For decades, the twenties not just stand out historically for the cultural shift and economic boom that the years flaunted. Inspired by the brassier, brighter and more vibrant way of life and culture, the 1920’s stylistically redefined fashion for both men and women. For guys, particularly, the twenties evoked a pleasant manly cosmetic. Design for guys pivoted on classicism but was injected using a thematic twist. Now, our society remains fascinated with the roaring twenties, accounted for by its own ongoing presence in mainstream theatre, editorials and on the runways. The twenties aesthetic can be appealingly timeless and its references might be novel means to spruce up the simplest of outfits.
1920s Influence: The Great Gatsby
As most people know, The Great Gatsby was written by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The classic novel not only inspired many cinematic adaptations of the traditional novel but put twenties style on a modern platform. Baz Luhrmann’s 2013 adaptation, however, stands out as the very inspirational. Luhrmann’s wife, and costume designer, Catherine Martin stunned audiences with her candied take on twenties fashion, incorporating vintage pieces alongside newer pieces with historically true reference. Her work with the male actors’ costumes displayed the very best of both casual and more formal eyebrow style. The diversity of men’s twenties style was perfected by Martin. Leonardo DiCaprio’s role as Jay Gatsby who showcased the best of neutral tailoring; Joel Edgerton’s costuming in his role as Tom Buchanan exhibited the sporty influence of the twenties and Toby Maguire’s portrayal of this shy Nick Carraway hinged on a more playful aesthetic (the emerald green shawl neck cardigan that he wore once Daisy and Jay reunite was noteworthy). Brooks Brothers fittingly supplied many costumes to the men in the film.
Modern 1920’s Appears
An important approach when maximizing twenties fashion in a contemporary context is to take inspiration from the trends but adapt them to get a more modern aesthetic. Some trends in the twenties aren’t all that flattering and can overwhelm. An obvious example was the thick trousers, dubbed ‘oxford bags’, that men wore, that were baggy rather than compact. This is a fad best left before. Adopt suits in much more fitted textures, and annotate looks with vintage elements, such as hair dressing. Baz Luhrmann reluctantly stated that because of his portrayal of The Great Gatsby, he never wanted the feel of this film to become nostalgic or ‘sepia-toned’, as many films based on the twenties embodied. Instead, he visualised his version of New York in his film as ‘visceral and modern’ despite still being true to the time. That’s only the way you should approach incorporating twenties’ references into your clothes and demonstration. Retain the essence or idea of the twenties style, but keep it fresh and contemporary with young silhouettes and contemporary textures.
1920s Men’s style
1920s Men’s Suiting
Neutral suits were popular, but the colours that a man would elect to wear reflected more than just his tonal preference. The colour of suiting typically signaled social status and prosperity. The lighter the match, the wealthier the wearer. Lighter creams and nudes showcased riches and a well-nourished bank account. Nowadays, beige cotton blazers is a deserving fashion to test out to the warmer months and may brighten up the simplest of silhouettes. Pinstripe suits were also a dominant fashion, reaffirming the polish of the age. To get a modern take on pinstripe suits, select for minimal and subtle adaptions of the trend. Note that glowing colours weren’t typically popular during this time for men, therefore stick to simplistic colour schemes.
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