The 1920’s, known as the Roaring 20’s or the Jazz age, dawned a whole new age and an upheaval in social acceptability.

With the last dark remnants of the Great War fading away and Jazz coming to England from America, a new generation were letting loose and breaking all conformities as a new breed known as ‘Flappers’ were born.

Throwing out the corsets and bringing up hem lines, flappers were frowned up for their excessive use of makeup, smoking and drinking,and for treating sex in such a casual manner. Some even drove automobiles; quite simply, they were breaking every rule, discarding old social expectations and challenging traditional gender stereotypicilisations.

Entertainment was at a high, with jazz clubs springing up where youths could dance dances like the lindy hop and the Charleston, while entertainers like Charlie Chaplin graced the silver screen.

The twenties also saw rises in a Gang culture, with the likes of Al Capone, Frank Costello and Johnny Torrio at large in America. The Gangster look, with a suit, braces, tie, trilby hat and often a tommy gun, is one that’s often re-created for Fancy Dress.

There have been numerous films and movies depicting life in the 20’s, one of the most notable being The Great Gatsby, a novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald which has recently been made into a movie, directed by Baz Luhrman and staring Leonardo DiCaprio. The story is based in America in the twenties, where prohibition was in full force and all inhibitions were out the window.

 

How to dress as a flapper

The Dress

Moving away from tightly fitted, corseted gowns they had been restrained to before, flapper dresses were straight and loose, fitting to the hips rather than the waist with the hem rising to the knee.

Stockings 

Silk stockings were held up by garters and many girls applied rouge to the knees, to give the boys something to look at should he catch a glimpse as the dress rose while dancing.

Accessories

Jewelled or feathered headbands became popular among woman, along with elongated cigarette holders, long gloves and strands of pearls which could be looped numerous times.

Shoes

 High heels were coming into fashion, with heals reaching 2-3 inches high and usually sporting a strap around the ankle.

Hair

Flappers hair was primarily cut into a short bob or something like what we’d now call a pixie cut , a first for women and a bold statement.