This post is from our archive. Some of the vintage items shown may therefore be sold out, but you can still find current vintage-inspired dresses, shoes and accessories here.
Inspired by the French Riviera
Fashion from the French Riviera in the 1930s
Summer vacation, the Riviera, the beach, sun and summer. Every year, we look forward to the summer and the holidays.
As we have received the absolutely fantastic 1930s tops from The House of Foxy, we are introducing them with a story about how holidays, fashion, sunbathing, and the French Riviera are connected.
The place that became iconic for bathing and beach fashion was the French Riviera in the 1920s and 1930s. During the Prohibition era in the USA, wealthy Americans flocked to Europe, and especially to the Riviera, where they could both party and drink! But to understand how the French Côte d'Azur became so alluring in the first place, we have to go back a bit further; originally, the coast was nothing more than a series of small fishing villages.
Royals discover the Côte d'Azur
It likely began when it became beneficial for those with respiratory ailments, such as tuberculosis, to travel to the French south coast. This paved the way for a railway line to be built in the mid-19th century, connecting the French Côte d'Azur with the rest of Europe. With it, large hotels and casinos were also established. This happened as the wealthy and royal began to flock there from all over the continent.
In the early days of the French Riviera, names like Queen Victoria, Tsar Alexander II, Napoleon III, Leopold II, and the Prince of Wales (the future Edward VII) were among the Côte d'Azur's many majestic tourists.
In the interwar years, artists, writers, creatives, and cultural personalities followed, such as F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, Gertrude Stein, Cole Porter, Rudolph Valentino, Harpo Marx, Pablo Picasso, and Coco Chanel.
Coco Chanel at the Riviera
Sunbathing as a fashion trend emerged when celebrities like Coco Chanel returned to Paris with a tanned complexion after a summer in her Riviera villa. Sunbathing became so popular that two-piece bathing sets were created to expose more skin to the sun, the forerunner to the bikini. Not only that, but people began using sun oil to get even more sun. These sun oils also had a special scent that people brought home, and it became so popular that they wanted these as fragrances as well. Sunbathing was simply the biggest craze.
Beach trousers – for women! And light beach tops.
Fashion on the Riviera.
Many things converged: women's suffrage, liberation from the corset, and sport as fashion meant new and freer garments. This also paved the way for the new beach sets. Life was meant to be lived more lightly than before, and this was the place to do it.
The style was loose, bathrobe-like jackets/dresses, wide-legged so-called 'pyjama' trousers, and small sun tops, accompanied by a straw hat for shade. In fact, the outfit was simply called Beach Pyjamas; perhaps people could not yet imagine that this type of clothing could be used anywhere other than on holiday? Shorter dresses and culottes for things like playing tennis also became popular.
Holidays by law
At the same time, something revolutionary happened that involved the working class. In 1936, paid holidays were introduced in France for the first time. Paid holiday was a newly won luxury that, in these few first years before the war, was gladly spent on the French coasts, where people happily adopted the new Riviera style. Suddenly, it also became 'in' to sunbathe, and people also adopted the new beach fashion, such as trousers!
All the major designers followed the trend; from Coco Chanel to Schiaparelli, Lanvin, Vionnet, Poiret, and Jean Patou, all created these sets for their wealthy clientele who promenaded on the French sunny coast. At home, the less wealthy followed suit; on their sewing machines, they sewed these new, daring sets, for which patterns were now available in the many sewing and needlework magazines.
New vintage Riviera tops from The House of Foxy
The wonderful new tops from The House of Foxy are precisely inspired by the time and style on the Riviera in the 30s. The tops are suitable for warm days as well as festive evenings, and the cut makes them perfect for carefree leisure. In the best 30s style, both tops tie at the neck with a halterneck. One has a wider strap that even creates a slight cowl effect at the front, the other has a cord and a small keyhole detail. One top further features a lovely tie-string to adjust the waist. Both are made in the most wonderful linen/viscose blend and feature the so-called chevron pattern—stripes that form an arrow—a very popular Art Deco pattern and something seen frequently in the 1930s fashion landscape.
The beautiful stripes also create a nautical feel, and the slightly dusty colours fit beautifully into any vintage-style wardrobe.
Vintage-style Riviera trousers - Beach Pyjamas
For the absolutely perfect vintage look, you can choose to wear the lovely new tops with one of the latest bestsellers from The House of Foxy: the Riviera trousers! Like our other vintage-style trousers, these wonderful trousers have wide legs, but they distinguish themselves with a wide waistband that forms a V at the front. It creates the perfect 30s look, and it is also just super flattering.
You can also choose to wear the tops with the lovely shorts for an even more sporty look.
Scarves in the hair and turbans on the head are also just the style.
You can, of course, style your new Riviera top in a countless number of ways. Whether you go all out with the 30s look and the wide Riviera trousers, or choose to mix and match with, for example, a pair of nice high-waisted jeans or a pencil skirt, is entirely up to you.
Alternatively, come down to the store, where we will gladly guide you to exactly the right Riviera look.
Summer greetings,
Team Mondo Kaos
MONDO KAOS DIARIES
House models for Mondo Kaos - Inspiration and Fashion Joy for Everyone At Mondo Kaos, our goal is to show how clothes can bring joy and confidence to all women. Our collections, ranging from tru...
Socks, Gloves, Berets, and Knits for Your Autumn and Winter Vintage Wardrobe Autumn is well underway, and that means lovely, warm accessories for your feminine vintage wardrobe.We all know those da...
Dive into Mondo Kaos' selection of warm and stylish outerwear As winter approaches and the cold starts to set in, it's time to upgrade your wardrobe with functional outerwear that can also be ...