1920's Men Wear

Marking the first time in fashion history when young men chose clothes distinctly different from that of their elders, 1920's men’s wear is unique also for being more casual, with an emphasis on a sporty, leisurely look that crossed class lines. Details were still important – no self-respecting man would ever dare be seen without a hat and tie – but huge changes were being made in every item of men’s clothing that would have been unthinkable prior to World War I.

The war had wreaked havoc on Europe, decimating its male population and economy. With the war over, people wanted to have a good time. Gone were many notions of class and the prevailing wisdom that age equaled authority. The growth of popular culture gave rise to a youth movement that was felt across all age and social spectrums. Everyone wanted to look healthy, vibrant and young. And this was reflected in clothing.

For the workplace or most daily business, men of all ages wore suits. However, whereas suits had traditionally been broad-shouldered, they were now cut to give men a more slim, boyish look. Tight jackets with sloping shoulders ruled the day.

Ties became more casual. Bow ties were fashionable, but so were knit ties, which was a vast difference from the silk that had been so prevalent. The knit tie went well with both the collegiate look and the leisure clothes that were so popular.

Fussy outerwear made of heavy furs was giving way to slim wool coats, although many men still liked to throw a raccoon coat over their slim suits. The aviation craze, with Charles Lindbergh at its head, made leather jackets all the rage. They were found to be ideal for driving and made any average Joe suddenly dashing.

Knitting goes back many centuries, but it was only in the 1920's when men started to wear sweaters as part of their outerwear. A V-necked sweater, with or without sleeves, was the thing to wear on the college campus, golf course or while on a walk. By far the most popular sweater was the Fair Isle, a multi-colored, multi-pattern sweater originating in Scotland. Lighter weight sweaters were even worn in summer, in lieu of jackets. Men wore cardigans as well, although these were predominately indoor clothes, with the exception of collegiate letterman cardigans.

The derby and top hat had held sway over men’s haberdashery for decades, but the 1920's saw new hat styles take over. Driving was an exciting trend, and many men wanted to look like they owned a car, even if they didn’t. Hence the leather jackets, but also the wool or tweed flat English driving cap. Besides driving, the hat went well with sweaters and other casual, sporty attire.

Although mostly associated with gangsters, the fedora was by far the most popular hat in 1920's men’s wear. Everyone wore a fedora, not just Al Capone and company. The wide-brimmed felt hat shaded the eyes, was comfortable, and looked perfect with suits and sport coats.

In the summer, fedoras and driving caps gave way to the straw Panama hat or the shallow, flat-topped hats known as boaters or skimmers. These had first been seen in the late 19th century on men engaged in water sports, and were still used as such, but a lightweight, breathable and jaunty summer hat was desirable by all, and the fact that you looked sporty and youthful in it was an added bonus.

Another big change seen in 1920's men’s wear were shoes. Single color boots and spats had given way to two-tone shoes in shades of brown and white or black and white. Although worn in the office as well as on campus, the shoes had a decidedly casual look. Black patent leather still was the only thing to wear as part of evening attire, but the wingtip, a pointed shoe with perforation over the toe, was being increasingly seen, adding some zing to a man’s look. Even those who didn’t like jazz wanted to look a part of the Jazz Age.

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