1920's Clothing

     The 1920's fashion was much different from that of previous decades. The cultural change after World War I was apparent in the clothing apparel. It represented more closely to artistic taste, by incorporating elegant designs, delicate fabrics, and a variety of colors for women, and a more baggy, slim and simple style for men. This reflected the sense of the party lifestyle, in which music, theatre, and exciting times were a staple for daily life. Women experienced a period called "the roaring twenties", in which the American population, tired from war, wore new and colorful fabrics accompanied with elegant jewelry, hats, and shoes to represent the joy they felt for the ending of the war. Men's fashion changed drastically. The once "sharp", tight suits were transformed for the young men to become slim and more casual, with unpadded jackets over the trousers, lighter and brighter fabrics then ever before, and an overall more baggy and relaxed look. Women's dresses were brighter and shorter than ever before, giving designers the leisure to experiment with different fabrics and colors. Shoes and stockings also played a larger role in clothing, which is also the cause of corsets becoming smaller, and the bra being introduced. Flappers, as these women were called, wore short dresses with a loose silhouette. Seams also rose to just below the knee, and the knee could be seen while dancing. The women also wore pantsuits, canes, and hats, whose style was named after the novel La Garconne by Victor Margueritte. This look was accompanied by the "bob" haircut, reintroduced by the actress Louise Books. Men took their influence from sports. "Plus" pants, taken from famous golf stars, were categorized by how far the pants fell below the knee before becoming tight around the leg area. The pants were topped with a colorful Fair Isle sweater (sweaters that originated in Scotland that had different colors and patterns.) Men also wore white trousers and V-neck sweaters around town, modeled after tennis players.
     The clothing makes a powerful mark in the first half of The Great Gatsby, which also takes place in the 1920s. The elegance and luxurious aspect is described in almost every chapter, with it being a significant sign for money. At Gatsby's party, the women are wearing elegant dresses accompanied with expensive jewelry, while the men are wearing posh clothing as well. The choice of clothing ties into the characters' desire to have exciting times by partying with alcohol and music.