Vintage Pix | 1920s Costume Ideas

A few tips on dressing up for a 1920s costume party

Copyright 200l C.M. Brady (This article is adapted from one that I wrote in 1999 for Chinqua-Penn Plantation's Gatsby Day preview in the Greensboro, NC, News and Record.)

On this page: Ideas For Women - Ideas For Men
Back to 1920s Dress Resources - Vintage Pix : 1920s & 1930s

General Suggestions
You can choose from a variety of approaches, from converting and accessorizing items in your own closet to making costumes using patterns available commercially. I do not recommend wearing vintage clothing from the era, because you can do irreparable damage to an irreplaceable item. Many older fabrics are very fragile, tearing easily, and you may not be able to remove stains without damaging the material.

Remember to dress for the climate and situation. If you're going to be outside on a hot day, you don't want to wear a fur wrap, however nifty it looks. Summer fabrics of the period included cotton, linen, silk, and even rayon. This article focusses on summer wear. In winter, of course, if you're not going to be somewhere well-heated, you don't want to stand shivering in a sheer sleeveless flapper dress. However, you might have a lovely shawl that will add a nice touch to your costume. Will you be dancing or just sitting around? If you plan to be active, wear something comfortable that you don't have to worry about falling apart.

As an interesting sidenote (if you're one of those people attempting to be somewhat accurate in costume) although zippers (called "automatic slide fasteners") were sometimes used on luggage and boots in the 1920s, they were not generally used in clothing until the early 1930s. Dresses, shirts and pants were usually fastened with buttons, snaps and hooks.

For Women
Starting at the top, a basic summer outfit could include a wide-brimmed hat or close-fitting cloche hat. If you don't have a hat, you can tie a colorful scarf around your head. With more formal dress or party clothes you could wear a bandeau across your forehead, a slim headband often decorated with beads, sequins and a feather.

Short hair became fashionable, ranging in length from the bob, which hung just below the ears, to the extremely short Eton crop. Women who kept their hair long could wrap it into an elegant bun or chignon at the nape of the neck. Jewelry might include dangling earrings and a long necklace of pearls or colorful beads.

The ideal shape for women's figures in fashion illustrations was slim and straight, and dresses had low waistlines, often hanging around the hips. Hemlines varied in height, depending on the year's fashion and a woman's age. In the first half of the decade, dresses hung at about mid-calf. After 1925, hems rose to just below the knee. A young, daring flapper might wear her hem higher than an older or more conservative lady. Summer dresses could be short-sleeved or sleeveless.

You can find many shoes today similar to styles available in the 1920s. Add buckles or decorative buttons to a modern pair of pumps or wear shoes with t-straps or cross-straps. Pale stockings became popular in the 1920s, replacing the black stockings worn in the 1910s.

For Men
In the 1920s, hats were considered an important accessory for men as well as women. Straw boaters and Panama hats are perfect for summer weather. Other popular hat styles include the homburg and the fedora. Men often parted their hair in the middle, slicking it down with pomade. Round metal-rimmed spectacles add a nice touch.

A light-colored suit (vest optional) with a Oxford-style shirt and a tie or bowtie can pass for 1920s summerwear. Men often had a sharp crease ironed down the center of each trouser leg, and "turn-ups" or cuffs had been popular since the early 1900s .

A lace-up leather shoe in black, brown, tan or white would be appropriate. Square-toed shoes came into fashion by the late 1920s. Other masculine accessories include suspenders, pocket watch, tie pin and cufflinks.

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