Amelia Earhart’s Fashion Development
In 1933 customers could choose from a diversity of dresses, skirts, tops, and more. It was a transmission from the usual clothes, which would become increasingly popular over time. Another particular feature of Earhart’s clothes is that the women could buy “separately”: instead of a full dress, the women could wear them with other clothes and create their own hedonistic style.
It’s amazing how much Earhart has managed to do in her short life. Surprisingly, the clothing line did not include the piece of clothing for which Earhart was famous: it was her leather bomber jacket.
While Earhart anticipated an enduring trend, Amelia Earhart Fashions wouldn’t be leading the charge. Amidst the Great Depression, disposable income was scarce. Though Earhart had a talking point in interviews that the price of the clothing wouldn’t reach “new altitudes”—dresses sold for around $30, or just over $625 in today’s dollars—it was more than the market could bear. The line didn’t last, and Earhart focused on her flying skills.
In 1935, Earhart set more records, including becoming the first person to fly solo from Honolulu to Oakland, Los Angeles to Mexico City, and Mexico City to Newark. Famously, she essentially vanished on July 2, 1937, just a few weeks shy of her fortieth birthday, with theories on her fate ranging from crashing into the Pacific to being captured by Japanese forces.
It’s amazing how much Earhart was able to accomplish in her short life. And while her aviation career gets most of the attention, it’s clear she had her sights set on achieving a lot more.
Curiously, the clothing line lacked the one piece of apparel Earhart was best known for: A leather bomber jacket.
