The 1920s woman was a modern woman. The Craftsman home and the Californian Bungalow offered Americans and Australians a porch area. The porch area would often be decorated with Arts & Crafts – era bamboo furniture, including a side table, or what we now call a coffee table, which could hold a vase of flowers. Serving tea and coffee on a tray, with either sandwiches or afternoon tea for guests. It was considered “rude” not have something available for a guest. Biscuit tins became popular for this very reason. 

Entertainment

This was boom time for entertainment, both at home and going out with the social circle. At home, a middle-class housewife would wear an apron over her dress. If guests did arrive, she would be presentable a minute later. The following wardrobe staples built the modern middle-class woman’s status.

1. The housedress was a simple item of a woman’s wardrobe that she would probably sew herself. And then add an apron to this ensemble for her day at home. The day dress was born. Something suitable for receiving guests while providing refreshments.
2. An evening dress, the black dress was popularised by Coco Chanel and was very popular in New York with the theatre crowd. 
3. Something suitable for a special occasion, or what the old-timers called the “Sunday Best” outfit.
4. The Beach Pyjama outfit or a leisure outfit for around a pool or the boardwalk along the Esplanade at a beach. Very popular with the socially mobile. 
5. The Mary Jane shoe was the IT shoe for women during this time period. The style was about comfort and a bit of a sporty look. 
6. The cafe crowd was an in-thing by this point, too.
7. Casual wear while listening to the radio at home with family and friends.

The video below takes us through visuals and highlights of 1920s women’s fashion.

Sports & Lifestyle

See and be seen was the motto prior to social media. Tennis, golf, and yachting became popular activities, and materials such as jersey, tweed, and silk became popular for sportswear. 

In A Nutshell

• The silhouette was all about legs and arms, no waist. This look was called a drop waist.
• Costume jewellery was on trend for offering instant glamour.
• The Mary Jane shoe was the IT shoe, for day and night, available in a variety of colours.
• Hats were still a thing for daywear; eveningwear was a different story.
• Not all women cut their hair.  The faux bob style was popular among those who wanted to keep their hair long.
• Aprons were the thing for the middle-class housewife who wanted to maintain a presentable image.
• Lifestyle and sports say the rise of sports wear.
• Evening wear was a big deal, for going out, obviously, or for a party at home.
• Radio and sports commentary helped drive entertainment at home, with casual daywear a popular choice.
• Max Factor came on the scene, which we will cover for hair and makeup. Glamour was on the rise.

The video below offers insight into a radio station Warner Bros. launched in the mid-1920s.

The 1920s took the bridge of the previous decade and birthed a modern era of lifestyle.