Vintage Stocking Guide (2024)

FAQs

Did flapper girls wear nylons? ›

Even though women were showing off more of their legs than ever before, going bare-legged in public was still a fashion faux pas. To remain covered while wearing on-trend outfits, Flappers turned to 1920s stockings to keep their legs covered.

Stocking Colors. Women's stockings in the early years were plain. Black was the most common with brown, grey, navy blue, or white being options that coordinated with dresses.

During the 1920s, fishnets emerged as a more alternative trend in the U.S. and were favored by women like showgirls, in large part due to the fact that fishnets were more revealing than typical regular stockings of the day.

Flappers were known to roll their stockings all the way down to their knees. This was used to make sure that their knees were bare. Even so, they applied a bit of makeup to their knees to enhance the look and beauty of their knees.

Flappers were a "new breed" of young women in the 1920s who wore short skirts, bobbed (cut short) their hair, listened to jazz, and flaunted their disdain for what was then considered acceptable behavior.

As women became more liberated, so did their legs. Dresses no longer went down to the floor but instead finished around the knee. This meant stockings became visible. Out went warm and functional cotton tights and in came more glamourous legwear.

In the twenties, flapper girls would apply blush to their knee caps to draw attention to this part of the body (which was frowned upon to reveal at the time.) The way to wear a blushing knee was peeking out from a mid-length skirt and accompanied by a pair of rolled down stockings.

Flappers frequently wore Art Deco-inspired brooches on their fur collars and cloche hats, as well as long continuous strands of pearls or round beads, gem-studded bracelets and lariat necklaces with tasseled ends. Wide bracelets, both cuff and memory wire styles, were popular.

Anyway, knee makeup been around much longer than you would think. Flappers used rouge (blush) to decorate their knees, an are that was more exposed than ever despite the fact that hemlines were just below the knee (the '20s version of a miniskirt).

In addition to these clothing options, flappers also made use of other accessories to stay warm in the winter. Long gloves, which extended past the elbow, were popular, as were fur stoles and wraps. These could be worn over a flapper dress or with a more tailored outfit.

What kind of shoes did flappers wear? ›

The most popular style of flapper shoe in the 1920s was a Mary Jane pump with a strap over the ankle or a T strap pump. The more straps, the better! This was the first time that women were showing off their feet with short dresses, and those shoes were a fashion statement!

“In live performances, we pretty much always wear tights. We usually wear nude fishnets,” she said at the time. “Fishnets blend a little bit better and look a little more natural. Your skin still comes through enough to make it look like you could be bare-legged, but you're not.

The brands Max Factor and Cutex also introduced polishes throughout the 1920s. The “moon manicure” was in vogue: Women kept their nails long and painted only the middle of each nail, leaving the crescent tip unpolished.

The phrase 'rouge my knees' refers to the fad in the 1920s, when women would apply red rouge to their knees to draw attention and give illicit glimpses of their legs. This fad was popularized by flapper women whose fashion style included stockings that they would roll just below their rouged kneecaps.

The new free-wheeling garments required that the undergarments of the 1920s also adapt for a more motion oriented lifestyle. Strict, heavily boned, corsets were abandoned. Instead of accentuating a woman's curves, the new undergarments formed the female body into the popular boyish figure.

In the 1920s, the flapper craze swept America— women bobbed their hair and danced to the Charleston in short dresses.

Flapper fashions included short hair under cloche hats, lingerie over corsets and loose dresses with hemlines that rose from the ankles in 1920, knee length or higher by the mid-1920s and back down to below the knee by 1930.

Soft curls were the sophisticated flapper 'do of the wealthy.

They donned fashionable flapper dresses of shorter, calf-revealing lengths and lower necklines, though not typically form-fitting: Straight and slim was the preferred silhouette. Flappers wore high heel shoes and threw away their corsets in favor of bras and lingerie.

Flapper dresses were straight and loose, leaving the arms bare (sometimes no straps at all) and dropping the waistline to the hips. Silk or rayon stockings were held up by garters.

Did 1920s dresses have zippers? ›

Many garments before the 1920s were fastened with buttons and lacing. However, during this decade, the development of metal hooks and eyes meant that there were easier means of fastening clothing. Hooks and eyes, buttons, zippers, and snaps were all used to fasten clothing.

A smoky eye and heavy makeup was also the “film star flapper” look. It is worth remembering that film makeup was exaggerated to create dramatic characters and features.

With a shorter hemline and a blank kneecap, flappers began painting pictures on their legs. Some used makeup, but many used actual paint and even enlisted artists to help. They would adorn their knees with flowers, portraits of their boyfriends, or detailed landscape scenes.

Flappers were known to paint their faces with bright red lipstick, dramatic blush, eyeliner, and mascara in order to look more appealing to men. They also plucked their eyebrows, which few women had done before them.

During this time period, for a vampy flapper look, women often wore a very dark red. Ashley mixes Rebel with the Black Eyeliner pencil on the back of her hand and then applied it with the Vegan Lip brush.

Pearl earrings were a popular choice of earrings in the Roaring twenties. Inspired by the Art Deco, beautifully fashioned pearl earrings became widespread and have remained popular ever since. Long, pendulous earrings were also popular in the 1920s.

One thing that women carried was loose change in the terms of bank notes or coinage either in a small separate purse or in a pocket within the handbag. Next came their keys, possibly a note book and some handkerchiefs.

Known for its distinctive “T” strap across the vamp, the T-strap heel became a popular footwear choice for women when it came to formal footwear in the 1920s. Often paired with a low, curved heel, the T-strap was a sultry but sturdy shoe favored among the flapper subculture.

Flappers wore high heel shoes, threw away their corsets in favor of bras and lingerie, applied rouge, lipstick, mascara and other cosmetics, and favored shorter hairstyles like the bob. These Flapper dresses are on display now at the Museum.

Flappers are predominantly associated with the late 1910s and the '20s in the United States. A typical flapper chose dresses that were of a straight style, sleeveless, and often low-cut as well as short—about knee-length, which was rather scandalous at the time.

Can flappers have long hair? ›

There are plenty of flapper hairstyles for long hair that can be done in five minutes or less like using a simple flapper accessory.

Peaco*ck feathers became a popular embellishment in the 1920s. Not only did these add flair and color to any outfit, they also mimicked the look of popular Art Deco accessories. It wasn't uncommon for Flappers to adorn their headbands, hats, or other hair accessories with a plume of beautiful peaco*ck feathers.

All over the nation, the flapper image was one of freedom and fun! The image of flapper girls dancing and partying is a long-lasting image from the roaring 20s. While alcohol was illegal, flapper women found freedom in speakeasies and in dancing to jazz music.

In general, women's hairstyles in the 1920s aspired to be exotic and sleek, with hair worn close to the head. If one had long hair, it was pulled back in a small, low chignon. Bobs were cut in tapered layers so that the hair would lie as flat as possible.

That dates back to the Victorian era, when conservative clothes meant that just a glimpse of a woman's leg was majorly eyebrow-raising. Stockings rose in popularity in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when they were embraced by flappers who found them ideal for dancing in.

They stick their finger in their ear or push the ear lobe closed so they can hear themselves inside their head. This is often done when there is a lot of ambient noise or the harmony part they are singing is intricate and requires a lot of focus to sing it properly (in tune).

Opaque black tights and/or flesh-toned fishnets

Alternately, try flesh-coloured fishnets: they flatten out cellulite and camouflage leg hair.

As for colors, red, orange-red and rose were popular lipstick colors in the 1920s. Dark red lipstick was also popular for the evening.

In the 1920s, it was customary for actresses in Hollywood to wear false eyelashes, inspiring flappers to copy their “baby doll eyes.” By the 1930s, false lashes were everywhere. Vogue had several fashion shoots with models wearing dramatic lashes.

The classic red shade Marilyn so often wore on her nails was revealed to be the Revlon colour 'Cherries a la Mode' which the brand has since sadly discontinued.

What is the knee thing that girls do? ›

For those unfamiliar, that knee thing refers to a makeout position where one person is on the bottom with their thighs straddling their lover. The lover on top then spreads the bottom lover's legs and uses their knee to pleasure the cl*tor*s.

Knock knees (genu valgum) is a condition in which the knees tilt inward while the ankles remain spaced apart. The condition is slightly more common in girls, though boys can develop it too. Knock knees are usually part of a child's normal growth and development.

Dark knees are the result of more melanin in the knees than the rest of the body. Sun damage, friction, or wear and tear may cause this. Dark knees are not a medical risk and are not usually a cause for concern.

In 1869, the first “official” bra was created by the French designer Herminie Cadolle. He created this bra by splitting a corset into two parts: A top to support the breasts and a bottom to shape the waist. The top consisted of two straps to hold up the breasts, in what became the first iteration of the modern day bra.

Women were often laced so tightly their breathing was restricted leading to faintness. Compressing the abdominal organs could cause poor digestion and over time the back muscles could atrophy. In fact, long term tight lacing led to the rib cage becoming deformed.

Flappers wore their skirts shorter so they could show off their legs and ankles—but also so they could dance. They particularly loved the Charleston, a 1920s dance craze involving waving arms and fast-moving feet that had been pioneered by African Americans, first in the South and later in Harlem.

They donned fashionable flapper dresses of shorter, calf-revealing lengths and lower necklines, though not typically form-fitting: Straight and slim was the preferred silhouette. Flappers wore high heel shoes and threw away their corsets in favor of bras and lingerie.

But for evenings, silk stockings were the most sought after. A respectable girl would use a garter belt to keep her stocking tops out of sight beneath her dress. A vivacious flapper on the other hand, would roll them down to just above the knee and hold them there with knee garters.

1920s Stockings

Stockings are also very important to wear with your flapper costume. Women did not go out in bare legs, although their stockings made them look like they were. Black stockings were common for day wear, but for evenings, nude stockings that were one shade darker than natural color was standard.

The most popular style of flapper shoe in the 1920s was a Mary Jane pump with a strap over the ankle or a T strap pump. The more straps, the better! This was the first time that women were showing off their feet with short dresses, and those shoes were a fashion statement!

How did flapper girls do their hair? ›

In general, women's hairstyles in the 1920s aspired to be exotic and sleek, with hair worn close to the head. If one had long hair, it was pulled back in a small, low chignon. Bobs were cut in tapered layers so that the hair would lie as flat as possible.

As for colors, red, orange-red and rose were popular lipstick colors in the 1920s. Dark red lipstick was also popular for the evening.

While bobs were the go-to style for many women in the 1920s, some preferred their long hair. This is another flapper hairstyle for long-haired ladies. The look combines the classic 20s finger waves and a modern low bun, giving it a chic look.

Classic sheer, nude pantyhose are worn with dresses to keep from baring legs, and all their imperfections, in formal and professional environments. They're not exactly a style statement, but more of a practicality.

#1. Go without. If you don't care for pantyhose and you're comfortable going without, that's perfectly fine for all but the most conservative of semi-formal events. (If it's a business event, you may want to ask around and see what the other women are going to wear to be sure you look appropriate.)

The “moon manicure” was in vogue: Women kept their nails long and painted only the middle of each nail, leaving the crescent tip unpolished.

In the twenties, flapper girls would apply blush to their knee caps to draw attention to this part of the body (which was frowned upon to reveal at the time.) The way to wear a blushing knee was peeking out from a mid-length skirt and accompanied by a pair of rolled down stockings.