There is much talk about fashion and how the history of pajamas has evolved over time, with two key periods being the 1920s and 1940s; this shows that these garments, like everything related to clothing, have shaped and are currently an essential part of both ladies' and gentlemen's wardrobes. In that decadent era, far from being considered sloppy, pajamas were at the height of fashion.
The Lido, in fact, the most famous beach in Venice, has stood out for over 150 years for its great sophistication. Therefore, it may be quite surprising and especially curious to know that by 1927 there was an advertisement promoting it as “the beach of the sun and pajamas.”
Both its spas and hotels were places where very wealthy people felt comfortable spending their days and afternoons completely relaxed and attending parties, dressed from head to toe in a garment that today is associated with bedtime, convalescence, or simply lazy days literally spent on a sofa.
The Modern Era
In the glorious twenties, fashion entered a phase of brilliance, the modern era. Essentially, women completely freed themselves from the constraints of fashion and began to wear much more comfortable garments such as pants or shorter skirts, which obviously caused a stir and disapproval.
For their part, men also had much to say about the changes brought by the fashion world, and it was in this decade that they abandoned much more formal styles to start wearing sportswear styles as well.
Evolution and Change
As curious as it may seem, the suits and combinations worn today are inspired by the style that began to be used with great enthusiasm in that decade, although it is important to distinguish two very different periods.
As expected, at the beginning there was resistance from people, which is very natural since they did not dare to adopt too many changes, especially ones so irreverent, but by mid-decade, coinciding more with the Roaring Twenties, people began to adopt many of the styles associated with this era, and this continued well into the 1930s.
Thus, it can be seen that at the start of the twenties, these new fabrics and fastenings were born. Natural fabrics like cotton became very popular, and wool textiles were abundant at that time, while silk was considered a luxury and quite expensive, until artificial silk or rayon began to be produced, which gained great popularity and was used in various garments.
Also, if the idea is to try to adopt this style, you can certainly start choosing from a wide variety of fastenings such as buttons, laces, clasps, hooks, as well as many other accessories that also became a kind of decorative fashion.
New Garments
Part of these men's outfits, specifically regarding jackets, mainly featured models with a very high waistline, and in most cases, they were worn with tight belts. The lapels of these jackets buttoned high and were not very wide. It quickly becomes clear that these jackets were heavily influenced by military uniforms from the war.
Suit jackets were rather short, while long ones were reserved only for very special or evening occasions. For the summer season, linen suits in pastel tones such as yellow, green, or blue were a great option. Tweed-style suits, which also gave a very elegant look to the twenties' styles, can be combined with knit sweaters or checkered shirts.
As for pants, the cut was somewhat narrower and straighter, and they were often worn quite short, even to show off socks in various elaborate designs. Additionally, pants with one or several cuffs at the bottom began to be used.
Later on, a style of pants became fashionable to pair with suit jackets, where lapels grew much wider as the decade progressed; even loose sleeves also started to be used more frequently.
More Classic Garments
New combinations for more classic garments often included vests, as they were worn on many occasions with a basic shirt, offering versatile and comfortable formulas. Also, sportswear was booming, so these combinations in a more sporty style played a very significant role, especially for younger men. If you want to wear this style perfectly, you can use different sweaters and shorts, which were once known as underwear.
And when it comes to accessories, as the perfect complement, a good collection of iconic hats from this era should not be missing from the wardrobe, varied and modern, made from a wide range of materials and with different finishes, as well as suspenders, that piece that expresses style and will undoubtedly give the finishing touch to a look inspired by the 1920s.
Regarding footwear, it is essential to mention two-tone Oxford shoes, as they are undoubtedly a basic that cannot be forgotten and will be ideal when paired with an elegant black tuxedo. The idea of contrasting colors and tones is key; a combination for the best style of this decade is a suit with a blazer, pants, vest, and tie in soft and strong contrasting tones, which will surely be the missing point to complete the best 1920s style look.
Pajamas Since the 20s
As important and fundamental as wearing a hat, the use of pajamas in the 20s brought the best of irreverent fashion and style. The fabulous and famous onesies we see today reappearing as modernized jumpsuits in the best current style were in intense vogue at that time, in addition to the traditional two-piece pajamas, using innovative textiles that gave them the necessary touch to remain and evolve in fashion history as an essential garment in the male wardrobe.
This concept of modernity from back then continues to turn the fashion world upside down; it is not at all unusual to see models and famous artists on the red carpet proudly wearing a look inspired by these styles of elegant pajamas, some with a Gatsby touch typical of these crazy years of flappers and jazz, luxurious casinos, and a glamorous lifestyle typical of the 1920s.
And if you want classic or modern pajamas for gentlemen, do not hesitate to visit our website El Búho Nocturno. We now have many summer pajama collections that you will surely love.