# 1920's Fashion **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 14, 2006, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1920s-fashion/352611 "2006-04-14T01:59:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cockatiel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cockatiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cockatiel)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1920s-fashion/352611/1 "2006-04-14T01:59:54Z")
So I’m going to my friend’s party tomorrow night, and everyone is to dress up as if we’re in the 1920’s (it’s not required, but I’m probably going to be the only one who won’t be dressing up if I don’t). The problem is, I have no idea what the style in the 1920’s was like! I’ve heard of the flappper dresses, but they seem kind of hard to find, considering I only have until about 3 o’clock tomorrow to find an outfit. So is there any easy outfit that I can put together by tomorrow? Since the username is ambigous, just letting you know I’m female. ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1920s-fashion/352611/2 "2006-04-14T02:03:26Z")
Look on [this page](http://www.fashion-era.com/flapper_fashion_1920s.htm) of [this site](http://www.fashion-era.com/index.htm) for ideas. It is possible you have clothing that is close to what was worn in the 20s and didn’t even realize it. Good luck, post a photo if you can. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1920s-fashion/352611/3 "2006-04-14T02:07:42Z")
Adding, scroll clear down to the bottom of the page about Flapper fashions, and find various links to costume drawings. (It is the first link in my previous post.) ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1920s-fashion/352611/4 "2006-04-14T02:20:05Z")
Posting yet again, to point out that one of the latest fashion trends for 2006, the tulip skirt is very like some of the 20s flapper fashions, especially what the model is wearing on [this](http://www.fashion-era.com/Trends_2006/2006_spring_fashion_trends_looks.htm#Skirts_&_Hemlines_) page of the site I linked. Even the accesories and shoes are 20s inspired. ---
**Author:** ![Cockatiel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cockatiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cockatiel)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1920s-fashion/352611/5 "2006-04-14T02:20:16Z")
Thanks for the site. I highly doubt that I have anything in my closet besides maybe a skirt that resembles the 1920’s style. I haven’t hit 20 yet 🙂 . ---
**Author:** ![Cockatiel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cockatiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cockatiel)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1920s-fashion/352611/6 "2006-04-14T02:21:30Z")
Hmm…thanks a lot. Maybe I can find a tulip skirt like that at the mall tomorrow… ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1920s-fashion/352611/7 "2006-04-14T02:26:05Z")
[QUOTE=Cockatiel] Thanks for the site. I highly doubt that I have anything in my closet besides maybe a skirt that resembles the 1920’s style. I haven’t hit 20 yet 🙂 . [/QUOTE] Are you sure? Look at my most recent post. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1920s-fashion/352611/8 "2006-04-14T02:27:17Z")
Wheee! Two simulposts in a row! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Cockatiel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cockatiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cockatiel)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1920s-fashion/352611/9 "2006-04-14T02:30:42Z")
😛 ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1920s-fashion/352611/10 "2006-04-14T03:45:40Z")
Little beaded numbers are pretty popular right now and would probably work. Try [The Costumer’s Manifesto](http://www.costumes.org/) and go to History sorted by Period. Good luck! I LOVE the 20s fashions! ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1920s-fashion/352611/11 "2006-04-14T14:13:00Z")
> **[Flapper](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flapper#Flapper_dress:)** > > Flappers were a subculture of young Western women prominent after the First World War and through the 1920s who wore knee-length skirts (considered short during that period), bobbed their hair, listened to jazz, and flaunted their disdain for prevailing codes of decent behavior. Flappers have been seen as brash for wearing excessive makeup, drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes in public, driving automobiles, treating sex in a casual manner, and otherwise flouting social and sexual norms. As au > [@](#): > > In addition to their irreverent behavior, flappers were known for their style, which largely emerged as a result of the musical style of jazz and the popularization of dancing that accompanied it. Called garçonne in French (“boy” with a feminine suffix), flapper style made them look young and boyish. The short “bob” haircut became popular, only to be replaced later by the shorter “Eaton” or “shingle” which slicked the hair and covered the ears with curls. Flappers did away with their corsets and pantaloons in favor of “step-in” panties. Without corsets, flappers wore simple bust bodices to make their chest hold still when dancing. Without the added curves of a corset they promoted their boyish look, and soon early popular bras were sold to flatten and reduce the appearance of the bust. Flapper dresses were straight and loose, leaving the arms bare and dropping the waistline to the hips. Rayon stockings were attached to garter belts. Skirts rose to just below the knee by 1927, allowing flashes of knee to be seen when a flapper danced or walked through a breeze, although the way they danced made any long loose skirt flap up to show their knees. Flappers powdered or put rouge on their knees to show them off when dancing. A round hat called a cloche usually finished the look. Perhaps most scandalously, flappers also took to wearing make-up, previously restricted to actresses and prostitutes. Popular flapper make-up styles made the skin pale, the lips red, and the eyes black-ringed. All of this encouraged the development of shocking dance styles such as the Charleston, the Shimmy, the Bunny Hug and the Black Bottom. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1920s-fashion/352611/12 "2006-04-14T14:17:42Z")
You can find a lot of drawings of flappers in the works of the immortal Edward Gorey! 🙂[Edward Gorey - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Gorey) ---
**Author:** ![caveman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/caveman/32/7242_2.png) [@caveman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caveman)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1920s-fashion/352611/13 "2006-04-14T14:21:40Z")
If you think you need an energy weapon sidearm of some sort, I’m sure someone will be along to suggest a period-appropriate model. ---
**Author:** ![Kizarvexius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@Kizarvexius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kizarvexius)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1920s-fashion/352611/14 "2006-04-14T14:24:18Z")
For your emergency Roaring 20s fashion primer, watch _Singin’ in the Rain_. Especially the _Beautiful Girl_ number (shudder). ---
**Author:** ![athelas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@athelas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/athelas)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1920s-fashion/352611/15 "2006-04-14T15:05:41Z")
You might also want to consider bringing a 1920s style death ray… Sorry, couldn’t resist.