From oriental opulence to wartime utility: how the 1910s reshaped the female silhouette

Cultures · Published 2 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: The 1910s began with flowing, exotic silks and ended with practical, shorter hemlines. Driven by a mania for Orientalism and the harsh necessities of World War I, fashion underwent a radical transformation that paved the way for the iconic, liberated styles of the Jazz Age.

The decade opened with a dramatic shift toward lithe, fluid silhouettes, moving away from the rigid structures of the 1900s. This era was defined by a fascination with 'Orientalism'—sparked by the 1910 Paris performance of the Ballets Russes' *Scheherazade*—and a neoclassical revival of the early 19th-century Empire style. Designers like Paul Poiret translated these trends into vivid kimonos, turbans, and flowing pantaloons, while Mariano Fortuny patented a unique pleating process in 1910 to create his signature 'Delphos' sheath dresses.

As the decade progressed, the silhouette underwent significant structural changes. Early in the period, high waistlines just below the bust were the standard, but these gradually dropped to the natural waist by mid-decade. By 1914, the 'hobble skirt'—a garment widest at the hips and narrow at the ankle—made long strides nearly impossible. However, the onset of World War I forced a pivot from opulence to necessity. As women entered the workforce, they demanded practical garments, leading to the rise of the 'war crinoline'—fuller, calf-length skirts promoted by the *Gazette du Bon Ton* in 1915 as both patriotic and practical.

This period also saw the birth of modern luxury and lifestyle shifts. Coco Chanel began introducing costume jewelry, using glass or crystal beads to replace expensive necklaces as funds were diverted to the war effort. Meanwhile, the rise of active pursuits like dance and sport encouraged women to remove restrictive corsets, leading manufacturers to develop lighter, more flexible 'dance corsets.' By 1919, the waistlines had become even more lowered and undefined, setting the stage for the 1920s.

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