15 Most Iconic 1920s Fashion Looks You Can Recreate Fast

The 1920s fashion decade, known as the ‘Roaring Twenties,’ was one of the most extravagant stylistic periods in history.

Inspired by the Edwardian period, fashion designers granted the 1920s fashion looks for special occasions rather than everyday wear.

With opulent evening dresses, button-down shirts with detachable collars, and shorter skirts in collegiate style, the Roaring 20s has a special place in the books of fashion history.

Whether attending a 1920s-themed party or wanting to achieve the iconic ‘Great Gatsby’ glamourous look, these are the 15 most representative looks of the 1920s fashion decade.

1. ‘La Garçonne’ Style Flapper Dress

Named after flapper girls – the jazz-loving, unapologetic young Western women – the 1920s fashion flapper dress is one of the most recognizable silhouettes of that era.

Also known as garçonne (“boy” in French), the flapper dress features a straight and loose pattern, a dropped waist that ends right below the knee, and creeping hemlines.

A super popular look for women in the 1920s fashion catalogues, this evening staple was crafted from chiffon, velvet, and taffeta and adorned with rhinestones, fringes, and intricate embroideries.

Through collections centred around mixing feminine and masculine elements, prominent fashion designers like Coco Chanel and Paul Poiret gave the flapper dress a new level of style and acceptance.

The ideal 1920 women’s look included chic rouge and dark mascara makeup and many accessories, such as bangles, bracelets, drop earrings, and necklaces with rows of pearls.

Flappers wore crystal beaded headbands, relevant to the iconic Great Gatsby 1920s fashion looks.

2. Robe de Style

While the 1920s flapper dress is synonymous with the twenties fashion decade, Jeanne Lanvin’s introduction of ‘robe de style’ dresses took the decade by storm.

The dress had a drop waist and a slim and close-fitting top, representative of the silhouettes women used to covet so much in the twenties.

It also featured a full, ankle-grazing skirt supported with petticoats, panniers, or hoops.

Inspired by eighteenth-century elegance, this feminine and romantic look was a great alternative to the straight-cut chemise dress.

The luxury and richness of the embellished fabrics, styled with silver hairpins and Cloche hats with eye-shading brims, were a match made in heaven.

Like many other women’s looks at the time, the dress was made from silk taffeta, velvet, satin, and sheer, lightweight fabric.

Overall, ruffles and pleats were added to the hips to create the illusion of a fuller silhouette.

3. Brimless Cloche Hat

Designed in 1908 by milliner Caroline Reboux, the Brimless Choche hat style became a big part of the decade’s flapper ensemble.

Combined with a boyish hairstyle, the cloche hat in a tight-fitting bell-shaped chapeau was the ideal accessory to enhance and complete one’s looks.

Most 1920s Cloche hats were crafted from felt, but straw variations that ended right above the eyes were also trendy.

An essential women’s fashion accessory, the Cloche hat was all about glamour, especially when sparkly brooches were added to augment the charm.

4. Knee-length Tennis Dress With Bandeau

Tennis was the most popular sport in the 1920s, so knee-length tennis dresses in traditional Preppy style were the primary choice as daywear apparel for high-society women.

White sleeveless vests and knee-grazing pleated skirts in geometric patterns were at the top of the women’s trends.

Famous 1920s athletes like Suzanne Lenglen—the first fashion designer to create a tennis skirt—were wearing Jean Patou’s bolder-coloured creations off and on the court.

The popular ensemble included a white slip-over dress styled with cardigan sweaters, canvas shoes, and stockings.

The look became popular with American women thanks to Lenglen’s approach of wearing scarves tied bandeau-style during tennis matches.

5. Bob Cut Hairstyle

In the twenties, the hairstyle of most women was the “Shingles,” a v-shaped bob haircut covering the ears and ending at the nape of the neck.

The look became popular when ballroom dancer Irene Castle cut her hair in that style for convenience.

Shortly after, the bob cut became the decade’s symbol of independence for free-spirited women.

Many examples of 1920s Western fashion showcase women wearing cocktail dresses and flaunting finger waves with pride.

Bobby pins were also used to keep the chin-length bob in place, while some women would pin their long hair up to mimic a bob-cut style.

6. Silk Chemise Undergarments

Inspired by the loose silhouettes worn by wealthy women of those times, fashion designers created comfortable day dresses previously classed as casual alternative undergarments.

In the 20s, silk chemise undergarments in popular colours featuring laces, floral embroidery, tulle, and ribbons replaced Preppy pleated skirts, corsets, and petticoats.

Also called “teddy,” the silk chemise lingerie featured a drawstring at the top and delicate crotch lace-edged hems that added to the chic vibe.

7. Wool Cardigan and Sweaters

Thanks to Coco Chanel’s unique styling ideas, wool cardigans and sweaters became part of women’s daywear fashion in the 20s.

Inspired by the knitted waistcoat of the Preppy subculture, the designer introduced relaxed-vibe knitwear named after James Thomas.

On the other hand, men’s looks included sporty tennis sweaters, colourful fair isle sweaters, and stiff and sturdy cardigans.

Featuring a double-knit shawl collar and buttoned-up bust-high, wool sweaters were essential garments women loved to wear.

Cardigans and sweaters came in a vast range of colours, and by the second half of the decade, the V-neck style gained popularity.

For most high-society women, pleated skirts, sweaters, and cardigans with intricate embroidery were the outfit of choice.

8. Long Pearl Necklaces

It is hard to imagine a Great Gatsby look without multiple pearl necklaces in many lengths, from 60 inches up.

In the 20s, rare and precious pearl necklaces were expensive and only available to the rich.

As an alternative, the fashion designers of those days began creating artificial pearls to satisfy consumers on a budget.

On several occasions, Coco Chanel was spotted wearing artificial pearl necklaces (made of glass).

For example, aristocrats and royals wore pearls to signify high class and nobility, and every woman started wearing them.

From High society to flapper girls, everybody adored and paired necklaces with pearl bracelets and drop earrings for their formal looks.

9. Wrap Fur Coats

Wrap fur coats in tan, brown, blue, black, and hue variations dominated the women’s looks during that decade.

Powerful symbols of class and luxury, fur coats were long and abundant, reaching well below the knee.

Shorter versions were available but in the same cocoon-like, cosy, and embracing long hair.

Some fur coats had large and broad shoulders, while others had no shape or defined silhouette.

The most popular fur coats – also the most expensive – were crafted from sable, mink, caracal, beaver, and seal.

In comparison, the middle class had to stick with weasel, squirrel, skunk, and chinchilla fur.

10. Oxford Shoes and Newsboy Hats

A characteristic aspect of men’s fashion during those times was the sturdy but comfortable Oxford shoes.

The most popular footwear was the classic Oxfords and Wingtip Oxfords, which were worn as smart casual attire at collegiate Ivy League-style occasions.

The ‘newsboy cap’ was another staple in men’s fashion but for the working class.

Men’s most common daywear look comprised trousers, a blazer layered under a waistcoat, a classic black tie, and a matching newsboy cap.

Another popular look for men was the gangster fashion style, popularized by Al Capone, a famous American mafioso.

The look was characterized by matching suits, Oxford shoes in different colours, and caps in various patterns and fabrics.

11. Mary Jane Pumps

While the closed-toe leather shoe was initially designed for kids, it became an iconic piece for women.

The classic kid’s version got a revamp with a higher heel and a few more straps required for dancing.

Popular evening shoes for women featured rhinestone buckles in statement silver.

On the other hand, Mary Jane’s pumps were made from black patent leather, which is ideal for dancing and city strolls – characteristic of the flapper girls.

12. Oxford Bag Pants

Made from flannel or similar lightweight fabrics, Oxford bag pants took over the men’s fashion sphere in the 1920s.

The style became popular when Oxford University undergraduates wore 22-inch wide-leg trousers pleated at the waist for functional reasons, as in Ivy League schools, knickers were banned in the classrooms.

As such, students constantly looked for comfortable garments and new ways of dressing in line with academic rigour.

The wide-cut trousers became a staple amongst English aristocrats and Preppy fashionistas, paired with turtlenecks, cardigans, and sweaters.

In time, different colour variations (and plaid patterns) started to appear, such as pale pink, light blue, grey, and black.

13. Felt Hats and Bonnets

Along with the brimless cloche hats, felt hats and bonnets were essential women’s accessories.

In the 20s, wide-brimmed hats had round crowns and drooped downsides decorated with ribbons.

Broad straw hats trimmed with silk sashes were the accessory of choice for yard work and casual strolls in the city on sunny days.

The hat was secured around the head, featuring a brim extending over the face.

14. Plus-fours Pants With High Socks

Plus-fours pants with high socks that extend 10cm (4 inches) below the knee were a considerable part of men’s country club attire.

The relaxed, baggy look caught the attention of the Prince of Wales, Edward VIII, who brought the trend to the US during his travels.

Loved by golfers and sportsmen, the trousers allowed for more freedom of movement than the traditional knee pants called knickers.

Plus-fours with pullover sweaters and high-knee argyle socks, inspired by the aesthetic of country club attire, became part of the 20s golfer look.

15. Ostentatious Jewelry

The 1920s remains synonymous with flashy jewellery of faux pearls and long beaded necklaces.

Art Deco-style geometric jewellery was the new craze, with Jacques Cartier and Alfred Van Cleef leading the sartorial movement.

The flapper girls of the 20s and high-society women loved wearing gold and platinum settings adorned with diamonds and precious stones.

Every Great Gatsby outfit had ornate gem brooches, filigree rings, and earrings with long sparkling drops.

Equally, flapper dancers showcase exotic fashion tastes by wearing motifs of Egyptian jewelry, such as ringed bib necklaces featuring bells and snake bracelets.

Headbands and hair clips with rhinestones enhanced the bob cuts, giving women a fashionable, trendy vibe.

FAQs

Key Takeaways

In the 20s, women’s fashion was about freedom of expression, glamour, and confidence.

After years of restrictive dressing, lower necklines, higher skirts, flapper dresses, bobbed hairstyles, pearls, and Art Deco jewellery were some of the most popular looks of those times.

Men’s looks were built around three-piece suits with wide lapels, Oxford shoes, Oxford bag pants or plus-four pants, and Newsboy hats for a gangster look.