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updated 13 Sep 2013, 10:11
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Mon, May 20, 2013
ST Urban
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Flapper essentials

1. Drop-waist dresses

Drop-waist dresses were one of the hallmark garments of the 1920s.

The waistband did not sit at the natural waist but closer to the hips, giving the wearer more freedom to move than in a tighter fit-and-flare silhouette.

The drop waist created a longer, less feminine frame and contributed to the boyish or gamine look of the era.

It was also popular to wear sashes around the hips to create a drop-waist look as well.

2. Cloche hats

Cloche hats were popular in the 1920s, and a marked alternative from the wide-brimmed floral hats that were prominent in the preceding Edwardian era.

They were made of felt to fit the shape of the head snugly and designed with a small brim that covered the forehead and eyes.

Daintier cloches and smaller hats were popular as they fitted in with the new streamlined shape of the clothing of that era. They also showed off the bob haircut that was popular at the time.

3. Narrow pleated skirts

The straight skirt was the dominant shape of the 1920s, in line with the boyish, streamlined look of the era.

Waists were low and the form was narrow. Pleated skirts were one popular variation of this type of skirt.

Combined with a sweater, a narrow pleated skirt was also worn while playing sports such as golf.

4. Jersey knits

Jersey material, commonly found in clothing today, really entered people's closets in the 1920s. Designer Coco Chanel was one of the first to adopt jersey which had, until then, been used mainly for underwear.

The comfortable material gave wearers an ease of movement that became increasingly popular during the 1920s. Fellow French designer Jean Patou also used jersey in his sports suits and dresses.

5. Calf-length hemlines

Hemlines rose in the 1920s to reveal the ankle like never before. By the middle of the decade, skirts had hit mid-calf.

At one point, the knee briefly appeared in the late 1920s as part of flapper fashion. All these changes pointed to the growing emphasis on comfortable, less restrictive fashion.

6. Long ropes of pearls and glass beads

The jewellery to go with the evening look of the 1920s was a rope of pearls or glass beads, knotted or wrapped around the neck multiple times.

Faux pearls, as popularised by Coco Chanel, were mass produced and readily available. Costume jewellery also matched the costume-like Art Deco fashion of the day, adding glitz to the sequinned party dresses as well.

7. Sequinned dresses

Glamorous eveningwear in the 1920s was all about sparkle. Dresses were sequinned or embroidered with glass beads and slightly sheer.

Few of these dresses have survived today because of the delicate fabric. Early sequins were also made out of gelatin, which had a tendency to melt.

8. Gilded bags, seed pearl clutches and Egyptian logos

Chain-mail or mesh bags had been popular since Edwardian times, but continued to be used throughout the 1920s. Seed pearl clutches, which featured a small side strap to secure gloves, were popular too.

Egyptian motifs were popular designs on bags and jewellery during that time, thanks to the 1922 discovery of King Tutankhamen's tomb. Hieroglyphics found in the tomb inspired decorative pattern on accessories such as cigarette cases.

9. Handkerchief hemlines

Asymmetric hemlines, made of overlapping sheer handkerchiefs, were another popular style during the 1920s. Combined with the dropped waist, the hemline was a distinctive part of the flapper look.

10. Exotic headdresses and headbands

Whether feathered, beaded or covered in gems, these headpieces emphasised and complemented the short bobs sported by the women of the time.


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