A Historic Rossland Look Book!

Sep 13

While summer is quickly coming to an end, the summer fashions featured in this year’s Golden City Days-inspired Outreach exhibit at Curiosity Clothing are a must-see!

From the high collars and long skirts of the early 1900s to the bell-bottom, silhouettes of the 1960s and 1970s, fashion has continued to change since Rossland was founded in 1897. Take a stylish look through Rossland’s history with us!

The City of Rossland was developed by a mix of miners, business owners, service workers, government officials, and families. At the time, women’s fashion was dominated by high necklines, long sleeves, and long, bell-shaped skirts. Men during this period commonly wore three-piece suits consisting of trousers, a vest, and a frock coat. Men expressed their individuality through their accessories, especially with their neckties allowing for a pop of colour!

A2022.016.138 - Ladies having tea circa 1900s - 1910

A2022.016.089 - Ada Brett with Granddaughter, circa 1930s

The 1920s saw Rossland and the rest of the world trying to reset after the First World War. Fashion trends also started to shift. Simplicity and practicality were now front and centre. Gone were the lace-adorned, full-skirt gowns and formal three-piece suits of the Victorian/Edwardian era. In their place were sportswear and tubular “la garçonne” or flapper-style dresses, and casual two-piece suits. Daytime flapper dresses were less elaborate than their night-time counterparts but shared the shift dress style.

The world was once again rocked by another World War in the late 1930s, and the stress and restrictions of that period carried into the 1940s. Simplistic, utilitarian styles resulted from rationing during the war, but by 1947, “The New Look” for women was blossoming. For men, the popular style was the “Zoot Suit,” which consisted of an oversized suit tailored down. The 1950s saw the popularization of the poodle skirt and pinup fashion for young women. For men, there was also the rise of “youth culture” with style icons such as James Dean and Marlon Brando as inspiration.

2311.0138 - Dan Com showcasing typical late 1940s - 1950s men’s wear during the Rossland High School students Snake Parade May 15, 1957.

Women’s matching sets with wide bottom trousers from the 1970s (source: Eaton’s Catalogue).

The 1960s were an exciting time in Rossland with its first Olympic champion and a shift to follow the fashion trends of the rest of North America. While bright colours and colour-blocking were all the rage, there were conflicting styles as well. It was during this time that skirt suits were popular thanks to Jackie O’, but the mini skirt and short shorts were also introduced. For men, there again was a mix of styles, suits for some, casual for others. One change that marked this era for menswear were brightly-coloured patterns. These trends continued into the 1970s and women were looking for clothing that allowed them more freedom like jumpsuits and the ever-popular, bell-bottom pants. Often deemed the “Peacock Revolution,” the 1970s saw men’s wear get even bolder and brighter.

Developed by our collections/archive assistant Kestra, Rossland’s Historic Summer Look Book features fashions from four time periods in Rossland’s history. We have also delved into the archives and picked out photos of some of Rossland’s most fashionable. Rossland’s Historic Summer Look Book will be on site at Curiosity Clothing & Gifts until September 23.