Vintage Style: The Flapper Party Look

It’s the roaring twenties and you step out of your Lincoln L-Series Sports Phaeton with ornate cigarette holder gracefully held in hand.

A long pearl necklace gracefully drapes your neck and your short bobbed hair frames your face.

You stand up to reveal your sleek knee-length dress with dropped waistline and it moves in the wind slightly to reveal the sheer silk stockings and lace garter beneath it.

A quick dash is made to the ladies room to reapply your vibrant lipstick and dark eye make-up then you head to the stage with your high heel, button fastened Mary Jane’s. The lights are on and the music is fierce – the Charleston dance fills the floor. You break only momentarily to place your form fitting beaded cap and flirty fringe purse on the sidelines.

The Flapper look is sexy and comfortable making it often emulated. Want to know what to look for at your local vintage store to create this head turning look?

Buy a Dress:

Though it features a garçonne (vertical & boyish) shape it is still considered very feminine and tends to include a plunging neckline in both the front and back. Some of the dresses were made of flashy beaded and sequined material while others were more plain. They were all generally sleeveless and a bit more heavy weighted. Women often topped these off with a more voluminous shawl-collar coat.

Add Accessories:

The most popular accessoires were chandelier-style earrings, lighter coloured (or sheer) silk stockings, lace garter belts, narrow neck scarfs, long glass bead (or pearl) necklaces, intricate cloche hats or headbands with feathers. Shoes would of been comfy and classic for dancing the night away. Mary Jane’s were a dominant shoe. Don’t forget a pretty cigarette holder!

If you need help with 20’s make-up you should visit this Historically Accurate 1920’s Make-up Tutorial. For more on the full fashion of the 1920’s take a look at Pinterest’s Fashion and Apparel from the 1920’s. If you look through the fashion make sure to take note of some different hair options for those (like myself) who cannot pull of the Louise Brooks “Bob.”

To achieve this Great Gatsby look don’t forget to bring this shopping list I created to inspire you. Simply save the picture to your cell or computer. Check back often for more on vintage style and where to get it.

Flapper: The term “flapper” first appeared in Great Britain after World War I. The exact origin of the word flapper is unknown. It is believed to have stemmed from a reference to a young baby bird that is learning to fly for the first time and flaps its wings. It was then thought to describe younger girls, not yet graceful in movement who had not come into womanhood yet. Adding to that in university campuses (post-World War 1) girls with unfastened rubber galoshes over their shoes often made the tops “flap” around.