The Roaring 20s Revisited

NEWS FLASH: To access my Stella & Dot online trunk show — the first Magpie Mini Market! — go to:

http://www.stelladot.com/sites/mbsp

At the top right of the page, click on “Can’t Make It to the Show? Find Your Hostess” and type in first name: “Fashion” and last name: “Magpie.”  Shop away!

And now back to your scheduled programming…THE ROARING 20S

Maybe it was all the millinery featured in yesterday’s “Ascot Me to the Races” post, but as I sat down to work on a new theme, I kept flipping back to a screen shot of Robert Redford and Mia Farrow from the 1974 film version of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby:

There’s something so fetching, easy, sleek about the aesthetic — and so now.  It made me want to disregard my tendency toward the tailored and instead slip into an easy-on Jazz Age dress — like this beaded silk Milly number ($450, Net-A-Porter) or, below, the aptly named “Daisy Buchanan” dress by Haute Hippie ($560, Shop She Boutique):

Add a hard-case gold minaudiere, like this precious little Whiting-Davis ($130, Endless):

And then round it all out with this showstopping Kenneth Jay Lane art-deco bangle ($500, Net-A-Porter):

Talk about eye candy!  I can’t stop staring at it.  (Incidentally, there are a few bold cuffs at the Stella & Dot trunk show — check those out!)  And don’t forget to go dramatic with the lashes — if you’re not naturally endowed, consider testing out a pair of faux cils (false eyelashes).  I hear good things about Shu Uemura’s line ($16-$25, Sephora):

You want to have that wide, doe-eyed Clara Bow deal going for you —

With a get-up like that, I’d say you’re ready to sip champagne under the stars — or at least under an art deco chandelier (you can buy this Maison Gerard masterpiece at 1st Dibs):

For a slightly different style, consider Xeniya’s fanciful stark-white feather-skirted flapper dress (on sale for $198, Neiman Marcus):

Wouldn’t it look killer with these lust-worthy Christian Louboutin t-straps ($1,995 Bergdorf Goodman):

If you’re doubting the look — perhaps worrying that it might seem a bit costumey or over-done for you — well, think again: check out Kate Bosworth’s loveliness in this similar updated-Jazz-Age look:

She’s just radiant and oh-so-flapper-chic (right down to the t-strap pumps) — and besides, isn’t Gatsby all about chasing dreams and idling in an illusory sense of reality?  (Insert the quote we all knew backwards and forwards in high school: “Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgiastic future that year by year recedes before us…”)  When it comes down to it, fashion is a relatively safe realm for fantasy-driven decision-making anyway.  In that vein of thought, why not test out a little feathered head-piece — this Karina Andreasson rings in at under $100 (I strongly advise you visit her website — it’s beautiful):

If you don’t feel up to pairing it with a flapper-style dress, I think you’d cut quite a figure sporting it with a fitted black sheath dress and some patent black flats.  For something a bit more toned down, you’ll be able to find adorable feather-adorned headbands all over the place this season (perhaps thanks to Blair Waldorf of Gossip Girl?), including at Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, and J. Crew (the version below is $29, J. Crew):

Other ways of testing the Daisy Buchanan look if you’re not quite ready to jump in feet first?  First, a super-long strand of pearls.  All the flappers wore them with little cloche hats and low-heeled pumps.  (We’ll dispose of the latter two articles and focus on the timeless pearl accessory.)

This Carolee brand version is pleasantly affordable ($60, Max&Chloe), but Mikimoto has a covetable, more expensive version ($395, Saks):

You can wear the strand with a tidy black sheath dress for work, wrapped four times around your neck in a lovely little bundle, or wrapped only twice (so they hang lower) with a black trapeze-shape dress (more Jazz-Age-appropriate).  Other jewelry ideas?  These 1920s-style geometric earrings by Zoe & Morgan ($147, FarFetch):

I think they’d look bananas with this similarly-styled Sass & Bide top ($345, Net-A-Porter), some twig-leg black cropped jeans, and some super-high gold heels:

You might even be able to sneak on an additional ’20s-style accessory, like this black enamel Storm brand watch (the “Mashiko,” $200 at Moxsie):

…or maybe (my go-to) an aggressively-sized cocktail ring!  Why not one of these deco round-faced baubles by Confection Jewels (the first, $50 at Moxsie; the second, $115, Confection Jewels)?

Alternately, you might go for a bold deco-inspired statement necklace and an otherwise simple outfit (all black?).  I’m in love with this Fiona Paxton piece ($295, Kitson Boutique):

Her styles have gotten a lot of press thanks to their popularity amongst celebs — everyone from Isla Fischer to Drew Barrymore has been spotted in one.

I love the variation above — a bit tribal, a bit glam, and yet reminiscent of the roaring 20s.  Speaking of which — one popular Jazz Age trend I’ve not yet touched upon that seems to be cropping up all over the place this season?  The spectator pump, a femme adaptation of the  classic two-tone menswear staple.  Ralph Lauren was all over the look — these Arinas are now on sale for $419 at Ralph Lauren (a spectator flat is also available):

Manolo Blahnik, Kate Spade, Nine West, and Moschino have all come out with their own variations.  I have to admit that this style scares me a touch.  It’s so overtly masculine — and you know I love a frilly peep toe.  I was convinced I’d need to let the look pass me by until I stumbled upon these beyond-adorable Kelsi Daggers.  The scrunchy ballet flat style reminds me of Lanvin’s higher-end classics, and the pop of cherry red might be just what I need to bring an otherwise dull outfit to life ($84, Lori’s Shoes):

Love at first sight.  Maybe Ralph was onto something after all…and speaking of Ralph: take a gander at some of the Spring/Summer 2010 looks he sent down the runway — they’re straight out of Gatsby’s backyard:

The fashion house Rodarte seemed to be on a similar wavelength a year earlier, when it released a number of Jazz Age-appropriate styles, including this modern-day-flapper look:

Love the easy-breeziness of it all.  You can find a comparable white floppy sun hat through Eric Javits ($325), though I’ve seen passable versions at a fraction of the cost at places like Forever21!

Switching gears a bit — moving back to fab Gatsby-esque soirees — if you really want to pull out all the stops and knock-em-dead, check out this eye-catching, art-deco-inspired Rachel Gilbert number ($630, Net-A-Porter):

Love the scalloping — and, as a magpie, you know I love the sparkle.  It would look almost too good to be true with the Louboutin Poseidon shoe ($1,195, Saks):

Or, if you opt for black tootsies, what about this stunning Nicole Miller bling bling clutch ($175, Lori’s Shoes)?

I want.  For something a tad more understated (though not by much), you could just as easily pair the shoes and clutch with a solid black roaring 20s-inspired gown like this be-sequined Juicy Couture ($350, Net-A-Porter):

I think you’d be prohibition-party-ready in it.  To round it all out — because a little whimsy never hurt anyone — consider a rather bold feathered headpiece for a real statement ($152, Farfetch):

Or maybe just a feather clutch to go with a blush, off-white, or stark-white gown ($76, Asos):

Top it all off with some ridiculous arm (and foot) candy: an estate piece from Ylang 23 in Dallas that will set you back a cool $9,400 — and some uber-feminine glittering Jimmy Choos ($615, FootCandyShoes) in the Mary Jane style that those flappers found so appealing:

Gatsby awaits!

Addenda:

Don’t forget to visit the Stella & Dot online trunk show!  Click on

http://www.stelladot.com/sites/mbsp

At the top right of the page, click on “Can’t Make It to the Show? Find Your Hostess” and type in first name: “Fashion” and last name: “Magpie.”  Shop away!