In fashion, every action precedes a reaction. Those of a certain age will recall, for example, how the miniskirt was followed immediately by the maxi-skirt. Such whiplash progressions aren’t new at ...

On Oct. 21, 1910, the live musical comedy “The White Hen” opened at Petaluma’s Hill Opera House, setting off a new fashion craze in town. The fashion foray was led by the traveling theater company’s ...

Aug. 24, 1912: Los Angeles Police Lt. John L. Butler of the traffic squad declares war on “hobble skirts,” with hemlines so snug that they allow women to take steps of only 8 mincing inches as they ...

In Paris, U.S. buyers last week crowded into Dressmaker Christian Dior’s salon for the spring showing. They hoped once again to be agreeably shocked by the man whose long hemlines last year helped ...