1920s - fashion with fun, whimsy and chic

[goldwyn girl]

These beauties were on display at a local antique mall here in Vegas.

And my favorite

 

[cherry lips]

DIVINE! <3 I'm a sucker for ribbons...

 

[Mojito]

Gorgeous, Goldwyn Girl! The first one is a later revivial piece, is it? A very nice dress - those tiers of fringe in the skirt would give you some great movement.

The second one would look fabulous on.

The beaded chemise is also my favourite - so gorgeous. And some of the popular colours of the period, too...particularly the orange. You could do a very interesting collection just on 1920s clothing in shades of orange.

 

[Mojito]

Goldwyn Girl's orange dress sent me on a quest for the colour, as I seem to be running into it a lot these days. I've done a 180 on orange - used to rather dislike it (influenced by cultural background, perhaps?), but now I think its often fabulous in its many incarnations. Apparently they thought so too in the 1920s. Here are some that are generally in that end of the spectrum, with a few seguing into other shades.

From antiquedress.com (first two are actually a bit pre 1920s...the second is dated to 1919, but I wouldn't be shocked if someone said earlier):

 

[Mojito]

From Vintagetextile.com:

Beautiful Asian influenced design on this silk chiffon.

These next two are from the Kansas Historical Society site

Orange Floral Brocade, 1920s

This striking party dress is made of orange and yellow floral brocade.

The frock is basically a straight sheath, appliquéd with wide bias ruffles that create an uneven hemline extending almost to the ankles in back.

Arrow-shaped tabs have been appliquéd to the bottom of the v-neckline.

Orange Georgette, 1929

Stella Miller wore this frock for her graduation in 1929.

Made of orange georgette, the dress is lined with a pink rayon slip. Vertical shirred bands decorate the bodice. The dropped waistline is trimmed with metallic braid studded with rhinestones. The dress' flounced handkerchief hem skirt would have fluttered as Stella walked across the stage.

I found this one striking, as I have a near identical dress in a pastel, pink/peach sort of shade (it has a French label - must check it):

 

[Mojito]

Georges Barbier, naturally, had something to say about it all:

 

[Mojito]

And some of my orange (or "orangy") pieces:

 

[goldwyn girl]

Mojito, this one is so beautiful !!! Who would have thought orange would have been so prevalent on the 1920's. You look fabulous in 20's style. Lots of these pieces were for sale as well. More photo's are in the Display Case section
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=40453

 

[olive bleu]

MOJITO..do you have any pics of the back of your head??? or any pics to show what you feel is "correct" for an inverted bob?I have had mine cut like this for about the past 4-5 years in the summer and then just let it go ragged in the winter, which is where i am now..heading off to get shorn again in a couple weeks and would just like to see how my stylist measures up

 

[Lillemor]

They're all stunning and I'm a sucker for deep shades of orange, red and coral. Orange won't suit me but I'd love to show up at a party in a 1920s dress in a bright red or coral tone. I think that's unexpected to most modern people who often associate 1920s evening wear with black and dark colors. Fx. my MIL wore a retro 1920s style black/wine red dress which was beautiful and just what people envision when they think of 1920s styles.

The middle one or the one goldwyn girl also referred to is my favorite now.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

And happily, orange is back in fashion: http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=39883


.

 

[cherry lips]

Up until now, I didn't know that orange was popular in the 20s. Orange reminds me of India, perhaps the color became fashionable due to the British colonies?.. Some of these dresses make me think of India for other reasons than the color too...

(Personally I'm not fond of bright orange, but the related shades can be lovely.)

 

[Lillemor]

Up until now, I didn't know that orange was popular in the 20s. Orange reminds me of India, perhaps the color became fashinable due to the Britsih colonies?.. Some of these dresses make me think of India for other reasons than the color too...
lovely.)

You might have a point there. I hadn't thought of that. Lucky those of you who can wear orange.

 

[Mojito]

Looks like they had some lovely pieces, Goldwyn Girl. Interesting thoughts on the connection with India, Cherry Lips. Saffron is a very popular colour thoughout the sub-continent and other parts of Asia (particularly as worn by Buddhist monks) and other associated colours are worn as well:

(photo taken in Cambodia at the Angkor Wat complex)

So I think there is good reason for you to associate it with the East, which would tie in with the Orientalism of the teens and twenties. The popularity of the Ballets Russe and designers looking to Asia for inspiration helped introduce a stronger colour pallette in the teens, replacing some of the softer Edwardian pastel shades. That Orientalism (a Western interpretation of Eastern design, including India) is also seen in the actual design, so I can understand why you'd be reminded of India in more than just the colour scheme.

Olive Bleau, I've had a hunt around and can't seem to find any shots of the back of my head sans hats and bandeaux, and only a profile shot or two. The trickest part, I think, is the treatment of the hairline. I have dark hair with a low hairline, so it's a bit tricky, particularly as I don't like shaving up to the base of my skull! In addition, the new hairdresser has pointed out that I have whorls/hairlicks on the tendons near the base of my skull that go different ways, which is why in the past the cut has never been quite equal there (I'd assumed it was because the hairline was uneven).

Even for the dutch doll/page boy/cleopatra etc etc bob (aka "The Bob of a Thousand Names"), you'd know how different the treatment could be - shingled vs. a blunt cut a la Colleen Moore. This v-shape was popular:

But as I don't like shaving (although the stylist will trim along the bottom), mine tends to be more straight across. I'll also go shorter on the top layer so it can be angled forward slightly to the longest point in front:

(Sorry...it's almost inevitable we bring her into a discussion of bobs!)

The back of my head looks a bit like this when the bob is in good order:

This is closer to my preferred length these days:

(Disclaimer: No, I do not in any way imagine I look like Brooksie! It takes more than a dutch doll bob to create a Lulu, and it would be rather hubristic to think otherwise...but she's a classic example of a refined version of an extremely popular 20s hairstyle that happens to suit my colouring and hair texture).

Lillemor, you'd look stunning in those shades! I love red too, and am still looking for a deep red evening dress leaning away from the orange-red hues. A friend commented on the Chinoise dress that she's decided she thinks I look better in deeper and richer shades rather than pastels. I do quite like those going towards the pinker end of the spectrum - salmon, terracotta etc.

 

[sixsexsix]

how did she get that nice little swoop at the front? i bobbed my hair a couple years ago but was never able to maintain that nice little side point

 

[cherry lips]

(Disclaimer: No, I do not in any way imagine I look like Brooksie! It takes more than a dutch doll bob to create a Lulu, and it would be rather hubristic to think otherwise...but she's a classic example of a refined version of an extremely popular 20s hairstyle that happens to suit my colouring and hair texture).

A little hubris wouldn't hurt you, my dear

 

[Laura Chase]

how did she get that nice little swoop at the front? i bobbed my hair a couple years ago but was never able to maintain that nice little side point

I found that you really just need to style it, it's not exclusively the cut that does it, although you do need your front to be a little longer. I usually took some gel or something like that and used a round brush to blow-dry it to bend like that.

 

[Lillemor]

Mojito, there are pastels for everyone. Some suit the powdery/dusty pastels, I suit the clear, icy ones. There are ruddier shades of pastels as well. I suit the cooler ones better than the warmer but I can wear icy pink just fine. I'm wearing a lot of coral pink this Spring but I haven't found anything in coral red other than the lipstick hub bought me. My 1920s retro dresses are black/burgundy and black so I save them for Fall/winter and either wear them with a loose cardigan over them or turtle necks under them for a modern retro influenced look. The black one is of course very versatile and can go from casual day dress to informal evening dress.

I don't dress 1920s inspired very often so I'll probably stick to plain colored, simple ones I can dress up or down. I've not seen any cheap retro 1920s styles that looked very good on and they're usually too modern. The waist line on mine fall at the right place on me because it's a modern style that's supposed to sit higher in a modern way on a taller woman. The length is right on me too; below knees.

I'm wondering if the sleeves on mine are the most modern/unauthentic detail? They're 3/4 and loose on one and long and loose with elastic gathering at the wrist on the other one.

The jewelry I wear isn't often the cliche´ with the long necklaces but just generally ethnic/Egyptian inspired costume jewelry.

I don't have 1920s retro shoes so I've been wearing my dresses with discrete Mao shoes.

 

[olive bleu]

Thanks Mojito for the hair pics..i haven't been able to find any pictures of the back of the head except for Louise either..( which is why i was hoping to see yours )when i am feeling especially reckless i will sometimes get the back shaved..i have to say , it does feel delicious after wearing my hair longer all winter. I need to decide exactly what it is i am doing before i see my stylist or else i will have to be at his mercy...any hoo..back to fashion..

 

[Mojito]

Sorry that some of those images had dodgy links - I've tried to fix them now.

Laura, I agree that styling has to be involved in Louise's hair as well as the cut (in addition to the natural texture). There are scenes in her movies when you can see the hair "clumping" together a bit when her head is thrown back, e.g. when she's swooning backwards into a character's arms in "Diary of a Lost Girl", that indicate use of product.

I use a bit of Pantene leave in conditioner and/or a tiny tiny dab of hairwax, let my hair dry naturally, and shape it a few times as it dries with both brush and fingers. Otherwise, it will sometimes go simply straight down or flick out on one side. I can't quite get those perfect angles, but I can get a bit of forward point:

Just have to watch it doesn't go *too* far forward!

Olive Bleu, how responsive do you find your stylist? Do they ever resist what you're asking for when you're having your bob shaped?

Lillemor, clear and icy would be very attractive indeed - I've seen some gorgeous ice blue flapper dresses, including this one which Sharon Stone wore to a film premiere (it is vintage 1920s):

1920s shoes are the most difficult thing for me as well - all mine, save for some in the collection that don't fit me, are vintage style or repro. But I imagine your feet are more petite so you could probably find some good pairs in your size!

Cherry Lips, I feel for the 50s girls who get "Betty Paige" whenever they wear their hair or clothes in a certain way (although fortunately I've never encountered any hostility, unlike some of them). On one hand, it's terribly flattering. On the other, there's "But I look nothing like her!" Brooksie was petite and with a gorgeous dancer's body and grace. I'm tall and, while reasonably athletic, built a very different way and with strong features, not her delicately moulded ones. And not many people have her clear, unwavering gaze. Still, it's nice that so many people recognise the cultural reference point. I'm considering more fingerwaving when I get to Napier next year. May even try a decent wig for a quick hair colour and style change...I'd love to give a really curly bob with a bandeau wrapped around it a try!