Until the time of Industrial Revolution most of the clothing were produced at home. Every home was a small clothing factory. Women were the ones who usually made the clothing for the whole family; from underpants and nightgowns to coats and dresses.
Ready-to-wear industry was born in the early nineteenth century. It started out badly. Dressmakers produce numerous garments and sell them out for women to sew. The clothes fitted very poorly. But as time passed, the quality had improved. They got used to the sizes and they made a lot of money doing this.
The clothing industry had enhanced more with Eli Whitney's invention of the cotton gin. Cotton gins separate the fibers from the seeds, which caused the increase of production. For the first time in history, these two inventions made it possible for ready-to-wear clothes to be exceptionally cheap to purchase than before.
Early Twentieth Century of Fashion: 1990s-1950s.
The first fifty years of the century were full of tragic events. Two world wars killed millions of citizens. There were Russian Revolution and Stalinist purges, the Great Depression in the thirties, Adolf Hitler' dictatorship in Nazi and the massacre of the Jews, and the dropping of atomic bombs assuming to end the war, World War II.
By 1900s, people made transportation and communication better developed. They communicated and kept in touch through the phones, mails, telegraphs, or undersea cables. They traveled conveniently and faster by the newly invented trains and by steamships.
Henry Ford, the maker of the affordable Model T automobile, introduced the shorted workweek that influenced working citizens for more leisure time and travel. Automobile also stimulated sports and other athletic activities. People reached ballparks, stadiums, tracks, courts, gyms, beaches, golf courses and recreation centers faster and efficiently. Plus, sports influenced clothing. Comfortable clothes were designed specifically for certain sports.