20s fashion question...

[Tatum]

Hi ladies,

My cousin is throwing a Roaring 20s party next week, and I was trying to decide what to wear (I'm going to dig out my sewing machine and make something, I think). Doing some researching online, I came across something that I would love to wear that I could buy, but I really don't think it is 20s...

The beautiful Chinese inspired dresses (I have always wanted one):

Here is a link to the blog I found this on: http://www.vintagestylefiles.com/vintage_style_files/2008/08/vintage-chinese-inspired-fashions.html

So, was that a 20s style or not? I always thought it was a 30s/40s style! Thanks, ladies!

<3 Tatum

 

[LaMedicine]

There's a thread on '20s fashion going on in the Powder Room with some great pics.
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=34987
Mojito would know.

 

[Tatum]

There's a thread on '20s fashion going on in the Powder Room with some great pics.
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=34987
Mojito would know.

Thanks, LaMedicine, I read it through last night, but it didn't really clear it up... Mojito, help!

 

[tuppence]

chinese dress

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=8302
Here you go thread on chinese dress.

 

[Mojito]

Hallo Tatum -

Miss1929 has posted some interesting comments on this style, the cheongsam (or Qipao), during this period - if you do a search on the word you may find her remarks.

The style was developed in the 1920s in China, notably in Shanghai, in the late Qing dynasty/end of Manchu rule. This was a mileau of change, with Western influences on Eastern fashion bringing a shorter hem and tighter fit.

Sydney's Powerhouse Museum has a dress of the period. The site notes:

The cheung sam can be traced back to the Manchu robes of the Qing dynasty. Towards the end of the 19th century womens robes became slimmer and more revealing. High fashion cheung sam of the 1920s fell straight from the shoulders in a slight A-line to the hem which was usually just below the knee, this particular purple damask cheung sam dates from this period. During the 1930s hemlines for evening wear dropped to the ankle and cheung sam became more fitted and revealing with the side vents reaching the thigh. Towards the end of the 30s the hem rose to mid calf and sleeves lengthened to the wrist. During the 1940s the cheung sam were worn at various lengths with long, short or cap sleeves and the side opening was often mirrored on the left as a design feature.

Lounging pajamas in a similar style with the high mandarin collar, but obviously with broad legged pants rather than as a dress, were very popular in the west in the 1920s. You don't really see many cheongsams worn by western women in the 20s, although Asian textile and design in general had a huge influence on the decade, but there's no reason why a well-travelled woman who had travelled, say, to Shanghai should not have adopted the dress if your character wanted to wear it. You could possibly shortern the hem a bit for the 20s.

 

[Tatum]

Thanks, Mojito!

I have decided to go ahead and break out the sewing machine though, as there are basic patterns online on how to design your own dress and I found some really fun fabric that looks beaded on sale today....

So, I am constructing a chemise, an overdress and a coat (the party is in Kentucky, and I don't want to freeze!). Yippee for weekend projects!