20's Era Costume Concepts

[BeBopBaby]

So this is the tackiest post I think i've been forced to make here but my mother, a stocky, short, office worker has e-mailed me in search of a 20's era halloween costume she could pull off during her companies theme week.

(She works in the Chicago area so, needless to say, Al Capone has inspired this years extravaganza)

Obviously there are 20's era go-to's (the number of sequined flapper dresses available at halloween stores are enough to knock you off of your feet) but I don't want to suggest something that would be whether and body shape inappropriate.

Does anyone have any thoughts?

How about a kimono-styled or oriental long jacket over a shift dress? She could wear long beads and tie a scarf around her head?

 

[deadpandiva]

Can she sew? They sell instructions for the one hour flapper dress on ebay in both the one and two piece styles. That was what I was going to do before I decided on being a cigarette girl.

 

[texasgirl]

I think the long jacket idea is great. Here's a website that I've bought from, that has some lovely items. This one is very pretty, but there are several others.

http://www.unique-vintage.com/produ...d=303&osCsid=d98103b56ed822f32f860f841729d425

On Ebay there is a seller called LeLuxe

This etsy seller has some wonderful hats and feathers for your hair- if your mom is crafty she could make something pretty easy
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5007565

Here's me and my mom at my speakeasy murder mystery last year, and she won the costume contest!

 

[Miss 1929]

Burn the Boa!

As long as she stays away from the Untouchables fringe and boa and feathered headband look, she will look authentic... but good luck getting a neophyte to understand that! The damage that TV show has done...

 

[GreyAndWhiteCat]

This etsy seller has some wonderful hats and feathers for your hair
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5007565

Oh, I wish I could by ever hat from this seller! The hats are fantasic!

 

[Miss Brill]

Does anyone have any thoughts?

Yeah, it sounds like you have mother issues. lol

 

[Mojito]

As long as she stays away from the Untouchables fringe and boa and feathered headband look, she will look authentic... but good luck getting a neophyte to understand that! The damage that TV show has done...

Ahhhhh...is that where it comes from? I'd wondered why, of all the styles of the 20s, the fringed look so absolutely came to epitomise the era. The aigrette as well - I tend to associate that look more with the teens, although it continued for the first half of the 20s.

And feather boas....!!!!! I love the Napier Art Deco festival (am in the process of booking events for next year), and one of the cool things is that it doesn't take itself too seriously and everyone is encouraged to get dressed up to participate. So while I'd never wear evening dress during the day (except for the costume competition), I had no objections to most other people doing so - what was important was the fun everyone was having. There was a heavy emphasis on the "Untouchables" look you describe, though, and by the end of the weekend all the cheap boas were moulting, and garishly coloured feathers were drifting in piles through the gutters. Every ladies' room you walked into had a few feathers sitting on the sinks. It was hilarious!

I love the suggestions in this thread - robes over a simple shift/chemise style dress is easy to wear and looks great. There are some beautiful things that can be done with burnout velvet robes and shawls, also draping with piano shawls. Many women did not bob their hair, but instead got the look by pinning their hair up. A diamante necklace can make an effective bandeau if she's going for a first-half of the decade look.

 

[texasgirl]

I've always wondered that too. But ya know, I was just so glad everyone put forth so much effort to dress up! I mean we all read about this stuff, study it. But most people don't have a clue. Just like if someone invited me to a hockey game. I'd go and be enthusiastic about it, even though I know nothing about it- just go and have fun! We had several ladies show up in the fringe and boas, but we had a blast. As a matter of fact, it was so much fun we are doing it again this coming weekend. Last year I was the madam of a brothel so my outfit was fitting, yet very flashy to fit my character. This year will be going for a little more understated elegance. I'll post pictures

 

[texasgirl]

Here's Mom and me at this year's party. My dress I got on ebay. It was burnout silk velvet. It had some holes in the shoulder, but I was able to repair and you couldn't even see it. My mom got her top at Dillards, I thought it had a real vintage feel to it. She was the baroness who loved tiaras- I thought it came out really cute! And we both made feather clips for our hair- separately- but they ended up looking very similar. We are always doing stuff like that!

 

[Mojito]

Love both looks, Texas girl! I'm a big fan of burnout silk velvet - I have quite a few pieces made of it, but only one is authentic 1920s vintage (a silver and green velvet and chiffon dress). I recently picked up a Lisa Ho black dress that looks not unlike yours, although the pattern is more intricate on your piece. I keep vowing to stop getting black, but your dress and look in that photo is an example of why it's so popular - it just looks so very elegant and stylish, particularly with the right accessories!

Your mother's top also looks very period apt, and you two are just the ant's ankles in that photo.

 

[texasgirl]

Thanks Mojito- high praise from the expert!!! I got the dress for $25 bucks! It was not in the best of shape, but I fixed it pretty good so you'd never know.