Cocktails and its accompanying special attire is truly a American invention.
If it became socially acceptable for women to drink in public they had to have a proper wardrobe for their new found social activities, from the jazz babies of the 1920’s speakeasies to the darlings of the 70’s discos.
While clothing for drinking and dancing had to be chic, sexy and a little less formal than an evening gown, dressier than day wear. Cocktail wear was born. This is where it starts getting interesting, right? Designers were only Now look, the fabric rationing of the war years presented a special challenge for 1940’s clothing manufacturers. American designers were left to their own creativity, without Paris couture to look to for fashion inspiration. Sky was the limit as country’s economy boomed, right after the war. So this afforded women a few more fashion options for the cocktail hour. GI’s returning from the Pacific brought gifts of clothing from exotic locales. Today cocktail party attire very often reflects the glamour of the past, as designers continue to incorporate elements of these classic vintage styles into their current creations.