The First World War influenced every part of daily life, like fashion. With men away at the front and women working in fields or factories, clothes had to be practical. Hoop skirts went out of fashion. Instead, skirts became shorter and wider. Darker colours became predominant. This tendency was further enforced by the scarcity of materials brought on by the war.

Conditions at the front necessitated change as well. The French Army, which had until then worn its traditional blue and red uniforms, switched to blue grey clothing, which offered better camouflage.