Feminism and Fashion of the Twentieth Century

Feminism and Fashion of the Twentieth Century explores the First, Second, and Third Waves of American feminism through the medium of fashion. The first half of the twentieth century was dedicated to dress reform, First Wave Feminism, World War I, and life after the ratification of the 19^th Amendment. As women gained equal rights to men, their new role in society was uncertain. Many young women participated in the flapper movement—bobbing their hair, smoking, drinking, using makeup, and wearing what was considered risqué fashions. After securing new independence, many women were caught in the grips of the Great Depression and World War II. Fashionable dress continued to go through silhouette and stylistic changes even through times of crisis while practical clothing, especially that worn by female workers during WWII, was judged harshly by critics. After soldiers returned from WWII, many women were displaced from their jobs and again their societal role was questioned. When Christian Dior introduced the New Look in 1947, and advertising promoted traditional female roles, it seemed that conformity, marriage, and family were a woman’s future. Dissatisfied with mainstream fashion and society in general, many subcultures began to develop during and after the 1950s such as the beatniks, greasers, hippies, and punks. These unique fashions represented changing mindsets of many American women during the Second and Third Waves of feminism.

Feminism and Fashion presents feminist history alongside historic garments from the Historic Textile and Costume Collection. Arranged in chronological order, from the dress reform movement of the 1850s through the grunge movement of the 1990s, the exhibition recognizes the use of fashion and anti-fashion as a means of both oppression and progressive change for women in the United States.

Funding for this exhibit was provided by the URI Center for the Humanities