help me party like it's 1929
December 17, 2009 9:32 AM Subscribe
I got invited to a 1920's themed party, and I need advice on what to wear (I'm a guy), and also where to buy the clothes/accessories needed.
I get the feeling from the invitation that I should dress up a bit, so a fake suit from a costume store is probably not the best idea.
I've read up on Wikipedia about what people wore then, but are these things you can get in a traditional suit store? or should I try vintage stores? What about the hats... are there hats from the 20's that are still worn or available today?
I'm trying not to spend too much time shopping, and yet still look decent. Buying stuff from the internet won't work because the party is too soon. Any advice is greatly appreciated!
I get the feeling from the invitation that I should dress up a bit, so a fake suit from a costume store is probably not the best idea.
I've read up on Wikipedia about what people wore then, but are these things you can get in a traditional suit store? or should I try vintage stores? What about the hats... are there hats from the 20's that are still worn or available today?
I'm trying not to spend too much time shopping, and yet still look decent. Buying stuff from the internet won't work because the party is too soon. Any advice is greatly appreciated!
Alternatively, you could go working class: khakis + long sleeve shirt (denim or a heavy cloth) w/ sleeves rolled up + suspenders + newsboy cap.
With the exception of maybe the newsboy cap you can get all of it at a thrift store
posted by swashedbuckles at 9:55 AM on December 17, 2009 [1 favorite]
With the exception of maybe the newsboy cap you can get all of it at a thrift store
posted by swashedbuckles at 9:55 AM on December 17, 2009 [1 favorite]
For either the newsboy look or to update your suit, get yourself a snappy vest. As for hats, fedora or newsboy cap, as already mentioned. A jar of moonshine would also go over well. Most liquor stores sell corn liquor in mason jars, found somewhere around the whiskey.
posted by craven_morhead at 9:59 AM on December 17, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by craven_morhead at 9:59 AM on December 17, 2009 [1 favorite]
Best answer: If you wanted to go casually dressy you could always wear the college student uniform of the decade - Oxford bags, a dress shirt, a v-neck sweater with perhaps a stripe around the neck and a tie. Shoes would have been something like a casual wingtip - maybe a spectator shoe in two colors like light & dark brown (but not black and white).
This would be a good look. You could get a tweed suit - single breasted - from the thrift store, one that had wide legs, then cut them off and sew/glue elastic around the knee to make golf-ish knickers. You can usually find argyle socks knee length in the women's department of a place like Marshall's or TJ Maxx.
If you really want to be kind of historically appropriate, remember that we don't see color in these picks - the colors were sometimes jarring. I have three pairs of pants from the period - one is a blood red and navy herringbone tweed, one is a red, rich brown, and intense mustard windowpane plaid, and one is a black with very bright blue pinstripes.
If you want to go formal, you could do a tuxedo. The overall shape hasn't changed much in 80 years, so as long as the collar is grosgrain and the pants are slim-fit with a high waist, you are good.
Things were fitted around the waist (and in general) and pants were worn closer to or at your anatomical waist rather than at the high hip, so you don't want anything low-slung.
posted by Tchad at 10:39 AM on December 17, 2009 [2 favorites]
This would be a good look. You could get a tweed suit - single breasted - from the thrift store, one that had wide legs, then cut them off and sew/glue elastic around the knee to make golf-ish knickers. You can usually find argyle socks knee length in the women's department of a place like Marshall's or TJ Maxx.
If you really want to be kind of historically appropriate, remember that we don't see color in these picks - the colors were sometimes jarring. I have three pairs of pants from the period - one is a blood red and navy herringbone tweed, one is a red, rich brown, and intense mustard windowpane plaid, and one is a black with very bright blue pinstripes.
If you want to go formal, you could do a tuxedo. The overall shape hasn't changed much in 80 years, so as long as the collar is grosgrain and the pants are slim-fit with a high waist, you are good.
Things were fitted around the waist (and in general) and pants were worn closer to or at your anatomical waist rather than at the high hip, so you don't want anything low-slung.
posted by Tchad at 10:39 AM on December 17, 2009 [2 favorites]
Also - you don't say where you are. A lot of us know places in our respective cities we could maybe direct you to.
posted by Tchad at 10:51 AM on December 17, 2009
posted by Tchad at 10:51 AM on December 17, 2009
Tchad, I want your pants.
posted by craven_morhead at 10:53 AM on December 17, 2009
posted by craven_morhead at 10:53 AM on December 17, 2009
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by chicago2penn at 9:41 AM on December 17, 2009