1920s - fashion with fun, whimsy and chic

[Mojito]

Hope no one minds me starting a 1920s fashion thread - I've seen so many fabulous dresses lately that have gone up for high-end auctions, and there have been some amazing examples in recent exhibitions. Miss Bella Hell was kind enough to suggest I start a thread for my 1920s purchases, and perhaps there is room for a general thread on the fashions of the decade. These first examples are recent buys that I've made, but I'll link to some of the real stunners out there as well. I know others have their favourites from the time as well - the Lanvins, Poirets, Callot Souers etc!

First up are a couple of evening cloches/caps that came from a larger collections - these were made in France. I've been looking for good, well priced examples for an age:

 

[Mojito]

House of Adair

Here's the velvet House of Adair dress I mentioned in another thread, with the matching pink satin opera cape.

The House of Adair was a French label that made dresses for the export market, particularly to America. They were known for their beadwork, and peaked productively in 1924-25.

This dress needs some work - you're seeing it here in its raw, wrinkled state! - but gives you some idea of the colour pallette. Fortunately the beadwork is in fantastic condition, with just some darkening due to tarnish on the silver lined beads. It's a good thing, too, as my brilliant mother does the restoration work on my dresses, and the tiny, tiny size of the pink-pigment lined beads would probably defeat even her.

The cape has weights set in the hem at various points so it hangs perfectly, and had wires set through the collar so it sat upright.

To accessorise, I'll use this pink fringed purse:

And possibly this bandeau, depending on whether it clashes wildly - which I purchased courtesy of FL member Madame Circa of Circa Vintage!

 

[Mojito]

Another reason why I love the 1920s - the playful sense of fun, as seen in these decorative garters with flapper buttons:

 

[~*Red*~]

Those flapper buttons on the garters are the CUTEST thing I've ever seen!

 

[Mojito]

Thanks Red - I've wanted a set for a while, and I'm so pleased with those. Now I'd like to find a pair with the little pocket with rouge to refresh those rouged knees!

Here's my current dream dress - It went for auction at Doyles New York, and I'd love to know who purchased it. I'm sure it went to a good home...the dress belonged to Theda Bara, so it could have been a fashion collector or silent film fan:

Original auction blurb:

Black and White Beaded Chemise Dress From the Wardrobe of Theda Bara
Circa 1925
Of black georgette with integral silk slip, with low V front and back, the bodice top and skirt covered with tiers of long silver bead fringe, looped on bodice and swinging free on skirt, the torso solidly beaded with white pearlescent and black beads in a dramatic burst pattern centered with elliptical shape worked in rhinestones and square paillettes with a bead tassel dangling from middle, the dress similarly, but not identically, beaded on back, interior tape label: Bara.

The dress belonged to the great silent film star Theda Bara (1889-1955). Bara created the character of the Vamp, the wickedest of women, in her starring role in the movie A Fool There Was, of 1915 and became an instant star. From 1915 to 1919, she starred in scores of films, most box office smashes, including notably Cleopatra in 1917 and Salome in 1918. Her heyday ended in 1919, but she continued to make films into the 1920s, her last Madame Mystery, in 1926, the approximate date of this dress.

Can you imagine what that silver would have looked like with her dark hair and make up?

 

[LelaViavonie]

That is a beatiful dress!!! **gasp** very beautiful

 

[Vintage Betty]

What a great thread Mojito! And that last dress is certainly worth posting - thanks so much! I have a ton of 1920 hats posted, so feel free to grab those for this thread. Did you want us to post things from our collections as well? Clothes, hats, purses, accessories ???

What are your guidelines?

 

[Mojito]

It is a stunner, isn't it, LelaViavonie? She certainly knew how to make an impression.

Vintage Betty, I'd be thrilled if you added your clothes, hats, accessories etc to the thread! I didn't intend it to be centered on my collection - just a general discussion of all things with 20s pizzaz. Are those the hats in the Vintage Hat thread? I'd love to see them up here!

My yellow beaded and sequined dress arrived today, and I'm beyond thrilled with it. It was delivered at work, and even colleagues who couldn't give a hoot about vintage clothing were mesmerised. Given the incredible weight of the beads, the condition is amazing - but that's the best thing about these cotton based French beaded dresses: the condition.

There are some beautiful examples in a rainbow of colours - here are three I own:

Same dress in action at the 2008 Hastings Ball in New Zealand:

And today's darling:

I'll probably wear the gold sequined evening cloche in the first post with this one.

 

[Mojito]

And here are some in breathtaking museum gallery of Antiquedress.com - the second one has some elements that remind me of the first dress posted above. She had another one that reminded me of other aspects of it (the flowers) - I'll have to see if I saved a picture of it:

 

[GreyAndWhiteCat]

I can’t pull of 20s at all, being well endowed at the chest. But these dresses are real beauties to look at. Thanks for posting Mojito

 

[Vintage Betty]

Wow Mojito-you certainly have some stunning dresses! I look forward to seeing the rest of your collection. I'll start posting stuff, but it's certainly at the other end of the spectrum. lol

 

[Miss_Bella_Hell]

Mojito - I love the head pieces! Do you ever wear that wig? I focus on the headpieces because I could actually wear those. The dresses are TO DIE FOR but I could never pull off the look without taping down my lady parts

 

[Vintage Betty]

This was one of my first vintage dresses. After I wore it for years and it got trashed, I sold it on ebay as a study piece for a few dollars. What's amazing to me, is that it appears to be an easy dress to sew, for those ladies that sew.

And me wearing the dress, with a 20's parasol, pink velvet cloche and gloves:

 

[Naama]

I'm so enviouse of you're wardrobe!!!!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE it!!!! So great pieces!!!



Naama

 

[Mojito]

Thank you for all the nice comments, ladies - I don't get to wear the original pieces that often, both because of lack of opportunities and because I don't wish to wear them to the point that they show signs of stress (the black beaded and palette dress has been "retired" from active life, as I wanted to keep it in perfect condition rather than wait for it to start shedding beads). So this is one way to share my darlings!

GreyAndWhiteCat, you'd be surprised at some of the sillouettes and how they can be worn - some of the beaded French dresses, for example, do curve in at the waist so they don't look like sacks, and the weight of the beads helps them follow the body's shape. I'm not really an up-and-down shape as you can see, but fortunately when I'm in running shape the first place to lose inches is the bust. We're used to undergarments that lift and seperate our top halves, but 1920s underwear in general just didn't do that, so unless you're absolutely pre-pubescent in form, you have to try to emulate that smoothing - just as the women of the time did.

Vintage Betty, I always love seeing your collection! The pink dress would make a great study - I can see it being remade in a range of colours. That lovely fluttery prettiness is one of the aspects to the era I love. I don't have much knitwear in the collection - it's one of the holes I need to fill. And your photograph is fantastic - I love the construction of that cloche!

Miss_Bella_Hell, here are some vintage headpieces for you! The wig isn't mine, it's loaned by a friend - my dark hair is styled in dutch doll bob (although I have been asked if it's "real"). I can see why some people specialise in headwear from the teens and 20s - I've developed a bit of a subcollection of the prong-set rhinestones on brash mesh.

Here is the brash mesh set:

This is a new one, and one of my favourites as it has less of a "tiara" aspect to it.

I haven't got a decent photo of the red beaded dress in this photo - the reputed provenance is the estate of author (not the actress) Elizabeth Taylor, possibly beloning to her mother.

This one can be worn upside down, a la Mae Murray in this photo:

This one is on a rigid brass base:

And sequing slightly into another era, the 1930s, here's a Juliet Cap with the same prong-set rhinestones and brass mesh base:

And of course the bandeau shown in one of the photos above:

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[Mojito]

Here's a stunning piece in the Vintage Textile museum gallery (vintagetextile.com):

And here are a few contemporary images of bandeaux and headdresses being worn:

This one has rather a Kokoshnik feel to it - you can see the Russian influence:

Marian Davies goes Medieval:

I'd love to find one with intact beaded drapes, like this:

 

[HadleyH]

One word for this thread, GORGEOUS!!!

Mojito, that dress stole my heart! ( well.... everything in this thread did, really )

 

[Lillemor]

Very feminine and glamorous. I don't understand why some people think of the 1920s female apparel as androgynous. I've been busy studying the necklines on authentic 1920s dresses to see if the two retro 20s dresses I've ordered will pass. I think they will after studying these images too. The yellow and the pink one probably wouldn't suit me in those shades but the dresses are all gorgeous.

I'd love to own that dress from the auction too. I like how you can be classy and streamlined, playful and romantic, dramatic or sporty with 1920s styles. I'm sure you can with 30s-40s too but it's just more obvious to me how these styles are all possible in a 20s context.

 

[Mojito]

Thanks, Hadley - it stole my heart as well, and the love affair ramped up a notch when it arrived! It's very heavy, but the beads are all sturdily attached. The hip and hem detailing is just fascinating, and the overall beading makes it obvious why this style is sometimes called "sugar frosted" now!

Lillemor, you're right about the femininity and glamour of the styles. The cuts may be simple (or sometimes look deceptively simple), but they often form a canvas for such wonderful fabrics, embroidery and beadwork. Looking forward to seeing pics of your repro dresses. Necklines are fascinating - many a simple boat cut neck, but also V necks (sometimes quite deep and with a dickee or other fill), asymetrical off one shoulder, etc - the black beaded dress above almost looks like a sweetheart neckline.

Some lace:

I think this one is a cusper...could creep into the early 30s, but I've seen near identical gowns and jackets dating to 1929.

Haven't worn this one yet:

 

[Mojito]

And some stunners from VintageTextile:

This one's a Worth evening dress: