Welcome to the 20's, a century in suits

As we move into 2020 let's look back at 1920’s, the fashions and more importantly the suits that defined the era.

The roaring twenties, as they are known, had a lot going on; economic growth, jazz, art deco, androgyny and women's rights movements.  A period of decadence between two world changing wars, the 1920's were one of the most influential in changing the fashion scene. Men and women started abandoning century old norms and embraced more comfortable styles.

Suits men wear today are still very similar to those worn in the late 1920’s. The increasing influence of sports stars in the 20’s and the more relaxed tailoring they wore introduced new suit styles to the 1920’s man. Thus men’s style in the twenties embraced this new inspiration while continuing to uphold a traditional and classical elegance.

A high point and great reference point for 1920’s fashion was and continues to be The Great Gatsby.

A classic novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald that was turned into a film, first in 1974 the again in 2013; an epic movie by Baz Luhrmann. The movie particularly exhibited the best of both casual and more formal twentie's styles. The formal diversity of men’s twenties style DiCaprio as Jay Gatsby showcased the best of neutral tailoring. Joel Edgerton’s (as Tom Buchanan) style displayed the sporty influence of the twenties and Toby Maguire’s (as Nick Carraway) hinged on a more playful aesthetic.

The 1920’s was an even bigger turning point in Women’s fashion. Ditching corsets, women started adopting the straighter lines of men's apparel and androgyny re-defined elegance for women.

Along with the Suffrage movement & shifting Victorian values came pants, button-up shirts and suits.

It was in 1923 that was the launch of the first ladies suit by designer Coco Chanel. The Chanel Suit was a collarless, boxy jacket and a straight or A-line skirt; the suits would often be decorated with braid trim or metallic buttons in jersey or a tweed made of boucle yarn which has a distinctive nubby appearance. Coco herself started sporting trouser suits in the 1920's but it took two more decades for trousers to become everyday acceptable wear for women.

One century on we find ourselves at a turning point in suiting norms not dissimilar to what we saw in the 1920’s. The 2020 modern man continues to embrace this formality but with playfulness of textures and colours and always keeping comfort in mind.
In 2020 Women’s equality and parity in the workplace is still not where it should be. Yet as more women break through the glass ceiling, the Women’s Power Suit is still a wardrobe staple, continuing the legacy started a century ago by the suffragettes & Coco Chanel.

So in 2020, what  roaring bespoke pieces will you be adding to your wardrobe?
Discuss it with our tailoring expert today