Fashion
Popular Fashion
1900-1909
Using soap began to be considered a virtue. Charles Nestle invented the permanent wave machine. Ping pong was very popular but mainly played by the rich. In 1900 The American boy became The American Man. The fashion for this period was formal and romantic. Men wore long trousers, a cap with goggles, a linen duster, a lightweight, cotton knit shirt. Women wore a corset with long hips, a garder, a skirt, and high buttoned shoes. The hobble skirt was very popular. Bobbed hair made its way into this time. Hats were large and very popular.
Unpopular Fashion
1900-1909
Empress Dowager Tz'u-hsi outlawed the binding of woman's feet. The rage for ostrich feathers for ladies' hats and boas threatened the species. Speeding was found dangerous and in 1906 15 states had speed limits of 20 miles per hour.