Book Description

Saucy flappers and manic Charlestons, dramatic silent movies and the big-band euphoria of early jazz: the 1920s must surely rank among the most dashing eras in American style history, and this volume documents in ravishing detail the clothing that helped make the decade so stylish and glamorous. Sumptuously illustrated with more than 600 original photographs, drawings and prints, Fashion Sourcebook 1920sfocuses largely on the Art Deco period, with its beautiful beaded dresses, cloche hats and t-bar shoes as worn by the fashionable flappers and the "bright young things" of the time. Hemlines and haircuts both became drastically shorter, mirroring the changing social roles: at the decade's outset, women gained the right to vote and Prohibition led many otherwise law-abiding Americans to break the law of the land rather than abandon their gin fizzes. This title will prove an indispensable reference work not only for students of fashion but for all fashionistas seeking ideas for constructing a look of carefree liberation. An accompanying introduction outlines the major themes within fashion during this period, surveying its most famous designers and assessing their creative contributions. A cornucopia of beautiful clothes with exquisite detailing, this book is a rich source of inspiration as well as an important survey of Art Deco fashion.