Jazz Age fashion broke traditional ways of dress and thought.
The Jazz Age pioneered the idea of a reckless American youth who were disenchanted by war and who were rebellious against old ways of thought. If that sounds familiar to you, it is no coincidence. The attitude of the 1920's Jazz Age is a recurring theme in American culture and fashion.
The Change of The Suit
Many fashion aficionados and music fans actually realize that the popularity of 1990's rapper Biggie Smalls was -- no pun intended -- largely attributed to his throwback style of classy gangster fashion that harkens back to the Jazz Age. He introduced the idea of making gangster rap classy, and he did it by wearing flashy suits depicted by the ones worn by Al Capone from the 1920's. Capone's broad-shouldered style was actually more traditional compared to the changing times, as the newer style of suit was for guys who weren't broad shouldered. Newer suits were made to accentuate a slimmer look with shoulders that sloped downward. Regardless, suits of the Jazz Age were sleeker looking all across the board.
The Flapper Dress
Fashion designers started bringing French influences into American fashion during the Jazz Age with the flapper dress. These were much looser and more comfortable than the dresses that preceded them in the Victorian period. The newer day dresses for women predominately used floral prints and pastel colors. Evening dresses were often accessorized with beads and made of nicer fabrics like velvet and silk. The hemlines on the flapper dress were still generally low until the middle of the decade -- around 1925 -- when they reached a woman's knees, which was very controversial for that time.
Shoes to Make The Men More Stylish
A staple formal shoe for men is the strict black leather one, and that wasn't any different in or before the 1920's. However, wingtip shoes became popular during the Jazz Age. These had pointed toes and a perforation over the toes. For casual wear, two-toned Oxford shoes came into men's fashion. These came in black and white or tan and white and were laced up.
Shoes to Let The Ladies Dance
Women's shoe styles went through a big change during the Jazz Age. The fact that women were going out dancing and wearing looser fitting flapper dresses that allowed for freedom of movement was complemented by the footwear of the time. Women's shoes usually had low heels, a strap to keep them secure and closed toes. The era benefited from a large availability of synthetic fabrics, and this allowed more women to have nicer, fashionable footwear.
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