1920s Costume Guide

Ladies
The 1920s saw a much freer style of dress than before the war. Gone was the corset, though fashionable young women tried toflatten their chests with rubber and cotton bust flatteners to conform to the slim and sporty silhouette the new style demanded, and smoothed their hips with a supportive long length suspender belt from waist to thigh. Underwear looks largely like a more practical and more supportive version of combinations, made in pastel coloured satin and silk, lightweight camiknickers gave a feminine edge to the new boyish chic. For nightwear satin and silk pyjamas were popular. Housecoats were worn, which were ornate versions of our dressing gowns. Flesh coloured fake silk stockings were worn for all occasions. From 1923 anything Egyptian in style was very stylish, with glamorous guests even arriving at parties in a sarcophagus!

Make up was worn fairly commonly by the fashionable, dark eyes and red lips, though a darker or less subtle red than we would be used to. Popular were shiny eyes, created by smearing vaseline or greasepaint on the top lid. Hair was almost universally bobbed, either straightened or waved. However a few women kept their hair long and tied it in a neat chignon at the back of their neck, with waves kept in place with brilliantine around their face, or tried the double bun effect later popularised in Science fiction.

Day Wear
For daywear, dresses and suits often had drop waists, a straight bodice and a slightly flared or pleated skirt, although highwaists continued during the first half of the decade and often dresses were waistless. Skirt length varied from ankle length in 1921 to just below the knee in 1925 and stayed knee length or around mid-calf length for most of the decade. Vogue described skirt lengths in 1923 "Skirt lengths vary not only according to what designer creates them, and what lady wears them but also according to the hour of the day when they are worn". Trousers were only really worn by the daring for sports as plus fours and jodhpurs or for pyjama style lounging at home. Both dresses and suits were popular for day wear, usually with many trimmings, such as fur cuffs, collar and hem, or swags around the dropped waist. Shawl and sailor collars were popular. For sport and leisure ladies dressed much more practically than before. A set of tweeds, with a low-waisted, pocketed jacket and plus fours were popular for the country and light coloured unadorned tennis dresses for the summer. Coats were long, and matched the silhouette of the dress, with a side fastening and an elaborate, often shawl, collar. Fairly plain colours were favoured for day wear, such as navy blue, chocolate brown and sage green, with cream and pastels for leisure and summer wear. It is also the era of the woolly pully, a handknitted delight with v neck reaching to mid thigh.

Evening Wear
Evening dresses had a very similar silhouette, with the drop waist and often floaty fabric but they were also very ornate. Grecian-style drapes on the shoulder or around the waist, handkerchief hems and elaborate beading and lace were popular. Fabrics were silk, satin, crepe de chine, georgette and chiffon in pastel colours of mint green, gold, pink, pale orange, lilac and black for the daring! Colours became brighter as the decade progressed, In the early twenties the arrival of the ballet Russe with designs by Bakst popularised rich oranges and violets . Smoking clothes, usually some sort of pyjamas combined with a headscarf, were worn by more flamboyant ladies, With outrageously long cigarette holders darling.

Accessories
What really makes a 1920s outfit is the accessories. For day these include hats, whether picture for summer, cloche for every day or berets for winter wear; elaborate reticules and beaded bags, gloves for evening and day, fur stoles and silk wraps, ostrich feather fans, head bands and tiaras for evening and shoes with louis heels. Ladies almost always had something on their heads, even if it was just a scarf and of course strings of beads. Umbrellas and parasols were needed depending on the weather.

Gentlemen
Gentlemen's fashion in the 1920s lies somewhat half way between the 1890s and the 1950s. The fashion is again for a slim silhouette and menswear is mostly fitted. For nightwear both the nightshirt and striped pyjamas were popular, with a dressing gown. Men's underwear looks like exactly the same sort of thing they wore for bathing: a vest and long shorts all-in-one in either wool or cotton. Gentlemen's hair was short, parted in the centre or the side or brushed back and held in place with hair cream. Gentlemen were mostly clean shaven, or wore a small moustache.

Day Wear
For day the three-piece suit rules, though the jacket is fitted so that it goes in slightly at the waist, and can be either single or double breasted. Trousers are slim-fitting and may have a turn up, and will always have a needle-sharp crease down the centre front. Shirts at the start of the decade have separate collars and may be turned down or up (older gentlemen wear them up, younger chaps wear them down), but by the end the collars are attached and are long and pointed and turned down. Suits come in many styles and colours, navy blue wool for the town, grey and brown stripes for the city, brown and black checks for the country. For summer the blazer and a light pair of linen trousers reign supreme. For sporting wear the Norfolk suit is still de rigeur, with its plus fours, belted waist and matching cap. This suit was as good for a round of golf, as it was decimating the local grouse population. Coats were long, made of wool and double breasted. Oxford bags, a voluminous trouser worn like jogging bottoms by the undergrads at the University enjoyed a brief vogue with the younger set.

Evening Wear
For evening gentlemen still wear tails and white or black tie, depending on the occasion, with their hat and cane if dining out or attending the theatre. However the dinner suit was becoming acceptable, though it is a slimmer and longer cut than is popular today. Generally it looks like a 1970s dinner jacket, but with a slim collar. It doesn't have any buttons, but has one fastening like a morning coat, which holds the two sides together. After dinner gentlemen could change into their smoking jacket. Stripy Pyjamas and a luxurious dressing gown to finish the evening.

Accessories
Gentlemen of course always had their hats: bowlers for the city, caps for the country, boaters for the summer and for everything else the trilby. Other accessories include gloves, umbrellas and canes, pocket watches and driving goggles. Shoes were plain lace ups, with gaiters for the country or riding boots. Ties are worn rather than cravatsand the way one ties ones tie may speak volumes about the wearer! No gentleman will be seen without a small, yet exquisite and perfectly fresh buttonhole.

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by Kirsten & Jema