With the release of Baz Lurhman’s adaptation of The Great Gatsby earlier this year and fashion’s love affair with all things flapper, it was only a matter of time before bars and nightclubs embraced the sensory delights of the Jazz Age. Enter a plethora of Prohibition-style speakeasies, secret pop-ups and hidden drinking dens jostling for our attention all over the capital, each offering flourishes of Art Deco design, along with an air of mystery and a volume of bootlegged spirits!
Thanks to the experts at DesignMyNight.com, you know exactly where to go to sample the best Jay Gatsby-style parties, but what to wear to channel Daisy Buchanan as you dance the Charleston come Saturday night? That’s where party dress specialists LittleBlackDress.co.uk come in. Each month, Designmynight.com will be collaborating with Team LBD to find out the latest fashion trends and essential dress styles, to ensure you ladies have the best night out. And this month, they’re taking you back in time with three classic flapper outfits that epitomise everything that’s glamorous about the Roaring 1920s…
1. A Flourish of Frills
Get the look: Roc and Doll Fun and Frill Dress in Grape, Was £175, Now £75; Mrs Blak Sultry Stole, £35; Bourne Matilda Shoe in Black and Gold, £102.20; Fiorelli Statement Cuff in Gold and Hematite, £70.
More is more when it comes to dressing for the decadent bygone era so think feathers, frills and embellishment aplenty for your weekend of yesteryear antics. Ruffles are great too; they add curves in all the right places and add a sense of occasion to the simplest of get-ups. We love this long and luxe strapless gown with tiered effect by Roc and Doll worthy of a F. Scott Fitzgerald novel. Try out this lavish look at The Nightjar Bar in Shoreditch where it’s sitting-room-only for discerning drinkers looking for a night of trying new tipples and lapping up live music. We recommend making the most of the subdued and sophisticated seated establishment in dazzling art deco-inspired, sky-high black and gold heels. These closed-toe court shoes by Bourne Fashion are the perfect way to add old world cool to your Saturday night style and have an air of Roberto Cavalli’s last catwalk collection about them. Fur stole for added decadence, optional.
2. Feathers and Fringing
Get the look: Ruby Ray Beaded Flapper Dress in Navy, £150.50; Zoe & Morgan Sassy Silver Earrings, £116; Johnny Loves Rosie Charleston Feather Headband in Silver, £25; Moda in Pelle Intense Shoe in Silver Glitter, £59.95.
If you’re in the market for a slimming but equally look-at-me dress style, the drop-hem dress is traditionally flapper, and the perfect style for apple shapes. Or why not try a 1920s-inspired tasselled number as seen sashaying down the runway in Gucci’s SS12 collection? We love Ruby Ray’s version of the high-end pieces in this dance floor-worthy party dress, which ticks all the 1920s fashion boxes with fringing, beading and embellishment. It will match the opulent wallpaper at The Luggage Room, where swinging Jazz tunes and carefully crafted 1920s cocktails await. Simply add a pair of glittering sandals, a feather in your hair and you’re good to go.
3. The Beautiful and the Beaded
Get the look: Lipstick Boutique Pearl Dress in Black and White, £35; Johnny Loves Rosie Beaded Leaf Headband, £39; The Paula Bolton Collection Pearl Bracelet, £19.50; Bourne Mollie Shoe in Apricot, Was 162, Now £113.40.
Accessories were everything for the Daisy Buchanans of the world so embrace your inner magpie and lather on the jewels for a night at the infamous Gilbert Scott hotel bar, where we thoroughly recommend you sample their signature gin-based ‘The Londonist’ cocktail. Remember, it’s all in the details. A scalloped hemline here, a little high-shine embroidery there, a low-slung necklace, a bejewelled headband; the possibilities are endless in the world of Gatsby Glam. Pearls, diamantes, and lashings of gold and silver will add that all-important exuberance to your evening look and mean you can play it a little low-key in the dress department (if you want to) with a classic yet eye-catching LBD. Even Daisy wore a black dress sometimes you know…
You can find all products featured in this blog, and loads more Gatsby Glamour and flapper dresses fashion at LittleBlackDress.co.uk. Plus, DesignMyNighters get 10% off your order with the code LBDNIGHT10.
