New York City fashion in 1910’s was affected by the war in Europe in many ways. Travel restrictions put an end to the constant flow of fashion queues from Paris. New ideas that were strictly American could begin influencing the way women dressed here.
The growing independence of women also allowed for a looser, more comfortable style. Gone from the streets were the dreaded hobble skirts, limiting the ability of women to take long strides. What audiences might have seen in 1915 were skirt styles that opened up at the bottom, allowing for freer movement.
While some women would continue to subject themselves to the corset, the practicalities of life soon led to its unpopularity. In 1914, Carisse Crosby, a well-connected society heiress from New Rochelle, received the patent for a revolutionary new form of support — the modern bra. Called the backless brassiere, the invention further facilitated a departure from stiff and uncomfortable silhouettes.
Perhaps the boldest fashion transition in the 1910s was the subtle shift from curvaceous, hour-glass forms to a straight, shapeless silhouette. While the war crinoline still required a narrow waist for some of its dramatics, competing styles leaned towards sleekness. This was an evolution from the Empire waist which had gained a resurgence earlier in the decade.
