Oversized fashion, distinct from plus-sized fashion, consists of clothing and other accessories that are larger than normal and reflect some sort of attitude, message, or trend of the period at hand. While oversized fashion trends from the 1920s to the turn of the century vary from decade to decade, there are many overarching themes that have been expressed during the past one hundred or so years. Masculinity, for example, has played a large role in many of the underlying communications of the fashions, although virility is manifested differently in the clothing depending on the era. Oversized fashion production, furthermore, runs largely parallel with the states of the American and global economies. Modernly, oversized fashion has taken on a new form - primarily in the realm of oversized accessories.
The 1920s
The 1920s were marked by a post-war aesthetic. After World War I, the fashion world experienced a great switch: from tight corsets and hobble skirts—to shapeless, oversized, and sparsely decorated garments. Women began to wear more comfortable fashions, including blousy skirts and trousers. Further, this era gave birth to sportswear fashion. Sportswear, previously recognized as America's main contribution to fashion, consisted of a casual more relaxed style. Coco Chanel, known as the first modern dressmaker, made one of the greatest contributions to style in the 1920s: the two-piece dress. She created two-piece dresses out of jersey (fabric), a comfortable stretchy fabric. The American public was receptive, embracing this relaxed style, which was perfect for the active woman on the go. The combination of these new ideas yielded this loosely fitted, modernized style. The "boyish figure", moreover, became a prevalent trends of the era, with shapeless silhouettes and dropped waistlines giving a more masculine look to the female figure. The emphasis on a flattened chest revolutionized the construction of undergarments. Along with this new silhouette, 1920s fashions were further modernized by the coming of a new generation of sewing-machines, each with an individual electric motor, enabling designers to create more oversized fashions, while saving time and resources. In contrast to the "boyish figure" were the types of hats and accessories women wore in the Roaring Twenties. Flapper dresses were juxtaposed with oversized hats, often trimmed with large bows, feathers, ribbons, or sequins. Furthermore, bold headbands were often worn to complement women's customarily shorter hair lengths. Since a lot of women's fashion from this decade were quite masculine in style, many women adorned them with accessories that were rather feminine. Music also had an influence in the ways in which fashions evolved. The Jazz Age saw the popularization of flaps in dresses; and stars such as the entertainer Josephine Baker became known for their semi-translucent flapper frocks.
The 1930s The 1930s started in depression and ended with the onset of World War II. With rising unemployment and despair, no industry was left unaffected. In the fashion industry, designers cut their prices and produced new lines of ready-to-wear clothes, along with clothing made of more economical and washable fabrics, such as rayon and nylon. For example, Coco Chanel showed a collection of evening dresses made of cotton and sold dresses reduced by 50%. The fashions of the 1930s were stylish and elegant, with flowing lines and Paris-based coutures. Since many women could not afford to update their wardrobes, women changed their look by resorting to alterations to exemplify the oversized fashion of the 1930s. They used lengthening bands of contrasting fabric and added fur to their hems. This inventive way to put together new articles of clothing gave birth to the "Feedsack Dress"; constructed from the material of a sack of animal feed, these frocks were typically cut similarly to shift dresses. This A-line cuts were boxy and contrasted the slinky and sensual bias-cut dresses that became famous during the same era for their ability to cover the woman's body while clinging to each curve. Furthermore, material was added to collars and sleeves. Another trend rising from the 1930s was the "Banjo Sleeve", created by sewing two rectangular pieces of fabric with the top seam only sewn halfway to allow the arm to flow out. The boxy shape was oversized and blousy. As the era progressed, skirts that flared out fell to the bottom of the calf and sleeves were loosely tied as they fell from the elbow to wrist. From the harsh economic conditions of the time came about the glamorous 1930s in film, and the glamorous clothing worn seen on the screen grew in popularity. Dresses constructed from Chiffon fabric were rather loose-fitting as they flew away from the body, and embodied the elegance that was maintained throughout the 1930s despite the economic struggles.
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