The Roaring '20s

1920s Women's Accessories: The Jazz Age and Flapper Influences on Jewelry

Talkies. The Charleston. Clara Bow. Finger waves. Boardwalk Empire. Speakeasies. Charles Lindbergh. Art Deco. The Great Gatsby.

Jazz Age-inspired fashion is showing up on the catwalks of designers such as Armani, Bottega Veneta, Alberta Ferretti and Givenchy. The Roaring Twenties are back. Catch the inspiration and bring the roaring twenties into jewelry designs for a flapper-inspired flair.

The Flapper and Her Style

The Flapper was a brash, wisecracking woman who flouted the social and political conventions of her time. She smoked, danced and walked into a speakeasy like she owned the place. Born out of the social, political and cultural turbulence between World War I and World War II, the Flapper wore heavy makeup and had a distinct fashion style.

Flapper fashion showcased short hair, long fringe, drop-waist, knee-length dresses, cloche hats, long strands of beads or pearls knotted at the sternum, finger-waved hairstyles, headbands with feathers and other iconic imagery. Designs and patterns on clothing and accessories were also influenced by new scientific understanding as well as archaeological discoveries from ancient Egypt (King Tut), Sumeria (Royal Cemetery of Ur), the Mayans in Central America (Chichen Itza) and the Classical world (Greece and Rome).

Flapper fashion added easy-to-wear style for women with comfortable, boxy clothing and the addition of sportswear to the circle of acceptable outerwear for public appearances. It also introduced the high-heeled shoe and strappy pump.

Get the Look

The femininity of the flapper is all in the accessories. Offer 1920s inspired accessories the customers can slip into their wardrobes to showcase elements of flapper-chic without looking like a costume.

• 1920s Inspired Jewelry

• The Art Deco movement provided design inspiration for jewelry during the Roaring '20s, along with plenty of sparkle. Rhinestones, Austrian crystals (get the look with Crystal Passions®) and hex-cut seed beads were frequently used in jewelry to capture the eye.
• Flappers frequently wore Art Deco-inspired brooches on their fur collars and cloche hats, as well as long continuous strands of pearls or round beads, gem-studded bracelets and lariat necklaces with tasseled ends. Wide bracelets, both cuff and wire styles, were popular.

The innovative bobbed hairstyles of the flapper era not only transformed women's fashion but also sparked a trend in earring styles. The era saw a surge in the popularity of long chandelier earrings, drawing attention to the neck. Additionally, women adorned themselves with large, glittering stud earrings and dazzling drops.

• 1920s Inspired Headwear

The cloche hat and the feathered headband are iconic elements of the flapper style. The close-fitting cloche hat was often accented with a brooch, ribbon, scarf, silk flower or other adornment; the headband typically sparkled with sequins and beads while supporting a bobbing vertical feather. Headbands could go around the head like a hatband, or over the top of head like a schoolgirl's headband.

• Other 1920s Inspired Accessories

Popular accessories were delicate mesh handbags, fringed shawls, fur or feather drapes, T-strap shoes, peek-a-boo heels with metallic accents and stockings with embellished garters. Color-blocking with Art Deco-inspired patterns (just think of the Chrysler Building in New York City), subtle fur trims and long fringe edging can introduce Jazz Age-style into modern fashions without going over the top.