It's Happening: Styling it Up for Holly Ball 2023
By Julie Perine on January 09, 2023 from It’s Happening
Dress designer Dee Collins Allevato knows about Roaring 20s style and incorporates it into some of her pieces.
“The flapper dress – trimmed with fringe and worn with layers of pearls – became an infamous silhouette to this day. The 20s were the beginning of the Art Deco movement and designers like CoCo Chanel were changing the fashion scene from corsets and heavy clothing to more boho, easy wearing pieces,” she said.
The use of knits and lighter weight fabrics were being used with details in the embellishments of sequins, rhinestones, fur, and feathers.
Accessories included sequined/feathered headbands, long multiple strands of pearls, long gloves, small, beaded clutch purses and chandelier-style earrings.
“Fur wrap and coats added a luxury layer,” Allevato said. “This was a very glam and glitz era.”
Hair fixed in pin curls or “finger waves” and makeup featuring a smokey eye and deep red lipstick finishes the look.
For men, it was the sophisticated look of lighter-weight fabrics in pinstripes and plaid three-piece suits made in vibrant colors inspired by the introduction of Art Deco.
“They donned two-toned oxfords, wore snazzy bow ties, suspenders, and the most important accessory – the Fedora hat,” Allevato said.
Allevato is owner of Little Black Designs. Pictured is her modern-day version of a flapper dress, one of her favorite pieces. She also designs chiffon wraps and fringe-trimmed scarves.
Owner of Oliverio’s Prom and Bridal Boutique, Angela Patsy agrees that beaded fringe is the pivotal element of 1920s style.
“It has made a huge comeback and is popular again. There are lots of fringed gowns available right now,” she said. “There are now more crystal and beads versus the silk fringe that used to be on them and there were more sequins in the 1920s.”
Though basic black, white, and brown are still great colors for a roaring 20s occasion, 2023 brings the fringed dresses in a rainbow of colors from yellow and periwinkle to royal blue and hot pink. The drop waists of the 1920 are beginning to come back, but most of the modern dresses are form fitted to the natural waist or in a ballgown style.
Another thing making the look different from the roaring 20s era are the accessories. Rather than long, layered necklaces and hairpieces, we are seeing large crystal earrings.
Patsy said the look has become popular in cocktail dresses, homecoming and prom and occasionally bridal.
Pictured below is one of the many styles available through Oliverio's Bridal and Prom Boutique.
Visit Little Black Designs HERE.
Visit Oliverio's Bridal and Prom Boutique HERE.
