At the onset of the 20th century, the fashion industry had begun to grow significantly. Still, the influence of the ‘Belle Époque’ remained, characterized by the hourglass-shaped and elaborate clothes of the era. These clothes were very much alike the items used during the era of Charles Worth who is considered the fashion pioneer. At that time, there were little changes in the way people designed and wore their clothes. The fashion industry, although growing by leaps and bounds, still was not characterized by radical changes in the way industry movers designed and manufactured clothes.

In the 1900s, eye-catching clothes and outfits were the trend. Couturiers made conscious efforts to design and tailor elaborate and extravagant clothes. One of the earliest fashion trends then was the S-bend silhouette. Another was the S-bend corset, which was characterized by tight laced at the waist, forcing the hips further back. The corset also thrust forward the mono bosom, in effect making an S-shape. Later, the trend became more on straight and slim clothes, with the high –wasted line of clothes introduced by Paul Poiret.

Meanwhile the Maison Redfern was soon established, making it the earliest fashion house to provide tailored suits to women. The tailored suit would soon become an essential piece of women clothing. The designer hat would also become another indispensable piece of women clothing. During that time, fashionable hats had little confections hanging on top, or were trimmed with flowers and ribbons. Parasols were likewise used for decorative purposes.