Before Sephora, before beauty influencers, and long before the modern cosmetics industry exploded, Canadian women discovered makeup through a very specific gateway: the department store. In the 1920s, beauty culture in Canada didn’t begin in salons or Hollywood, it began at Eaton’s Centre “Eaton’s”, Simpson’s, Morgan’s, and Holt Renfrew “Holt’s” – Canada’s upscale department store,Continue reading “Canadian Department Stores and the Birth of Beauty Counters”
Category Archives: fashion
The Canadian Bob: Why It Was Softer, Wavier, and More “Proper”
The bob may be the defining haircut of the 1920s, but the Canadian bob had its own personality — softer, wavier and more “proper” than its American counterpart. While American flappers embraced sharp, dramatic cuts that signalled rebellion, Canadian women adopted the bob with a gentler touch, shaped by British restraint, climate and cultural expectations.Continue reading “The Canadian Bob: Why It Was Softer, Wavier, and More “Proper””
Toronto vs. Montréal Style: British Restraint vs. French Modernism Canadian Flappers
When people imagine the 1920s, they picture New York glamour and Chicago jazz — but Canada had its own flapper divide, shaped by two very different cultural identities. Toronto and Montréal weren’t just cities; they were two competing visions of modern womanhood. Toronto, still deeply influenced by British social norms, embraced a flapper style thatContinue reading “Toronto vs. Montréal Style: British Restraint vs. French Modernism Canadian Flappers”
Why American Flappers Preferred Montréal Over Toronto in the 1920s
American flappers referred to Montreal as the “Paris of North America” in the 1920s. When American flappers crossed the border in the 1920s, they weren’t looking for polite nightlife or British‑influenced restraint — they wanted glamour, jazz, freedom and a taste of Europe without crossing the Atlantic. Montréal delivered all of it. Toronto did not.Continue reading “Why American Flappers Preferred Montréal Over Toronto in the 1920s”
Canada in the 1940s: War, Work, and Post‑War Femininity
Beauty became more than vanity — it was morale. The government encouraged women to maintain their appearance as a symbol of strength, stability, and national pride. “Looking your best” was framed as contributing to the war effort, boosting spirits at home and abroad. The 1940s were a decade of extremes for Canada — austerity, sacrifice,Continue reading “Canada in the 1940s: War, Work, and Post‑War Femininity”
Canada in the 1930s: Depression‑Era Practicality
The New York 1929 stock market crash hit the Canadian market, the Canadian economy, much like it did in America. Canada, like with America, entered The Great Depression. The 1930s re-shaped Canada more profoundly than many beauty and fashion histories acknowledge. The Great Depression hit Canada harder and longer than the United States, with unemploymentContinue reading “Canada in the 1930s: Depression‑Era Practicality”
