1930's Men's Fashion: Water for Elephants

Elsa Schiaparelli remains one of the most influential and theatrical Fashion Designers in history, having collaborated with Surrealism Artist Salvador Dali in the design of the infamous 'shoe hat' circa 1933, as well as creating the wardrobes for over thirty films. Her wardrobe successes include 1933's Topaze, the outfits worn by Zsa Zsa Gabor in the 1952 production of Moulin Rouge, and with the help of a mannequin proportional to her measurements, Schiaparelli famously dressed Mae West for the 1937 film, Every Day's a Holiday. She was also responsible for the Tromp L'oeil scarf first ordered by Lord and Taylor, and featured in Vogue.

Coco Chanel has been one of the most innovative Designers of men's fashion. It was in the '30s when Chanel's signature color pairings of navy and white, beige and black, and burgundy and white were first introduced. She became recognized mostly for using the economic downturn to her advantage during this decade.

As baseball and Jazz music began inspiring men's fashion, Coco Chanel began to incorporate the use of jersey fabrics into her menswear. The comfortable and durable fabric had become less expensive to produce in the US., and Chanel began designing men's garments infused with daring new color pairings and a heightened use of jersey material.

Men's fashion in the 1930's introduced never before seen fabrics, colors and accessories worn by men. Many attribute this surge to the short, baggy knee length trousers worn by Edward the III, later dubbed as "Plus Fours." This unusual piece became a popular item among men in the '30s, often worn with a round-necked schoolboy sweater.

Both men and boys began to wear full three-pieced suits, designed to broaden the shoulders and elongate the body for a more masculine appearance. This was also the reason for the v-shaped vest worn under the newly introduced double breasted jacket, a jacket design which is just as popular today as it was upon it's introduction during the '30s.

As you can see by the wardrobe ensembles of the men in Water for Elephants, this is also the first time in history when accessories became an integral part to a man's ensemble. A hat of some kind was worn nearly all the time, and the introduction of the fedora was happily accepted by men of all social classes. Neck ties and pocket handkerchiefs became more popular than ever before, as men seemed to adopt the notion that their ensemble was a direct reflection of their character and level of social etiquette.

Along with suede dress shoes, classy fedora styles, three-piece tailored suits and raincoat's, expect to see many other men's fashion revivals from the 1930's. Among these stylish returns are the tie clip, handkerchief, men's gloves and schoolboy sweaters.