Hello Lovelies,
I hope you enjoyed your Valentine’s Day♥ spending it with your special someone or with friends or family. I got to enjoy a long weekend with my family. 🙂 Today’s post is going to be featuring fashion of the 1930s and we’ll be focusing on dresses. I love dresses especially ones that I can wear with leggings!
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Hello Fashionistas,
How is everyone doing this lovely Monday? Well, actually almost Tuesday!
Today, we’re going to dive into some of the1920s fashion and I wanted to focus on one type of clothing. I thought dresses of this decade would be fun to look back at.
The 1920s was a memorable decade for fashion since there was more freedom in women’s fashion (especially after the war) and the clothes definitely reflected that. A notable designer of this era was the fabulous Coco Chanel. I know if you’re like me, you think of her perfume.
Sensual Elixir.
During this time, Coco Chanel also designed a two-piece dress out of stretchy jersey fabric that flowed against the body. Below is the actress Gloria Swanson, a silent movie star rocking Coco’s design.
By Bain New Service, via Wikimedia Commons.
Another popular dress in the 1920s was the signature flapper style dress. Shown below.
A traditional flapper outfit.
Below is another popular dress style, a dress with a dropped waist. This style of dress was more of an everyday dress.
In the early in the 1920s, formal wear dresses were extremely elaborate and some even had intricate beading.
Silent movie actress Norma Talmadge.
In 1926, there was the classic straight dress, one of my favorite type of dresses of this decade!
Actress Alice Joyce in a sheer beaded straight dress.
There you have it, a quick look at the history of the 1920s dresses worn during this fun decade! I hope you enjoyed it. Next Monday, there will be more fashion history. Let me know which decade you would like to see next or a particular piece of clothing you would like me to feature.
Cheers,
~Ruth
P.S. Stay fabulous. 🙂
P.P.S. Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest!
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“I am going to start with one of my favorite pieces, it’s called the Wicked Black Burlesque Pony. I made this piece from a red witch hat I found at a Halloween store. The exterior is made mostly from a pair of old leather gloves that I repurposed. It took a lot of hot glue, spare jewelry, and a wild and loving imagination to put this hat together. This piece is near and dear to my heart because it is what I imagine a spooky old Hollywood witch would wear if she were to perform in a Halloween burlesque show (very cool). It’s sexy and magical. This hat would make anyone feel romantic and dominating.”
“My show pony is my Ziegfeld follies hat, it’s my pride and joy.” For those who don’t know, Ziegfeld Follies was an elaborate series of Broadway productions in the 1900s. Aimee continues, “I purchased the faux fur hat in an antique shop in Old Auburn. The moment I saw it I knew I could make something amazing out of it. I had pink champagne pearls, light pink cellophane fabric, a gem-encrusted feather broach, and some big pink sequins, that I just needed to use to awaken my couture. It was a lot of fun making it because everything I did to this hat inspired me to be more regal and fantasy inspired. When I wear my hat I feel like a Russian ice princess wandering through a frozen pink castle in the winter night. I have worn this hat to a finale party for Ru Paul’s Drag Race for a show pony look that was inspired by Fruit Stripe gum and My Little Pony. Fantasy and fun are alive and well within my fashion!”
Aimee continues, talking about her favorite animal, elephants!“I have been in love and adoration with elephants all my life. I made my Elephant Empress headdress in tribute to the danger that they are subjected to every day. They have to be strong and brave to survive the conditions poachers and big industries/corporations subject them to. I believe that elephants still rule their land despite the extinction they face every day. When I wear my headdress, I am overcome with honor and pride. Sometimes elephants need horns or tusks to fight for themselves, so I’ve included a pair of purple ones that illuminate this look. This look is an Asian elephant inspired piece that gives me pride when I wear it.”
Burlesque Elephant’s handmade drag couture.
Ready to take on the night!
Lovely hat handmade by Burlesque Elephant.
The eyes say it all!
Aimee’s #Retromodern 1920s Inspired Look
“My 20s inspired red dress and earrings are one of my favorite vintage-inspired looks. I got this red dress from the SPCA thrift store years ago in Roseville. When I saw it I couldn’t believe anyone would want to let this dress go because it was such a perfect dress for its era. I had a flashback to the Roaring Twenties and felt that I could transform myself into a starlet by dawning this dress. It is vintage and makes me feel beautiful. I paired it with glitzy red ruby earrings that sparkle and shine like red hearts of the ocean. I also pinned up my hair to make the whole look complete and cute.” I absolutely love this outfit and the ’20s is such an inspiring decade for fashion!
Aimee’s vintage find: A 1920s lovely red polka dotted dress
Who doesn’t like a Paris inspired look? This outfit was worn to see a Peaches Christ production of The Witches of Eastbay.”
I hope you enjoyed this collaboration as much as I did, it was a lot of fun working with Aimee. I loved that she was so willing to share her creative outlet. I also love, love working with unique and creative women like Aimee who have something to say!
All my best,
~Ruth 🙂
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Hello guys and gals,
I hope everyone enjoyed their weekend. 🙂 I know I did I got to take an actual break! I went to my husband’s family reunion, it was a nice getaway and it was nice to unplug. Today, we’re talking about swimsuits from the 1920s. My goal is to make this post short and sweet. 😉 I’m also including how to rock the 1920s vibe for the #retromodern fashionista so keep scrolling!
The 1920s is when men and women covered up their bodies and being modest was the main goal. During this time, women wore swim caps and swim slippers, which I think the later is a little overkill for my taste. Although, who doesn’t love a cute swim cap?! What surprised me is that the swimsuits of this time were made of wool (talk about itchy!) In the next decade in the 30s is when they made swimsuits with other blends such as Lastex (an elastic yarn)/wool blends which revolutionized the swimsuit industry.
Does anyone recognize this logo?
1920s Jantzen diver girl logo.
Above is the iconic Jantzen girl diver logo. Jantzen was the premier swimsuit maker of the time and during the beginning of the 1900s and in the 1920s, they only made swimsuits.
Below is a classic 1920s summer look complete with parasol, body-conscious swimsuit, and what looks to me like ballet swim shoes!
1920s Swimsuit ensemble. Image courtesy of Wikipedia.
Scandalous Two-Pieces in the 1920s
Surprisingly, after doing some digging, I found that certain women rocked two pieces! Women in burlesque and vaudeville performers wore two pieces, gasp! A famous burlesque dancer during this time was Gypsy Rose Lee a Seattle native. She was also an actress and an author.
Gypsy Lee Rose: Famous 1920s Burlesque dancer.
I couldn’t find a picture of her in a swimsuit but you can imagine for the time being a burlesque dancer was a risky career choice for a woman!
Famous Vaudeville Performer
Josephine Baker was a famous Vaudeville performer for the St. Louis Chorus vaudeville. Unfortunately, she was 13 when she quit school and had to live on the streets. During this try time, Josephine was discovered on the streets because of her street dancing. Fortunately, she was a success story, Josephine became famous and went to Paris in 1925. In the 1950s, she was very active in the civil rights movement.
Below is Joséphine’s famous Girdle of Bananas outfit! Stunning if I say so myself. This was taken in 1926, the image was taken via Wikipedia.
STL native, Josephine Baker in her famous outfit.
How to rock the 1920s vibe today
Okay, we made it through fashion history. Let’s move onto how to wear the 1920s vibe while hanging out at the local pool or beach. 🙂 For those who know how to sew, there are patterns on Etsy that you can buy. I personally have no sewing skills, but will hopefully someday I will!
When I was searching for the 1920s inspired swimsuits I found the amazing website: Modcloth. I also consulted my all-time favorite retro/cool/vintage/handmade site Etsy. This site is amazing for people who like to rock the older styles with a modern twist. Definetly check them out.
Below are my favorite 1920s swimwear looks. Click the links above to discover even more retro fashion looks!
My first pick, is a super fun lavender polka dot 1920s style swimsuit from Mod Cloth.
You can’t go with this classic one-piece lavender swimsuit with polka dots.
A super fun 1920s Peacock Swimsuit.
You can buy this particular swim cap from HeadcoversUnlimited.
I hope everyone enjoyed this post as much as I did! I’m going to try to keep my posts a little shorter but still fun. Check back for more of my #retromodern style. Finally, keep a lookout for another fashion interview/guest blog post by the fabulous Burlesque Elephant.
Don’t forget to have fun with your fashion. 🙂
~Ruth
thatretroruth😎💜👍🏻
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Hello fashionistas, friends, and fellow bloggers,
This post is going to dive into what the ’80s means to me! Let’s jump into the culture, the fashion, the history, and why I LOVE the ’80s! First of all, I was born in the 1980s and grew up in the 1990s. I grew up watching all of the ’80s cartoons such as the Care Bears, My Little Pony, Strawberry Shortcake, and my all time favorite Rainbow Brite. I loved watching Rainbow Brite as a little girl and I even had my own Rainbow doll with her friend and Leader Sprite Twink. Below are all Rainbow Brite’s friends the color kids. Which one are you? Growing up I was like Shy Violet, who loved to read and was quiet, believe it or not. 🙂 Now that I’m an adult, I want to spread joy and love like Rainbow Brite did!
L to R- Rainbow Brite: Leader of Rainbow Land. Red Butler: He is responsible for the color red. Red Butler’s personality is adventurous and daring. Lala Orange: She is responsible for the color orange. Lala Orange’s personality is romantic and fashion forward. Canary Yellow: She is responsible for the color yellow. Canary Yellow’s personality is cheerful and sees the glass half full. Shy Violet: She is responsible for the color violet (and warmer shades of purple). Shy Violet’s personality is intellectual and resourceful. Indigo: She is responsible the color indigo (and cooler shades of purple). Indigo’s personality is dramatic and creative. Buddy Blue: He is responsible for the color blue. Buddy Blue’s personality is athletic and valiant. Patty O’Green: She is responsible for the color green. Patty O’Green’s personality is mischievous and spirited. Excerpt from Wikipedia.
Women Fashion Icons: Fashion during the ’80s was an awesome time for colorful clothes, hair, and makeup. I especially loved Madonna’s music growing up. Check out Madonna’s iconic look in the ’80s! Below is when she debuted in the movie, Desperately Seeking Susan.
Desperately Seeking Susan Movie, 1985. This shot is so totally ’80s I love her outfit from head to toe!
(Sound Track from Desperately Seeking Susan–Get into the Groove)
Cindy Lauper: “I see your true colors and that’s why I love you..” “Don’t be afraid to show your true colors”…I don’t know about you, but I was and still am in love with the ’80s sensation female music star. I love that she is still going strong and is active in the LGBT community. Below is Cindy in all of her glory.
’80s Cindy Lauper. Photo credit: Neal Preston
Plus, a lot of ’80s makeup was inspired by her! I personally loved her appearance in Goonies. “Goonies never say die” My all time favorite movie. 🙂
Photo credit: Flicker@ veganstraightedge
Photo Credit: @Wikipedia.
Above is the flag for the fictitious character Hector Barbossa from Pirates of the Caribbean. A lot of people use this image to put the “Goonies never say die” phrase on it!
Photo credit: Flicker. From @Stéfan. Toyko Action Figures!
’80s Hairstyles: The look that I rocked as a kid was crimped hair, shown below. I had a pink Conair crimping iron. I remember sitting for hours trying to get my hair just right!
Wild Crimped hair!
Who remembers these products?!
’80s Hair Staples.
I also have fond memories of rocking a spiky hairdo with tons of L.A. Looks hair gel in elementary school.
Fashion Looks: In the ’80s, the fashion fitness craze started with Actor and Activist Jane Fonda, she made working out look cool and fashionable. Also, the actress Jennifer Beals starred in the iconic movie Flash Dance about a woman who worked in a steel mill during the day and danced in bars at night. Although, it was her dream to be a professional dancer. “She’s a Maniac on the floor and she’s dancing like she never danced before”. I loved how she rocked the leg warmers!
Left-Jane Fonda: Fashion and Fitness guru. Middle-Jennifer Beals: Flash Dance actress.
The ’80s a decade where big hair and loud clothing ruled!
Women’s Fashion: I don’t know about you, but growing up I rocked the jelly shoes. Jelly shoes came in an assortment of colors and were plastic. I also had hair scrunchies which are still popular today. I also loved slap bracelets which were so much fun. I especially loved my satin lime green one and my holographic one too!
Jelly Shoes.
Rainbow Colored Hair Scrunchies!
Slap Bracelets.
The ’80s wouldn’t be complete without neon clothing! This is something that both men, women, and kids wore. At least I did! 🙂
Neon Clothing Galore!
Also in the ’80s, an outfit wouldn’t be complete without slouch socks, this is also something I rocked. I remembered layering hot pink and lime green slouch socks. 
Men’s Fashion: So according to liketotatlly80s.com. Z Cavaricci’s or “Z-Cav’s” as they were casually called were the very trendy European pants that fashion-forward men wore in the late ’80s. These pants came in a variety of colors and even came in acid wash, another must have in the ’80s. These pants were high waisted, flared in the thigh area, and were tapered in the ankle. You could also “Peg” them, which means roll them up tightly. Z Cavaricci’s also made women’s jeans and sweatshirts. The Z Cavaricci brand is still around today, even though they are not currently making new clothes, what a shame!
Z Cavaricci’s Pants. Image: liketotallythe80s.com
Don’t forget to pair your Z Cav’s with your favorite collared shirt and a Piano Tie, another fashion must-have for men in the ’80s.
The famous rap group, Run DMC had a major influence on fashion! Check them out.
Rocking the Bucket Hats, Big Gold Chains and Cazals.
Run DMC wore bucket hats (see above), gold chains (see above) and Cazals, plus huge glasses.
Worst 80s Fashion goes too..
Okay I saved the worse for last! Drum roll please! Unfortunately, I thought it was cool and so did others luckily to sport wait for it….fanny packs, ugh.
Worst ’80s fashion trend.
Finally, I want to leave you with my favorite Halloween costume I made myself in college, my homemade Rainbow Brite costume. Remember at the beginning of this post I told you I loved Rainbow Brite? Well, I decided to go as her with the inspiration from a girl named Katy Cartee Haile who runs the Rainbow Brite website. I loved her website (still do!) and as a result, I was able to win Value Village’s national Halloween costume contest. 🙂
Me as Rainbow Brite and my husband Greg as Charlie Brown.
All my best,
~Ruth
P.S. You should follow me on instagram.com/thatretroruth and twitter/thatretroruth. 🙂
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