1920s Jazz Age: Fashion and Photographs

The exhibition 1920s Jazz Age: Fashion and Photographs at the American Museum in Bath is nearly over, so I thought I'd better get round to going before it was over and I kicked myself. If you're planning to visit it, it closes at the end of the month, so GO NOW.

The 1920s was the first vintage era I fell in love with, and in many ways the one that still runs deepest. I listen to 1920s music at work (along with a good mix of all sorts of other stuff, from big band swing to 80s goth), and love silent films. As far as clothing goes, there's something about the prints and colour choices of the era that just grabs me. The way the clothing of the 1920s was cut really makes the most of a good fabric. It's not always simple in cut, though plenty of dresses were, but those long, flat, draping, fluid surfaces show off beautiful weaves and gorgeous prints to perfection.

I know lots of people swoon over the beaded evening gowns, but my favourite garments were some of the first I saw: beautiful, slinky pyjamas and kimono style robes in clear, zingy colours. I'd happily loaf around the house in that green set today.

The clothing side of the exhibition was divided into themes, so there was lingerie/loungewear, cruisewear, evening dresses and so on. Another of my favourite outfits was a set of beach pyjamas for cruising in. (Don't worry, I'm not yet at the stage where I'll go to Tesco in my actual nightwear pyjamas… Bring back beach pyjamas!) Everything about the beach pyjamas was perfect, from the graphic print to the simple, elegant shape.

The evening wear was, as you'd expect, beautiful. As well as the upright display, there were several heavily-beaded dresses lying flat in glass cases. My guess is that it's because the fabric has grown fragile with age and the beading is heavy. On the plus side, that meant I could see inside the dress where the front was lower than the back, so I could tell the beading was done on a tambour. Do you ever find yourself getting really close to vintage garments to see how they're constructed? I always do that with 1920s clothing. The fabrics are so beautiful, so luxurious, it's fascinating to see how they're finished. Because, y'know, one day I might actually learn to sew and I'd want to get the details right. The lace evening gowns had raw edges, of course, but the taffeta ones had rolled edges like you see on scarves.

Look at the pointed hem on this lace dress. So light! So slinky!

I liked the way one of the dresses was sat on a giant moon (as you can see at the top of the page), though I don't know if that one was a stage costume as I couldn't see an information card for it. This brown velvet was particularly striking: the flow of the beads is so beautiful. It epitomises that 20s balance of simplicity of line with intricacy of embellishment for me.

The only complaint I'd really have about the exhibition is that there wasn't MORE. I'd have liked to see a wider selection of… pretty much everything, actually, and some working-class-women's garments in among the aristocratic ones to give an idea of how such labour-intensive, luxurious items filtered down to the masses. It's never a bad thing when one leaves you hankering for more, though.

Photos weren't allowed in the room of photographs, for copyright reasons, so I shall leave you with a fabulous velvet coat. Luxe fabric, graphic print, simple lines… pure 1920s perfection!