1920s Style Icons
After months of anticipation, The Great Gatsby is finally here. And whilst Carey Mulligan is certainly stylish as Daisy - what about the actual 1920s style icons of the decade? Come take a look at the chicest women of the Jazz Age - get ready for drop-waisted dresses and a LOT of sequins...
Rex Features1. Louise Brooks
The silent film star was a huge fashion and beauty icon during the period, known for her sleek black bob. Considered a bit of a rebel for her choice in films (the salacious Pandora's Box) and affairs with stars like Charlie Chaplin, in a completely bad ass (but career-destroying) move, she refused to act in 'talkies'.
Signature look: A sleek black bob.
Rex Features2. Anna May Wong
The first Asian-American actress in Hollywood, Anna May hit the big time in The Thief of Bagdad (1924) and Piccadilly (1929). She introduced the cheongsam to a Western audience, and was often photographed in oriental dress for promotional film stills.
Signature look:
Black hair in a chignon with a thick fringe, worn with a silk dress.
Rex Features3. Clara Bow
The original 1920s 'It Girl', Clara Bow made a whopping 58 films in 11 years - and her wavy bob, pencil thin eyebrows and cupid's bow pout become as iconic as her on-screen performances.
Signature look:
Flapper style: Short pleated skirts, berets and headscarves, Mary Janes and ankle socks, fur trimmed long coats.
Rex Features4. Dolores del Rio
Wearing bold red lips and emphasizing her heavy brows, Mexican-born actress Dolores was loved for her 'exotic' look in Hollywood. She flourished during the silent and talkies era, and was considered one of the most beautiful actresses of the era.
Signature look:
Long, soft wavy locks, bold brows, long dramatic gowns or anything with ruffles.
Rex Features5. Coco Chanel
We couldn't have a gallery devoted to 1920s style without including Coco. She revolutionized women's fashion during the Jazz Age, introducing loose, jersey fabrics, long strings of pearls, and a feminine take on sailor suits.
Signature look:
Pearls, a drop-waisted LBD and a wavy hairstyle.
Rex Features6. Colleen Moore
A flapper girl like Louise Brooks and Clara, but cuter and less sultry, Colleen starred in the 1923 film Flaming Youth - and inspired legions of girls to cut their hair into a bob. Such was her popularity that she even had her own perfume line, and was quoted by Gatsby writer F Scott Fitzgerald himself: “I was the spark that lit up Flaming Youth and Colleen Moore was the torch.”
Signature look:
A bob, a cute dress and a cheeky wink.
Rex Features8. Greta Garbo
The first androgynous style icon, Greta Garbo was dressed by designer Adrian in her early films, and known as the 'Art Deco Diva' for her look of high-collared shirts, cloche hats and dramatic belted coats.
Signature look:
High drama on screen. Off-duty, she opted for slouchy trousers, a hat, trench coat and over-sized shirts.
Rex Features9. Josephine Baker
The Missouri-born flapper girl became a sensation in Paris during the Jazz Age for her dancing skills. Her most famous dance involved wearing a skirt made of bananas - but her kiss curl hair, long strings of pearls and love of highly glamorous gowns make her a style icon in our eyes.
Signature look:
A super-short skirt for dancing, a beauty spot, slicked down hair and statement earrings with a silk gown for a formal event.
10. Mary Pickford
With her ringlets and love of girly, frilly gowns, Mary Pickford's feminine style was a fashion antidote to the racier flapper girls. Known as 'America's Sweetheart', in 1929, she won the first Academy Award given to a best actress in a talking picture for her performance in Coquette.
Signature look:
Innocent; all ruffled, lace dresses, wide-brimmed hats and Mary Jane shoes.
