Dive into Art Deco with Decorum!

The two decades had two completely different looks for women (men's fashions were much more consistent). 1920's High Society set out to forget the myseries of the previous decade (WWI and the 1918 Influenza epidemic) and set out to have fun. The clothing was youthful, lavish, exotic and thoroughly modern.

This mood came to an abrupt end with the stock marktet crash of 1929 and the following world-wide depression. The old money sector lost a great deal of it, businesses failed and the subsequent unemployment hit the working classes hard.

In a time of widespread hardship, it was bad form to dress expensively, in bright colours. Women's fashion changed immediately. Evening dresses dropped from knee length to floor length and black became the predominant colour (it was still acceptable to wear diamonds).

The Twenties

The clothing of the twenties was far more formal than we are used to today - no lady went to town without her hat, gloves and coat. Gentlemen wore hats outdoors and in public places and rarely took off their suit jackets. Only scruffy children ran around with bare feet - never adults! Even swimming required canvas beach shoes.

A guide to what to wear

Ladies' Makeup and Hair

In the twenties, the admired complexion was still flawless and pale - lipstick was uncompromisingly red (makeup was only just the done thing "for nice girls" and colour choice had yet to happen).

The curves of the top lip line were exaggerated into the much admired "cupid bow" shape and the eyes were line with black kohl (smudged to look soft and smokey, not like the hard eyeliner of the sixties).

Hair was short, sleek and minimal "bobbed" with or without a fringe or "shingled" i.e. shorter again and shaved up into a triangle at the back of the neck. Long hair was worn pulled back into a low bun at the base of the neck.

The cloche hat was "the look" for the entire decade worn right down to eyebrow level so little hair was seen. The thirties brought big changes; the rich and stylish had discovered the South of France and suntans were "in".

Rouge was worn on the cheeks and eyebrows were plucked to thin elegant lines. Snow White was animated in 1938 and she was the classic rosy-cheeked beauty. Longer hair was the vogue in ordered waves or lots of curls. Hats became shallow little saucers worn perched at an angle on one side of the head.

Ladies' Clothing

The look of the twenties was boyish and tubular in shape. The emphasis was on big collars and cuffs while the bust diappeared and the waist dropped to the hip. The ideal figure had as much shape as an ironing board!

Skirt lengths progressed from above the ankle at the start of the twenties to daring knee length in 1927, meaning that the leg was now on display for the first time ever! The length then dropped radically with the sharemarket crash in 1929. Day dresses were more decorated than today's look - necklines had bows.