When the year 1932 came around, Hollywood had just endured a horrendous year of mass movie hysteria, and thus fashion trends were not quite as positive or noticeable as they would have been throughout previous years. However, with the onset of World War II, movies took a turn towards more serious topics of entertainment, and this is what led to the fashion industry really starting to get worried. Suddenly Hollywood was going back to its roots, and it was fashion that was getting more attention from the masses than ever before. It seemed as though Hollywood had finally woken up to the fact that the time was ripe for change, and they were making major changes in their fashion designs. 1930s fashions were not coming back in style, but there was still an air of retro air about the fashion industry that was noticeable during the thirties fashion look.
Many of the old standards like dotted collars and fringed skirts were being abandoned in favor of simpler, more modern collars and stripes. Also, a look for simplicity with bright colors was starting to gain popularity among the masses. This trend towards bright colors and simplicity was reflected in many clothing items that were released throughout the year and was one of the largest influences on the 1932 fashion trends that would shape the rest of the decade. Red was no longer a color to be avoided and was now becoming a popular choice in many clothing items.
1932 was also the first year where women were able to vote on the type of clothing they wanted. And the vote was overwhelmingly in favor of brighter colors. The “Big Girl Look” was a huge hit with women across the nation, and the clothing manufacturers soon realized that they would have to incorporate brighter colors if they wanted to continue to appeal to their female customers. However, for those who were against the color change, they were quickly placated by the tremendous success that was seen with these bold colors. Clothing manufacturers became very competitive with each other, and the push towards simplicity continued. As time went by, and the fashions of the twenties and thirties became obsolete, it was back to the fashions of the twenties and the forties that were popular for ladies, and this time was considered “the color era”.