for centuries. This is the first time ever perhaps since the beginning of mankind that women get to wear shorter skirts. Some even wore "Flapper" a popular trendy fashion style that was a statement that women love their freedom from wearing heavy garment as you knew from quite a long time.
Flappers were actually a night-club attire. Flappers at roller rinks? I never seen a photograph of one but I am sure rarely women wore Flappers at the rink because you have to remember that some rinks in 1920s had rigid dress code policy that you had to wear longer than your knees. It was not until 1937 that RSROA, the Roller Skating Rinks Owners Association which was began by Fred Freeman (no relations to Freddy Freeman in the Fawcett/Whiz Comics among with Captain Marvel) such rules were established for the purpose of good clean family fun roller rinks so even dress codes were established in late 1930s.
But in 1920s, many wore skirts, maybe flappers but many were still wearing long skirts, blouses for the women and as for men, two kinds- ball-room attire which was Zoot Suits they wore like they would go out anywhere. Work, outing, clubbing, ballroom dancing, and yes, even roller skating that they wore expensive 25 Dollars suit depends on what you are looking at in a Sears Catalog or one of the fine establishment those days in 1930s besides Sears, Roebuck, and Company, JC Penney's, Marshall Field, Deys, and more.
As for men, Zoot Suits were quite larger-than-life in size which was promoting shoulder pads, straight waist, cuffed pants, colorful ties, and of course, wide lapels double breasted suits. And of course both were colorful and stylish of its time.
Flappers were actually a night-club attire. Flappers at roller rinks? I never seen a photograph of one but I am sure rarely women wore Flappers at the rink because you have to remember that some rinks in 1920s had rigid dress code policy that you had to wear longer than your knees. It was not until 1937 that RSROA, the Roller Skating Rinks Owners Association which was began by Fred Freeman (no relations to Freddy Freeman in the Fawcett/Whiz Comics among with Captain Marvel) such rules were established for the purpose of good clean family fun roller rinks so even dress codes were established in late 1930s.
But in 1920s, many wore skirts, maybe flappers but many were still wearing long skirts, blouses for the women and as for men, two kinds- ball-room attire which was Zoot Suits they wore like they would go out anywhere. Work, outing, clubbing, ballroom dancing, and yes, even roller skating that they wore expensive 25 Dollars suit depends on what you are looking at in a Sears Catalog or one of the fine establishment those days in 1930s besides Sears, Roebuck, and Company, JC Penney's, Marshall Field, Deys, and more.
As for men, Zoot Suits were quite larger-than-life in size which was promoting shoulder pads, straight waist, cuffed pants, colorful ties, and of course, wide lapels double breasted suits. And of course both were colorful and stylish of its time.
|
|
Left to right: A flapper dress and a Zoot Suit. Sources: (left) Wikipedia, (Right)Smithsonian Magazine.
But skaters wore more standard clothing to the rinks. Less flamboyant than those shown above. A little more conservative than the night clubs and doublespeak underground clubs had. Flappers skirt was down to the knees but many women had skirts down to in between knees and ankles. a slight longer, and more simpler in design. But also the Depression of 1930s made it more somber look but also streamlined. What so funny in design that women prefer to wear less and they wore less, sexier, and fun looking instead of conservative while the men had more materials, more covering appearance. Both genders had their own hats. Women had many kinds including that bandanna on and men wore Fedora hat. The photograph shown above was NOT looking like a fedora at all. Did someone at the magazine messed up history? Men usually wore Fedora down and stern with their hats. Not up. History Channel has excellent photos of the Zoot Suit attire.
Men wore more conservative version of Zoot Suit (also known as Zuit Suit) that toned down that parachute pants, less materials on arms and torso. The jacket line was bit shorter to cross over the crotch, not down to the knees like the picture. I am sure by the time World War II, rations on materials for war effort and the Zoot Suit Riot of September 1943 ended the 1920s and 30s baggy style suits. Look at some of the attire they actually wore seen blow this line--
Men wore more conservative version of Zoot Suit (also known as Zuit Suit) that toned down that parachute pants, less materials on arms and torso. The jacket line was bit shorter to cross over the crotch, not down to the knees like the picture. I am sure by the time World War II, rations on materials for war effort and the Zoot Suit Riot of September 1943 ended the 1920s and 30s baggy style suits. Look at some of the attire they actually wore seen blow this line--
|
|
Left. A man enjoys his sandwich as he was skating somewhere. Noticed how that man's Fedora was? Down more. Wider brim, thick ribbon. Before the Double-breasted/Zoot Suit craze. Taken in 1926. Source: Unknown.
Right: Betty Grable skating. This is one of few pictures of her skating. Clearly she loved to skate. This was her recreational time with her recreationally clothes. Quite modern for its time. Skates were strapped to your shoes at the time.
Right: Betty Grable skating. This is one of few pictures of her skating. Clearly she loved to skate. This was her recreational time with her recreationally clothes. Quite modern for its time. Skates were strapped to your shoes at the time.
|
|
All women skating.
Left: The women skating in union. They even wore pants as 1930s approached when Flappers were on its way out. They wore trousers and bell bottom pants. Stylish 1920s-30s hats on. This was quite dangerous for those two women to skate on a rainy day because you can see the sidewalk are all wet! Freshly wet! Source: Unknown.
Right: Taken in 1930. Female friends posed for the photo on a cold day. They all wore fur long coats that covers to the length of their dresses trim line. Ends at where between knees and ankles.
Left: The women skating in union. They even wore pants as 1930s approached when Flappers were on its way out. They wore trousers and bell bottom pants. Stylish 1920s-30s hats on. This was quite dangerous for those two women to skate on a rainy day because you can see the sidewalk are all wet! Freshly wet! Source: Unknown.
Right: Taken in 1930. Female friends posed for the photo on a cold day. They all wore fur long coats that covers to the length of their dresses trim line. Ends at where between knees and ankles.
All three photos are part of one photo. Different styles what they wore back in 1930s.
It was always dress up the same any would attend a dance hall or ballroom or even double-speak and roller skate.
