20s fashion: The looks of the Roaring Twenties were so stylish

The 1920s brought with it a completely new way of life - especially for women. With the right to vote, which women gained in large parts of Europe following the First World War, they became increasingly independent and courageous. Women in the 1920s worked (40% were employed after the war), smoked in public, rode bicycles and went out in the evenings. This newly acquired emancipation and freedom was also noticeable in the clothing.

Do you want to know more? We'll show you an overview of what clothing is typical of the twenties.

In the video in advance: Travel back in time to the 90s – Do you still remember these trends?

While in the previous era there were strict rules for women about what they were allowed to wear and what not, in the twenties they freed themselves from the restrictive corsets and lived out their new independence with short skirts, eye-catching hats and boyish short haircuts.

In the 1920s it was also important to leave the war years behind and enjoy the new life to the fullest. And the best way to do that was with lavish parties that couldn't have been more pompous. For the occasion, women wore glamorous cocktail and fringed dresses with glittering beads and rhinestones as well as sparkling embroidery in gold and silver, long gloves made of shimmering silk, eye-catching make-up and ostentatious jewelry. True to the motto: the more, the better.

With the emancipation of women, the Garçonne look came into fashion, a mixture of feminine and masculine elements. For the first time, women wore trousers, loose shirts, suits and other fashion inspired by men's clothing, something that had previously been completely unthinkable.

No other piece of clothing represents the style of the twenties as much as the so-called flapper dress. Instead of classic, feminine dresses that emphasize the female figure, women in the 1920s chose straight-cut dresses with a low waist. The hem length was also absolutely new and scandalous. The typical flapper dress is usually knee-length - something that never existed before the 1920s.

The dresses are also usually decorated with fringes and sequins and made of shiny fabrics. Some models also have an asymmetrical skirt or tiers. The dresses were styled by women of the 1920s with long gloves, beads and headbands.

With the emerging emancipation of women in the 1920s, their clothing also changed. The trend was anything that looked as boyish as possible. The women of the Roaring Twenties preferred to wear fashion that was reminiscent of men's clothing.

The style was particularly influential at the timeas well as wide-cut trousers that symbolized women's new independence and freedom. However, until the 1960s it was considered inappropriate for a woman to wear trousers.

Dieand dresses became significantly shorter in the 20s, so that the focus was now inevitably on the feet and shoes. Mary Janes were definitely one of the most popular shoes of the Roaring Twenties. Women preferred to wear models made of velvet, satin and snake or crocodile leather - in silver or gold and with a small heel. The shoes were also lavishly decorated with rhinestones, pearls, mother-of-pearl or sparkling applications.

Also in trend: comfortable slippers and so-called Oxford lace-ups. They went particularly well with the masculine trouser looks.

Many women worked during the day to support their families. And in the evening? They preferred to have fun in dance clubs and jazz bars. The typical evening fashion consisted of cocktail and fringed dresses plus a headband.

A headband was one of the most important things in the twentiesof women. Decorated with large feathers or rhinestones, the pieces gave every look that certain something.

Anyone who didn't wear a headband wore a hat. But not just any hat, but so-called cloches. The shape of the cloche is reminiscent of a bell, which is why the pieces are also called a bell hat.

The special highlight: the hat sat particularly close to the head and was pulled as low as possible over the forehead in order to draw full attention to the eyes.

Women of the 20s loved accessories. Another accessory that probably every woman in her twenties had in her wardrobe were gloves. Of course, this doesn't mean the wool or leather models that we wear in winter to keep us warm.

The evening wear of every woman in her 20s included long gloves that stretched from the fingertips to the middle of the upper arm, but at least to the elbow. Made of silk or velvet, they were particularly in vogue.

Due to women's new freedom and enjoyment of going out, completely new bag shapes emerged in the 1920s. A particularly popular model was the “Dorothy Bag”, a bucket bag made of fabric or leather with a short handle.

Women of the twenties usually wore the bucket bag on their wrist, where it offered perfect freedom of movement while dancing. Variants with elaborately decorated beads or sequins were particularly popular.