woman clothes: July 2010

The 1932 summer Olympics, hosted by Los Angeles, took place in July-August, inspiring an Olympic theme in sportswear that season. The five colors of the Olympic rings were reproduced in wooden bead necklaces, in Bakelite bangles, in stripes on sweaters and scarves, belts, bathing suits, and hat bands. Though the worldwide economic depression meant that fewer people could actually attend the games, it was easy to add a little Olympic flair to your wardrobe, as Ladies Home Journal described that August:

Forget all you’ve been told about this color going with that and prepare to mix your primaries. This summer the red-blue-green-yellow-black of the Olympic insignia are jumbled together to ensemble the gayest sports wardrobe fashion has presented in many a year. They’re running rings around all the new sports clothes. So prepare to radiate in these colors whether you’re going to adorn a front seat in California’s giant stadium or root for the home team in your own ball park.

But don’t think for a moment that the well-dressed have completely deserted their stand-bys – the double-breasted, big buttoned sports coat, the beret, the white sleeveless dress, the linen suit or the sun-tan bathing outfit. They have not, and neither should you. But look in this picture and see what’s happened to the old dears! Just look at the girls on the cover! Think what these very giddy Olympic accessories will do for you. Think what they’ll do to last year’s hangovers. Why, the most non-committal white dress attached to a sheaf of five colored bracelets, a five-ringed scarf and beret, becomes dramatic. In fact, this year, as never before, smart dressing is all in the mixing, and who could resist this gay call to the colors?

-Dorothy Shaver
Vice President, Lord & Taylor, New York City

Bakelite clips like this could be picked up cheaply and attached to a neckline, a purse, or a scarf for instant Olympic chic. (1930s blue Bakelite often appears black today).

The presence of Hollywood stars like Virginia Bruce added glamour to the X Olympiad.

Some ladies of the U.S. and Canadian track and field teams: Jane Shilley (left), the great Babe Didrikson (center) and Mildred Frizell (right). The ’32 games were the first to feature women’s track & field events.

Interestingly, we came across very little evidence that this trend was revived for the 1936 summer Olympics, hosted by Berlin. Rather, the location of the games seems to have sparked a renewed interest in Tyrolean and “Bavarian Peasant” fashions (perhaps the story behind this amazing 1930s Tyrolean outfit from Coronet Weeds on Etsy?); the only reference to “Olympic colors” we came across for summer of '36 was a suggestion that peasant blouses might be embroidered with the five colors of the Olympic rings.

Continuing the ladies’ sportswear theme as promised….

The carefree lady golfer image was a favorite for advertisers in the 1920s and ‘30s as the sport gained popularity among women players. Unlike some other sports, there does not appear to have been any particular golfing “uniform.” Any spectator sports dress that allowed for proper freedom of movement; knitwear; skirt with a sweater or "tuck in" blouse; divided skirts and culottes were all commonly worn on the links. We'll let the images speak for themselves.

1924 Judge humor magazine cover, "The right stick to wear on an approach." In the '20s they seem to have favored a white background with a colorful accent (scarf, sweater, etc.).

A 1925 golfer. From Modes & Manners magazine.

July 1932

Jean Harlow was often photographed on the links.

All in yellow, 1934.

Outdoor Girl cosmetics used the lady golfer image on their packaging.

"There's a new swing on the dance floor... and Macy's follows through with a new swing on the golf course." Gray flannel culottes and tuck in shirt. Also came in lemon yellow, blue, leaf green or brown Croydon check. Manhatter felt cloche, precial golf shoe with spikes, and ankle socks of Shetland. At right, chamois cardigain and chamois half-fingered golf gloves. 1936.

California's I Magnin's culottes of wool knit with cord belt and sports shirt of contrasting color. Visor in linen. 1936.

This complete ladies' golf outfit from around the same time as the above ads came up on eBay several years ago. It still breaks our hearts that it wasn't our size - not even close.