A simple, broad-shouldered look was the dominant men's fashion in the 1930s.
The 1930s saw great changes in men's suits. The economic hard times of the Great Depression led to a demand for durable, inexpensive suits, and eliminated the habit of changing clothes often throughout the day. At the same time, Hollywood emerged as the trendsetter in fashion, replacing traditional high society. Many trends from the 1930s have influenced modern men's fashion.
Transitions from the 1920s
In men's fashion, the 1920s saw the birth of the modern suit and the adoption of sportswear as daily wear. Tail coats fell out of fashion, and the dinner jacket or tuxedo became the most common form of evening wear. In the 1930s, some of these trends continued and others faded. For instance, men's suits in the 1920s could be in a variety of colors, including bright shades. In the 1930s, suits became more sober, with the dominant colors being gray, brown and blue.
Jackets
The early part of the decade saw the birth of the double-breasted jacket. Jackets often had padded shoulders. Peaked lapels further enhanced the image of a larger torso. Tails were usually ventless, and double-breasted jackets might have as many as eight buttons. In the second half of the decade, the "London drape" became popular. Pioneered by the Prince of Wales, it was adopted by Hollywood stars like Fred Astaire, Cary Grant and Gary Cooper. The jacket was light and comfortable, with heavily padded shoulders, a nipped waist and tapered sleeves.
Trousers
At the beginning of the 1930s, men's pants were most commonly long and wide-legged, like the "Oxford bags" of the 1920s. As the decade progressed, they became more tapered toward the ankle, although still wide at the top. This trend would progress into the 1940s, reaching its apex with the very baggy but tapered trousers of the zoot suit. Another development in the 1930s was the decline of knickerbockers, or plus-fours. These short, baggy golfing trousers were popular during the 1920s, but fell out of fashion in the 1930s.
Accessories and Formal Wear
Hats were still a standard part of menswear in the 1930s. The most common men's hat was the fedora, although the smaller homburg was also still worn. Wide neckties were worn, often with bold and colorful patterns. In formal wear, the dinner jacket or tuxedo was the most common type of evening wear for men, with tailcoats being reserved only for the most formal occasions. White dinner jackets began to be worn in warm climates, and the cummerbund became more common.
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