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You’ve read the title before: The roaring twenties are back! The 1920s vs. 2020s theme has felt pretty prevalent since the world started crawling out of lockdown, with comparisons being made by analysts, historians and writers alike. Meanwhile, the true fashion trends of the 1920s were introduced to the runway collections through rich embellishments and nostalgic silhouettes of the garments. But beaded hems and fluffy feathers aren’t all. “Clothes stem from culture, both from the 1920s and today [are times of] recovering from trauma,” historian and curator Deirdre Clemente tells TZR. She’s a self-proclaimed “crazy Fitzgerald fan” and even served as historical costume consultant on Baz Luhrmann’s 2013 remake. The Great Gatsby. “I think the parallel is cultural. You cannot overestimate the role of war in the 1920s and now, the country is also in a state of trauma. [while] trying to recover from the pandemic.”
Of course, the comparisons between the two eras are not all serious. “After trauma there’s always a kind of flurry of interesting things happening in fashion and culture,” adds Clemente. And what exactly does a post-Covid ‘turbulence’ look like? It remains to be seen, but if the onslaught of expressive clothing and the new class of pioneering designers have anything to do with it, history is in the making.
“Clothes are how we wear culture on the outside,” says Clemente. “In the 1920s, technologically speaking, there was a tremendous new rush of two historically important things—fabric dyes and synthetic fibers like rayon—coming onto the market. Those two things defined and democratized what people could get their hands on.” One result of this new accessibility in fashion was the flapper style. “This look introduced new ideas about gender and new ideas of dance culture. You can’t talk about these stereotypical 1920s evening dresses without talking about this,” Clemente continues. “Those clothes came from the places where the music came from. People came up with ideas for them [the pieces] while they were dancing in those places and carrying early versions [of flapper style] before sight was destroyed to the masses.”
Out of the speakeasy and into everyday life, there was another burst of innovation on the womenswear front: athletic-inspired silhouettes. “Sports completely changed the way women dressed,” says Clemente. As women increasingly participated in activities such as golf and tennis, sportswear followed suit with light dresses and higher hemlines that allowed the legs to move more freely. Practicality also got a boost, with Coco Chanel womenswear featuring the most liberating design detail yet: the pocket.
“All of these clothes reflected, embodied, and constituted the times,” Clemente explains, noting that the 1920s were defined by seismic moments in American politics, including a newly enacted 19th Amendment, the early days of access to birth control and contraception. Now, that same sense of uncertainty and excitement is fueling a resurgence of holiday and occasion wear – but, after nearly two years in sweatpants, with ease – so it’s only fitting that the sounds of the OG roaring twenties ring out. “Given the sense of nostalgia in the air and the rekindled desire to dress with a nod, it only makes sense that the 1920s is a natural fit,” says Trendalytics Fashion & Beauty Trends Editor Kendall Becker.
Ahead, TZR has rounded up some tangible examples of the ways this indescribable fashion era is connecting with the present — and some great shopping picks to help you translate Gatsby-esque style into your everyday wardrobe, but with a contemporary twist.
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Silhouettes made for movement
Like the Clemente mentioned earlier, the popular styles of the 1920s were born out of the glitz and glam nightlife. “[These dresses] were made to dance. They’re made to shine and they’re made to move your legs,” she says. “It was also a new way to show skin—a total change in the way women dressed.” On the Fall/Winter 2022 runways, designers of echoed that sentiment with spades, with renditions of dance-floor-ready pieces ranging from a Givenchy cocktail dress with strings of pearls cascading down the hem to a cascading beaded dress at Schiaparelli. Worn by Josephine Baker on stage at Le Casino de Paris.
Rich textures
All the glittery, glittery pieces that walked the runways for fall felt like an homage to the roaring twenties, as well as other forms of grandeur. At Miu Miu, sheer dresses delicately encrusted with dainty crystals were a highlight, as were hand-beaded details at PatBo that reflected in the light like a disco ball. “Decoration has seen a resurgence,” Becker says, referring to the Trendalytics data points. “The search term ‘beautification’ is currently most commonly found in the luxury market with a high search volume, indicating that we will continue to see this development.”
Fantastic trims
As you know by now, 1920s fashion has many complicated aspects – but that doesn’t mean you can’t still appreciate gorgeous jewellery. “The term ‘Feather Dress’ has seen steady growth and although it has received a lot of social media attention, it is still more prevalent in the luxury market,” says Becker. “Currently, it’s seeing a 237% increase in average weekly searches compared to last year. I expect this to grow in the market this holiday season.” Fringe is also performing strongly for Becker, with an average of 143K weekly searches, up 37% from last year. On the runways, brands like Khaite and Prada gave feathers their stamp of approval, and fringes made their way into the collections of Christopher Kane and Bottega Veneta.
Drop waist silhouette
Beyond the glitz and glamor, a distinctly 20s silhouette is the dropped waist and raised hem. The relaxed cut made it easier to dance and play sports, yes, but it also moved women’s clothing toward simpler shapes, away from the restrictive clothing of the Edwardian era. There were dropped waists on the Fall/Winter 2022 runways too, as seen above on Simone Rocha and Maggie Marilyn, but you can also draw less literal parallels with current trends such as gender-bending dresses and outfits that prioritize a similar kind of freedom. and comfort. “The search term ‘Drop Waist Dress’ is seeing accelerated growth at a high volume,” adds Becker. “Searches are up 25% compared to last year.”
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