The Roaring Twenties: Decoding the Decade’s Dominant Hues

The Roaring Twenties conjure up images of wild parties, illegal speakeasies, and unbridled joy. After the somber years of World War I, people were ready to let loose and enjoy life again.

This newfound freedom was reflected in women’s fashion, which broke free of Victorian sensibilities and embraced vibrant colors, bold designs, and daring combinations. Let’s take a closer look at the dominant hues that defined the flapper era.

Emerald Green

Gone were the mauves and blacks of the late 1800s. In their place came jewel tones like emerald green, which symbolized vitality and growth. Its association with nature evoked a sense of life and energy that people yearned for after the destruction of WWI.

The color also represented money and prosperity, two things in abundance during the economic boom of the 1920s. Whether in a sleek satin sheath or sequined shift, emerald green dazzled on the dance floor and at parties. Paired with gold accents, it radiated old-world glamor and riches.

Forest Greens

Deep forest greens were popular for daywear, often in tweed suits that mimicked menswear. It was a practical color for the newly independent career woman.

Paired with browns, grays, and burgundies, forest green projected an air of seriousness and professionalism in the workplace. It was a firmly grounded shade, contrasting sharply with the effervescent jewel tones of eveningwear.

Green & Black

Some designers grounded emerald green’s verve by pairing it with black. This high contrast combination gave even the brightest emerald a touch of sophistication. Black lace and beading helped offset the sheen of satin emerald dresses, making them less flashy. Solid black accessories also reined in emerald green’s vibrancy.

Metallic Greens

Nothing said Gatsby-era glamor like metallic green. From lamé to sequins to beading, shiny treatments made emerald green shimmer and move. Metallic fringe trims on flapper dresses accentuated every sway and swing across the dance floor. Its eye-catching gleam perfectly captured the exuberance of the Jazz Age.

Sapphire Blue

Another standout color of the decade was sapphire blue. While black was the most common color for clothing in the 19th century, blue came to dominate fashion in the 20th century. Post-war, sapphire blue replaced navy as the shade of choice. Bright and bold, it had an energizing effect on both the wearer and the viewer. Blue also conveyed trustworthiness and dependability, qualities much needed after the chaos of WWI.

Royal Blue

Women adopted a more regal air with rich royal blue gowns. Often accented with fur, velvet collars, and gold trim, royal blue connoted luxury and status. It featured prominently in eveningwear, where full-length royal blue dresses dripping in beads evoked sophistication. Royal blue gave off an aura of confidence, power, and ambition.

Powder Blue

Pastel shades of blue also came into vogue in the 1920s. Unlike the darker blues that conveyed steadfastness, powder blue imparted softness, delicacy, and charm. It created a romantic, feminine mood and became a popular choice for bridesmaids’ dresses. Combined with white, powder blue played up youth and innocence.

Blue & Silver

Some designers chose gray or silver as the perfect complement to light and dark blues. Silver beading, lace, shoes, and jewelry added a futuristic feel. Paired with turquoise blue, the combo was reminiscent of the glitz of silent films. Blue and silver epitomized the fantasy world that offered an escape from gloomy realities.

Sunset Orange

One color that saw significant renewed interest during the 1920s was orange. While a traditional fall color, sunset orange took on new vibrancy and depth thanks to synthetic dyes. Bright creamsicle orange represented joy and warmth. Softer peachy corals had a luminous, romantic allure when combined with silk or satin. Orange made a bold statement, pushing fashion boundaries.

Burnt Orange

Deeper burnt oranges lent a more exotic, earthy tone. Inspired by far-off lands, rich burnt orange conjured up images of ancient temples and clay pottery. Embroidered and beaded evening gowns in burnt orange colors mirrored the Orientalist aesthetic of the Ballets Russes. Its warmer tone also blended well with autumnal browns, yellows, and greens.

Coral Pink & Orange

Pairing coral pink with orange created a tropical vibe evocative of warm island breezes and sunshine. Blended together in ombre satin dresses, the vibrant duo made women stand out from the crowd. Orange and pink also challenged style norms by mixing colors from opposite sides of the color wheel.

Black & Orange

Another unconventional combination the era embraced was orange with black. Deep orange and black evoked the extravagant look of monarch butterflies. Orange provided the perfect accent color to offset sleek black dresses. Combined with the geometric Art Deco movement, the duo created a striking, modernist aesthetic.

Style Innovations

Beyond introducing radically new colors, 1920s fashion made other bold moves that changed clothing forever. Understanding these innovations provides deeper insight into how color functioned during the decade.

Mismatched Colors

While color coordination had long been fashionable, the 1920s joyfully mixed contrasting or mismatched colors. Instead of colors blended subtly within a single outfit, colors from opposite sides of the color wheel were paired in jarring ways. Red dresses accessorized with pink hats, blue gloves, and green shoes were markers of progressive fashion.

Waistlines & Hemlines

The straight, sack-like shift dresses of the early 1920s gradually gave way to more shapely silhouettes accentuating the hips and legs. Waistlines lowered and hemlines rose to reveal more skin. Colors were used strategically to highlight these sensuous new shapes and proportions. Dark colors slimmed while light hues broadened.

Masculine & Feminine

Women embraced masculine styles like tweed suits in earth tones as symbols of newfound freedom and power. But ultra-feminine dresses in pastels, metallics, and florals also abounded. The color palette expressed the complex mix of strength, independence, and romance women wanted to project.

Exotic Motifs

The discovery of King Tut’s tomb fueled a fascination with Ancient Egypt. Near Eastern patterns and designs appeared on dresses, often in sandy orange, burgundy, or teal hues. Textiles and costumes from Ballets Russes productions like Scheherazade incorporated bold new Eastern color schemes and motifs into 1920s fashion.

Avant-Garde Influence

Led by Léon Bakst, the Ballets Russes revolutionized color use in costumes and stage decor. Lush ombre fabrics, clashing color combinations and exotic patterns provided inspiration for off-the-rack clothing. Bakst proved color could be emotional and symbolic, not just decorative.

Makeup Palette

Along with dresses, makeup looks also grew far more colorful. Face powders came in blue, lavender, pink and yellow hues rather than just traditional flesh tones. Eyes rimmed dramatically in kohl defined the iconic flapper look. Most revolutionary was the widespread embrace of red lipstick.

Red Lipstick

While dark red lips shocked Victorian sensibilities, by the 1920s they were a symbol of liberated women. Lipstick choices ranged from bright cherry to deep burgundy. Applying lipstick in public was itself a daring act of rebellion. Colorful lips became tantalizing canvases for self-expression.

Rosy Cheeks

Pale skin was highly prized in the 19th century. But the 1920s ushered in a craze for tanned, glowing complexions. Cream rouges created healthy, rosy cheeks. Mauve and pink tints blended seamlessly for a natural sun-kissed flush. Some even applied rouge in dramatic spot shades on the temples, chin, and forehead like silent film stars.

Kohl Eyes

Smudgy, smoky kohl-lined eyes became synonymous with flappers. Black and brown kohl pencils rimmed both upper and lower lids, elongating the eyes. Paired with penciled-in brows, the dark shadowy effect gave women a mysterious, alluring aura. The style rebelled against conventions of natural makeup.

Colorful Compacts

Intricately designed compacts were colorful works of art. Enameled cases came in every hue imaginable, many with geometric Art Deco patterns. Stylish women carried these bright accessories even when empty of powder. Compacts proclaimed one’s unique tastes or moods through color preferences.

Tweed Suits

For daywear, nothing embodied the 1920s shift in women’s fashion more than tweed suits. The decade saw an explosion in women entering the workforce, and pursuing education and careers. Though still a male-dominated realm, ladies adapted menswear into powerful feminist fashion statements.

Mint Green

Pastel tweed in shades like mint green or lilac purple lent a soft femininity to traditionally masculine suiting. Frothy bow blouses and straight Tea-length skirts also maintained a girlish charm. Mint green evoked freshness and innocence but also determination and poise.

Gray & Brown

More sober suits came in versatile neutrals like gray and brown tweed. Paired with crisp white shirts and masculine ties, women echoed boardroom dress codes. Browns and Grays projected professionalism and seriousness. Though conforming on the surface, suits enabled women to infiltrate male spaces.

Checks & Plaids

Many tweed suits incorporated traditional patterns like checks, plaids and herringbones. Unmarried young women often wore menswear-inspired suits with wide lapels and padded shoulders. Checks and plaids blended in while allowing women to stand out intellectually rather than physically.

Masculine Accessories

Gone were the mauves and blacks of the late 1800s. In their place came jewel tones like emerald green, which symbolized vitality and growth. Its association with nature evoked a sense of life and energy that people yearned for after the destruction of WWI.

Sober Color Pairings

Designers recommended subdued color pairings for tweed suits like navy and black, tan and brown, or slate blue and gray. Contrasting colors were applied minimally as piping or collar accents. Professional tweed suits required a serious, down-to-business color palette that mirrored masculine sobriety.

Sheer Fabrics

Advances in textile technology led to the creation of lightweight crepes and satins. Clothing could now be semi-transparent, another break from Victorian conventions of modesty. When colored, these diaphanous fabrics took on a radiant, almost ethereal glow.

Pastel Crepe

Crepe, a crinkly lightweight fabric, came in gossamer pale shades ranging from lemon chiffon to lilac purple. Crepe gave a subtle texture and muted the brightness of pastels slightly. Cool in summer, flowing crepe dresses were often worn without restrictive undergarments.

Metallic Lurex

Lurex, a newly invented metallic fabric, added glossy dazzle. Silver and gold Lurex thread was woven into shimmering evening dresses. Iridescent fabrics captured and reflected light, even in dark, smoky speakeasies. Lurex comes in every hue for maximum eye-catching glamour.

Sheer Black

Black crepe and lace also took on new allure when fashioned into barely-there dresses. Seductive sheer black fabric revealed just hints of skin. Transparency is titillated without exposing too much. Black brought sophistication to what might otherwise have seemed scandalous.

Silk Chiffon

Floaty silk chiffon billowed dramatically when dancing. Chiffon could be made very lightly so multiple layers did not overwhelm. Sophisticated beading and embroidery adorned some chiffon dresses. Every color from red to blue to silver took on a gauzy, ethereal effect.

Rayon

The development of rayon-added sheen at an affordable price. Unlike silk, rayon could be machine-washed and dried. Rayon retained vivid colors through repeated laundering. Available in all colors and prints, rayon enabled women of all incomes to embrace the lightweight tunics and gowns in vogue.

By breaking with the rigid past, women’s fashion in the 1920s freed itself to embrace vibrant colors, provocative designs, and uninhibited chic.

These innovative clothing choices gave women new ways to express independence, power, and individuality through personal style. The iconic flapper look manifested the irrepressible joy, defiance, creativity, and progressive thinking that defined this remarkable decade of change.

Summary Table

Color	Mood	Type of Clothing
Emerald Green	Vitality, Growth, Prosperity	Satin & sequin evening dresses
Sapphire Blue	Trust, Dependability, Confidence	Velvet & fur trimmed evening gowns
Sunset Orange	Joy, Warmth, Boundary-Pushing	Crepe & chiffon dresses
Pastel Tweeds	Softness, Femininity, Determination	Suits with straight skirts
Sheer Crepe	Seductive, Ethereal, Liberating	Flowy, unrestrictive dresses
Cherry Red Lipstick	Defiance, Self-Expression, liberation	Makeup for day & evening

Conclusion

The Roaring Twenties were transformative years for women’s fashion and its use of color. New dye technologies and textile inventions opened up thrilling possibilities for vivid hues, tactile fabrics, and revealing silhouettes.

Youthful flappers flung aside old rules about color compatibility as they fearlessly mixed clashing brights like red and pink or blue and green. evenings simmered with jewel-toned satins in emerald, sapphire, and ruby. Days were for making bold feminist statements in tailored tweed suits.

Makeup palettes expanded dramatically from simple flesh tones to include blue powders, orange rouges, and scarlet lipsticks. Clothing colors went from symbolizing status and mourning to expressing vibrant life.

For the first time, vibrant color was freely accessible across classes thanks to synthetic dyes. The decade was a watershed moment of self-definition, captured aesthetically in its groundbreaking palette.

Frequently Asked Questions

How did World War I influence 1920s color trends?

After the devastation of WWI, people longed for uplifting, vibrant colors that represented life, hope, and joy. Bright emerald greens, sapphire blues, and coral oranges replaced the somber greys and mauves favored previously.

What technological innovations allowed for new colors?

Advances in synthetic dyes and fabrics like rayon allowed for saturated, vivid shades not possible with natural dyes. Metallic Lurex thread created shiny, shimmery fabrics.

Why did flappers wear mismatched colors?

Flappers purposefully combined clashing colors like red and pink as a way to rebel against old traditions of color compatibility. Mismatched ensembles showed their avant-garde fearlessness.

How did makeup change from Victorian-era looks?

Makeup became much more colorful. Red lipstick, rouged cheeks, blue and lavender face powders, and kohl-rimmed eyes broke with norms of natural makeup.

How did dances like the Charleston affect hemlines?

To allow freedom of movement for dances like the Charleston, flapper dresses featured shorter hemlines that rose steadily throughout the 20s and showed more leg.

How did men’s suits influence flapper fashion?

Many flappers adopted masculine-style suiting in tweed and plaids as a sign of empowerment. But details like mint greens and lilacs feminized them.

What was the impact of exotic Ballets Russes costumes?

Bold Eastern color schemes, patterns, and motifs from Ballets Russes productions inspired avant-garde color combinations in women’s clothing.

How did textile advances impact eveningwear?

Lightweight crepe, chiffon, and rayon allowed for airy, sheer dresses in vibrant jewel tones or ethereal pastels for the evening.

Why were grey and brown tweeds popular?

For the newly independent career girl, grey and brown tweed suits conveyed professional seriousness and competence within male-dominated offices.

How did silhouette shapes change over the decade?

Hemlines rose and waistlines lowered to show more leg. Combined with vibrant colors, clothes began accentuating women’s bodies more sensuously.

What did blue represent in the 1920s?

Unlike in the Victorian era, blue evolved from a mourning color to one representing steadfastness and dependability. Light blues also conveyed softness and charm.

How did flappers use red lipstick as a symbol?

Red lipstick represented liberation and defiance of traditional gender roles. Applying it publicly was a daring, rebellious act.

Why were compacts an important accessory?

Intricately decorated compacts enabled women to touch up makeup like vivid rouges. Carrying a bright compact proclaimed one’s unique style and personality.

How did World War I impact material availability?

WWI and new textile technologies led to innovative lightweight fabrics like rayon and crepe. New sheer fabrics created a luminous glow when colored.