Much is said about fashion and how the history of pijama has evolved throughout history, with two key periods being the 1920s and the 1940s; which is evidence that these garments, like everything related to clothing, have formed and are currently an essential part of the wardrobe for both ladies and gentlemen; in that decadent era, far from being considered unkempt, pijamas 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 sun and pijamas.”
Both its spas and hotels were places where very wealthy people felt comfortable spending days and afternoons completely relaxed and going to parties, dressed from head to toe in a garment that today is associated with bedtime, convalescence, or simply lazy days literally lying 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 impositions that fashion brought and began to wear much more comfortable garments such as pants or shorter skirts, which obviously caused a stir and disapproval.
For their part, from these new styles, men also had much to say regarding the changes that the fashion world brought, and it is in this decade that they abandoned much more formal style clothing to also start wearing sports-style clothing.
Evolution and Change
As curious as it may seem, the suits and combinations used today are inspired by that style that began to be used with fervor 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 of such irreverent caliber, but by mid-decade, coinciding more with the crazy twenties, people began to use many of the associated styles that describe this era, and this lasted well into the 1930s.
Thus, it is observed that at the beginning of the twenties these new fabrics and fastenings were born. Natural fabrics like cotton became very popular and wool textiles were very abundant at that time while silk was considered a luxury, in fact quite expensive, until artificial silk or rayon began to be produced, which gained great popularity being used in different garments.
Also, if the idea is to try to adopt this style, you can surely start opting for a large number of different fastenings such as buttons, cords, clasps, hooks as well as a wide variety of utensils that also became part of a kind of decorative mode.
New Garments
Part of these men's outfits, specifically regarding jackets, mainly used models with a really high waist, and in most cases they were worn with tight belts. The lapels of these jackets were buttoned high and were not very wide either. It quickly becomes clear that these jackets were really very 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, in palettes such as yellow, green, or blue, represented a great option. Tweed-style suits, which also gave a very elegant look to the styles of the twenties, can be combined with sweaters or checkered shirts.
As for pants, the cut was somewhat narrower and straight, and they were often worn quite short, even with the aim of showing socks in various elaborate designs. Also, they began to be worn with one or several cuffs at the bottom.
Later, a model of pants also became fashionable to combine with suit jackets, where the lapels became much wider as the decade progressed; even loose sleeves also began to be used more frequently.
More Classic Garments
The new combinations for more classic garments often included vests, as they were used on multiple occasions with a basic shirt, being versatile and comfortable formulas. Also, sportswear was booming, so these combinations in this more sporty style played a very significant role especially in the style of younger men. If you want to carry this style perfectly, you can use different sweaters and shorts, which were once known as underwear.
And if it is about accessories, as a perfect complement, a good supply of very iconic hats from this era should not be missing in 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, which will undoubtedly give the finishing touch that the style inspired by the 20s lacks.
Regarding footwear, it is essential to mention two-tone Oxford shoes, as they are undoubtedly a basic impossible to forget and ideal if combined with an elegant black tuxedo. The idea of contrasting colors and tones is essential; 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 finishing touch this look needs to complete the best 1920s style.
Pijamas Since the 20s
As important and fundamental as wearing a hat, the use of pijama in the 20s brought the best of irreverent fashion and style, the fabulous and famous onesies that we see reappearing today in modernized jumpsuits in the best current style, were in the most intense fervor of that era in addition to the traditional two-piece pijamas, using innovative textiles that gave 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 is what continues to turn this universe that surrounds fashion upside down; it is not at all strange to see models and famous artists on the red carpet proudly wearing a look inspired by these styles of elegant pijamas, 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 a classic or modern pijama for gentlemen, do not hesitate and visit our website El Búho Nocturno. We now have many collections of summer pijamas that you will surely love.