Mens Fashion 1900 - 1909

Men's Fashion in the Early 20th Centory: 1900 - 1909

The first decade of the 19th century is commonly referred as the Edwardian era – a time when fashion reached a peak in luxury and elegance. It comes to no surprise that during this time, both men and women paid close attention to perfectly tailored clothing, unique fabrics, and elegant accessories. Although 1900s men’s fashion is quite different from what is seen on the streets today, there are some things the modern man can takeaway from this era. In addition, analyzing fashion throughout the decades is not only a great exercise in education, but can help you to get a better idea as to how modern fashion came to be, and can have a profound influence on your style. 1900-1909 was not only an extension of 19th century fashion, but served as an important turning point in how men put themselves together each morning. Below we not only discuss common men’s style pieces from this era, but we also give you some tips on how to incorporate certain historic clothing pieces into your everyday wardrobe.

The Three-Piece Suit
Formal attire was a huge part of men’s fashion during the first decade of the 20th century, with the three-piece suit reigning supreme. Typically, a three-piece suit during this period of time would consist of a sack coat (replacing the frock coat that was so popular towards the end of the 1800s), allowing with a matching vest (also known as a waistcoat) and trousers. In most cases, trousers were chosen in order to add contrast to the ensemble, and tended to be shorter than those which were worn in the past. This was one of the first times in history when trousers commonly featured cuffs; a stylistic component that remains to this day in many styles of dress pants.

Accessories
Accessories were a rather important part of men’s fashion in this era. The top hat was an essential element for men who dressed formally, while casual dress commonly saw men wearing Homburgs or bowler hats, both of which were very often paired with lounge suits. For footwear, men during this period usually wore boots which came over the ankle, with lace-up boots in drab color being most commonly worn during the day. For formal occasions, boots typically consisted of white uppers, as well as buttons along their sides. This was also the first time that the lace-up Oxford came into existence; a style that still remains popular in modern times.

Men’s Neckwear (1900-1909)
The tie was a must clothing accessory in men’s fashion during this period. Depending on occasion and/or formality different types of ties were worn. Most common was the cravat – a neckwear piece similar to today’s necktie that was tied with the same four in Hand knot that is still popular today. The cravat differs to today’s tie in the way it is worn: it is tied a bit shorter and the shirt collar was typically not turned over.

Also common was the classic bow tie that was most commonly worn for very formal (aka White Tie) occasions. The third common type of neckwear worn during this era was the ascot – a neck accessory that looks like a mix between a silk scarf and a modern necktie. The ascot was typically worn for formal daytime attire.

Takeaways for the Modern Man
Early 1900s fashion can seem difficult to implement into modern-day fashion, but it doesn’t have to be. Start by choosing dress shirts that feature tall, stiff collars; extra points if the shirt that you wear features shirt studs. While the top hat isn’t commonly worn these days, Homburgs can look exceptionally attractive as a part of modern-day formal attire. Since the bow tie was a common element found in early 1900s evening wear, you can get a lot of mileage out of incorporating one into a formal ensemble. Also worth experimenting with are three piece suits – the ultimate choice in elegance for the modern businessman.The bottom line is to hold elegance above all else, which will no doubt result in an attractive appearance.

Other Suggested Articles:
Fashion Through the Decades - Our 12 Part on the History of Mens Fashion

Your Ties-Necktie.com Team