Retro Fashion Archive

When we talk about 20′s fashion, a trend that immediately comes to mind is the flapper dress. The flapper dress was one of the most iconic fashion trend of the 20′s and it is still seen in new avatars in today’s fashion. But 20′s fashion was just not about the flapper dress, there are many noteworthy trends of this decade which was rightly called the “roaring 20′s”. For women calf length and ankle length dresses were popular during the early part of the decade. By mid 20′s hemlines started to rise and short dresses and short skirts were in vogue. For men, short suit jackets worn with narrow trousers were the norm in the early part of the decade. The 20′s were one of the most glamorous and influential decade in the fashion world and some of the silhouettes and styles of these decade are still seen in today’s fashion. Here we are going to discuss all about fashion in the 1920′s.

Women’s Fashions of the 1920′s

For women, fashion in the early part of the 20′s was still conservative and hemlines that just showed the ankles were the norm. One of the most noteworthy change in fashion during this decade is that women discarded the use of corsets, crinolines and petticoats that were worn in the earlier decades. By the mid 20′s skirts were calf length with narrow and cylindrical silhouettes. Although the skirts were cylindrical and narrow, they were not body hugging and they were mostly cut on the bias. The dresses worn by the ladies during this period had the same silhouettes as the skirts. Dropped waist dresses and skirts were also very much in vogue during the 20′s.

Perhaps one of the most iconic look of the 20′s was the flapper dress. A flapper dress is a straight fitting dress that is not unlike a shift, although the cut is more fluid and unrestrained. Flapper dresses were usually knee length or above and did not have a defined waistline. Petal colors and neutral colors like cream, navy, beige and tan were much favored in flapper dresses which were made with materials ranging from lace to jersey. The androgynous look was also a popularized during the 20′s and women with boyish figure with bob haircuts were considered to be stylish and chic. Cloche hats worn with bob hairstyles were one of the much loved fashion trend during the 20′s. By late 20′s hemlines showed a steady rise and dresses and skirts had hemlines that fell just above the knee. Women began to wear trousers and pants for the first time in late 20′s and this change in fashion was heralded by the Parisian fashion designer Coco Chanel. Tunic tops, hip length sweaters and rolled stockings were some other key fashion trends of the 20′s. » Continue Reading