Era infatuation

“Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.” ~ Coco Chanel

I'm infatuated with 1920s and 30s style at the moment and have been doing some research just out of personal interest. I'm also intrigued by the life of Coco Chanel, arguably the most influential person of the 20th century in terms of style, and definitely one of the most interesting. I admire her sass, her determination and her vision.

A little of the incarnate rebel without a cause myself, the flapper era in particular has strong appeal for me. With woman gaining the vote in the 1920s, they started doing things their strict Victorian parents had never done - they smoked, they boozed, wore makeup, cut their hair and their hem lines short, and revolutionized fashion forever. It was freedom!

I have a big thing for antique jewellery (so much more elegant than modern contemporary stuff) and over time have collected the odd flapper trinket. And I have some relative modern day garments in the style of that era, but now the gem in my collection is an original 1920s dark blue, hand beaded, simply divine dress unearthed from London's Bermondsey Market.

Will I actually wear it? Probably not, it's bordering on being a century old, it's practically a museum piece. I think I will display it as such in my fabulous home of around the same era. When we have our (belated) housewarming party in the spring, we're thinking maybe a'la The Great Gatsby - so you can come and see it then - but only if you come in character!