In Style: 100 Years of Canadian Women's Fashion

Janet Arnett is the former campus manager of adult education at Ontario’s Georgian College. She is the author of Antiques and Collectibles: Starting Small, The Grange at Knock, and 673 Ways to Save Money.

From corsets to hot pants to ostrich feathers to aerobics suits, Routh
has compiled a survey of all the major trends in Canadian women’s wear
from 1900 to 1990. Dusters, tea gowns, micro skirts, crinolines, the
sack, garters, hobble skirts, the granny look—each trend is described,
illustrated and placed in its social context.

The work is structured by decades, with the fashions for each time
block described in relation to the social, cultural, political, and
economic influences of the period. The text is rich in detail, drawing
facts from popular magazines, retailers’ advertisements, and
references to designers and fashion leaders. Formal wear, everyday
clothing, sportswear, coats, and accessories are included. The emphasis
is on pinpointing the essential components of the dominating look of
each decade, showing how overall body silhouette was altered to achieve
the profile considered desirable at the time.

The text is strong, being both factual and anecdotal, but even more
valuable as a fashion reference are the illustrations that conclude the
discussion on each decade. In total there are 148 of these
black-and-white drawings of actual garments selected from museum and
private collections.

The book will be a valuable reference for fashion designers, social
historians, theatre groups, and others with the need for accurate
information on the clothing styles worn by women in Canada over the last
century.