The 1920s Were an Enriched Time

• August 1920 – women are given the right to vote
• September 1921 – first Miss America Pageant takes place
• February 1922 – Reader’s digest is published for the first time
• March 1923 – Time Magazine is published for the first time
• January 1924 – First Winter Olympic Games were held (French Alps)
• November 1925 – Grand Ole Opry broadcasts for the first time
• November 1926 – NBC Radio Network forms and can broadcast twenty-four hours
• May 1927 – Charles Limburg makes his first trans-Atlantic flight in the Spirit of St. Louis
• June 1928 – Amelia Earhart is the first woman to fly across the Atlantic Ocean
• October 1929 – JC Penney open its first store

Through all that was going on in the national arena, there was so much more within the smaller communities. Music, literature, fashion were all coming to a head from the beginning to the end of the twenties. Though everyday fashion may not have been all that exciting; night time and grand events like weddings were cause for great extravagance. And the jazz and ragtime bands of this decade were really coming on scene. Books like The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald tell of a fast paced fun time in our history. The pastimes also included watching ‘talkies’ – motion pictures with sound for the first time. In celebrating this glamorous time, I thought a blog devoted to the 1920s was definitely in order. The glitz of the roaring twenties is always a fascinating topic. First we will look at the nightlife and party scenes of the twenties and how fashion played a fabulous role in the era. Then we can journey through a bit of music and literature and movie history for some interesting pastime entertainment. And finally, we will examine some décor and attire for your next vintage get-together or even some wedding ideas with the 1920s theme. Sit back and take in this lesson, you may be able to use it for your next theme party or wedding.

Evening Fashion

As the first World War came to an end so did the fitted fashion that had been the norm. Ladies dresses were losing their shape. Waistlines moved down around the hips early in the 1920s. But, as waistlines were coming down, hemlines were rising up. This lead to fashions like the flapper in the mid twenties. It was a fun time and the flapper floated on the body; it was great for dance parties. But, just as ladies were getting used to nearly bearing it all, the fashion did a changeup. By the late 1920s hemlines lengthened again, only they took on an asymmetrical shape with a shorter more knee length front and longer back. By 1930, waistlines were back up at, well, the waist.

Pastimes with Music, Literature, and Film

It was an awesome decade for music and literature as well. The twenties were the real start of Blues, Jazz, Jubilee, Gospel, Rural – think music for square dancing, Big Band, and many other genres of music. Almost everyone was snapping their fingers or swinging their hips or tapping their toes in the twenties. Those that didn’t partake of the growing musical tide were possibly nose deep in a good book. The literature of this decade was quite amazing as well. A few titles and authors to add to your reading list for this summer might include:

• Scott Fitzgerald, Flappers and Philosophers or This Side of Paradise
• Willa Cather, The Professor’s House
• Gertrude Stein, The Making of Americans
• Eugene O’Neill, Strange Interlude
• Nella Larsen, Quicksand

Motion pictures were another exciting outing for the decade. Movies had come a long way and now some of them even included sound. While the Charlie Chaplin silent films were still popular, here are some of the other great movies of the time:

• The Four Horseman of the Apocalypse
• The Kid
• Foolish Wives
• Dante’s Inferno
• The Pleasure Garden
• The Jazz Singer
• Blackmail

Vintage Wedding Ideas for the 1920s Theme

Now, with all of this historical information at your fingertips wouldn’t it be a fun idea to plan a party around the 1920s theme. Or, even better, plan a wedding with this theme. For a party or reception with this vintage theme, here are a few suggestions: For a more formal event, say a wedding, consider the following dresses for the bride. Once the bride is dressed, look at these for the bridal party and the mother-of-the-bride/groom. The 1920s were a great time to show off and be glamorous; remember this when choosing your gown, shoes, and accessories. Here are my picks: