Chicago's Fashion History: 1865-1945

Images of America: Illinois

by Mary Beth Klatt

From the ashes of the Chicago Fire of 1871 came the birth of the city's fashion scene as entrepreneurs built new storefronts virtually overnight. Aided by the Windy City's incredible network of railroads, these fledgling enterprises in turn created millionaires who wanted to wear the latest clothes from Europe. Marshall Fields and Potter Palmer were among the local elites who regularly boarded ships to France and returned with exquisite suits, coats, hats, gowns, fabrics, and other accessories, which designers sought to re-create with cheaper fabrics and labor. Chicago's reputation as a trendsetting metropolis was only sealed by the city's film industry. Charlie Chaplin and his cast of stylish starlets had women north and south of Madison Street copying every hairdo and dress. Even after moviemaking moved to Los Angeles, actors and actresses traveling to New York City regularly dropped in when they switched trains downtown. By World War II, Chicago, the "City of Big Shoulders," became the place to start a career as a fashion designer.

128 pages, Paperback

First published July 5, 2010

Reviews

[Spicydish]

Fashion is an ever evolving experience. The incorporation of photography in this history of Chicago-style clothing provided a snapshot of what fashion conscious and wealthy Chicagoans wore a little more than 100 years ago. Who knew that Chicago was once a fashion hub that resembled New York?

For ordinary households, people owned only a few garments and most of them were sewn at home with fabrics purchased by downtown Chicago department stores or from mail order catalogs from Sears and Montgomery Wards. A woman would own three dresses: a daily work dress usually protected with an apron or smock, a dress for running errands and a Sunday dress for going to church or attending weddings/funerals.
Wealthy people could afford ready-to-wear garments fashioned from the styles of Paris in expensive imported fabrics available in department stores such as Marshall Fields. When wealthy people cruised on large ocean liners,
The women carried large trunks and hat boxes along with them. Displays of wealth were evident by the clothes they wore and the many changes of outfits contrasted with the few articles of simple clothing owned by ordinary people.
I live in a 1000 square foot house built in 1950 in what was called a starter home built after World War II. The two bedroom house has three small closets, a coat closet near the front door and a closet in each of the bedrooms. I have so many clothes that I have had to store them in racks in the basement. I have over dozens of pairs of shoes, purses and underwear. My fashions goals were to be seen wearing something different when I appeared at the many social events of my youth.
Now that I am retired I very much miss the reduced opportunities for appearing well dressed in public. Although I don’t wear a hat, gloves and colored matching purses, compared to today’s casual athletic wear styles and ragged jeans where comfort is paramount, I look dressed up.
The many compliments I receive on my appearance brighten my day.

I enjoyed the look back in time.