Art Deco Style: From Ordinary to Extraordinary Part I

The Art Deco style movement originated in Europe, specifically in 1920's Paris. World War I had finally ended and people were beginning to feel safer and starting to enjoy life again. Industrialization was in full swing. Clothing production began to take place in factories, but the items that were mass created seemed dull with many women disliking them. Fashion designers wanted a fresh, unique look. This passion for a return to creative fashion gave rise to a new style, Art Deco.

The style of Art Deco clothing encompasses bright colors, ornamentation, recognizability, luxury, and exoticism. Multicultural influences adorned and decorated the usual outfits to create something unprecedented and unexpected. Everyday clothing became extraordinary as it was kissed with Art Deco's influence. Designers embraced abstract ideas and embellishment through the addition of bright colors, prints, bows, beads, feathers, and drapery into their traditional designs.

The grave clothing of previous eras changed drastically during this period. Women who were previously jaded during the war years, now craved glamour and brilliance. They began decorating their dresses with palettes, beads, lace, fringe, embroidery, feathers, and other embellishing details. Practically the only thing left of the older fashions was the straight cut style dress that offered little femininity.

Rising Hemlines Skirt lengths varied greatly from the knee to the floor. Shorter skirts became fashionable as did the quintessential flapper dress. Dresses and tops began to have more open backs and plunging necklines. Most dresses still had a simple cut. Complexity was seen only in decoration. The price depended on the complexity of the embroidery and the materials used. The main variant of the pattern on the dresses featured geometric patterns. Celebrity Choice Art Deco was a style of the rich and famous. However, the average woman was not able to join in on this trend. The reason the fashions were out of reach for most women was due to the high cost and because they had nowhere to wear such outfits. Now, almost an entire century later, this style is still in demand among celebrities and starlets who wear dresses from the Art Deco style to various awards ceremonies and parties. Accessories in the Style of Art Deco Much like the clothing, accessories were luxurious, exotic, and full of ornamentation. Handbags and clutches of this style are small. They often featured geometric patterns bright colors. Long earrings, multi-layer beads, bracelets, and rings are all standard jewelry pieces that fit in with the Art Deco look. Hats Hats were a focal piece of the Art Deco wardrobe. The rims decorated in every possible way, making images in the style of Art Deco uniquely recognizable. They were decorated with ribbons, paillettes, flowers, and other notable details. The most expensive and festive versions of headwear were embellished with rhinestones and feathers. In addition to hats, women wore other various ornamental elements. Fur became very popular during this era. Ladies often wore fur coats, coats with fur collars, fur cloaks, and other fancy fur pieces.