Non-Flapper 1920s Outfit Ideas

When most people think of 1920s, fashion they think of short, fringe, sequin or beaded slip dresses with feather boas and headbands, long cigarette holders, and long white pearl necklaces. While there is some truth in the accessories, flapper dresses are far from it. Unfortunately, the majority of 1920s dresses and costumes takes cues from this ’60s does ’20s flapper look instead of turning to the real non-flapper fashions of the roaring twenties.

So for those of us that want to dress in a non-flapper 1920s outfit or costume, what can we wear? Plenty! But sourcing clothing can be tricky. Using some creativity, you can adapt clothing in your closet or find new clothes online to create a ’20s inspired non-flapper costume.

Non-flapper costumes ideas we will explore:

• Daywear dresses that are more accurate to the 1920s
• Separates – mix and match for semi-casual outfits
• Sports clothes with pants or knickers
• Cabaret cross-dressing in a tuxedo
• Gangster girls and bootleggers
• Pantsuits and beach pajamas- Casual or fancy dress with pants
• Evening dresses that are not covered in fringe and sequins

Non-flapper 20s fashion history articles to inspire you:

• 1920s Day dresses – The majority of women wore simple house dresses at home or slightly fancier day dresses in public.
• This article highlights what current dress trends are based on the 1920s.
• Casual Outfits – Women could also keep things simple with a sporty skirt, blouse and sweater set.
• Pants for women? Yes, you can. Read the history of pants, knickers and beach pajamas in the 20s.
• Swimsuits and beach clothes– A 20s swimming costume is a fun one to wear in summer.

Non-Flapper Outfits- Day Dresses

The first step to dressing like a non-flapper is to avoid evening dresses altogether. Most women wore simple drop-waist dresses or slip-over tunic dresses all day, every day. Real flapper girls wore these, too.  Day dresses usually had short or long sleeves and hemlines that drifted between the ankle to just below the knee. Tops were plain, while skirts were tiered, uneven, pleated, or flounced for drama. Fabric for ’20s house dresses was usually cotton in gingham checks or small prints. Solid colors were preferred for afternoon outings in richer fabrics like silk, chiffon, velvet, or rayon. The beauty of ’20s daywear was in the simple designs that accentuated vertical lines, an undefined low waist, and modest coverage.

When looking for daytime 1920s dresses online, I hunt for the drop waist, side draped, or uneven skirt dresses with sleeves. Usually, a thin belt or scarf is needed to create the drop waist effect. Most modern clothes are fitted snug on the models, so I strongly recommend ordering a size up for a more accurate loose ’20s fit. If you do not like drop waists, go for the early ’20s look with a wide sash around the natural waist or a non-belted tunic/slip over/kaftan dress.

Here are some 1920s day dress options. Shop these and more here.

1920 meets 2020 with these trendy dress styles and more here.

Mix and Match 20s Outfits

A quick and easy non-flapper costume involves pairing skirts and tops together. You can go fancy or daytime casual with your choice of top. I look for ’20s tunic blouses with beading or sequins for evening attire and pintucks, embroidery, and big collars for daytime outfits. Most blouses did not button down the front, only in the back, so I keep an eye out for pullover tunic tops and sweaters in a long-ish length. It was popular to wear a thin belt over tops and skirts in the mid to late ’20s. You can also add a sash belt or gold chain to jazz up an evening look.

Two 1920s tennis outfit combinations

Consider adding a button-down vest, pullover knit vest, long sweater, or chunky cardigan sweater for a sporty outfit. A ’20s tennis outfit, like the one above, is one example. A white cardigan or pullover tennis/cricket sweater or vest with a white skirt and white classic Keds sneakers is an easy one for summer. A golfing look includes a skirt with an argyle or Fair Isle pattern sweater vest and brown saddle shoes.

Skirts of the ’20s were knee-length or longer with pleated, hanky hem, tiered, or asymmetrical shapes. They hung straight down, not wide except for the very early ’20s. They were sold with matching tops, but women did mix and match tops and bottoms as a practical and casual way of dressing. Complete the outfit with low heel Oxfords, minimal jewelry, and hat (cloche, straw, beret).

Shop 1920s style skirts, 1920s style blouses and sweaters, shoes and hats. 

1920s Outfits with Pants

Besides skirts, some free-spirited “new women” of the ’20s wore pants. Gasp! It wasn’t common, but it makes for a great non-flapper costume.

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Women’s first attempt at pants were actually sporty knickers, togs, jodphurs, or breeks. They capped just below the knee and ballooned out at the thigh. A few women wore men’s style wide-leg pants too.  Low heel shoes and tall socks covered the bottom half, while a collared blouse and necktie made the top half look like menswear. Women could wear also add a knit vest, matching sportcoat, or a heavy cardigan sweater. Topped with an 8-panel cap, it’s the perfect casual outfit.

Shop knickers or pants, socks, skinny ties, shirts / vests, hats, and shoes.

1920s Sportswear Outfit

One famous woman who wore knickers and pants in the ’20s was Amelia Earheart, an aviatrix.  She wore mostly men’s clothing or women’s masculine sporty clothes such as wide leg pants, flight suits, leather flight jackets, neck scarves, aviator hats with goggles, sweaters, and occasionally knit dresses. She inspired a wave of fashion for women who had an adventurous spirit.

Osa Johnson, a safari hunter, was another inspiring woman wearing similar clothes. She was often seen in linen shirts, jodhpurs, tall lace-up boots, and a pith helmet.

Amelia Earhart- 1920s aviator outfit

Pantsuits / Beach Pajamas

A final pantsuit option is the beach pajamas. It was an at-home casual look consisting of wide-leg pants in satin, chiffon, or an Asian print. It was worn with a matching kimono style jacket and blouse. It became wildly popular in the 1930s, with even wider palazzo pants and sleeveless tops.

Miss Fisher wearing beach pajamas, red cloche hat and coat. Stunning!

I often encourage women who need a dressy costume but don’t want to wear a dress or skirt to choose a wide leg pantsuit with some embellishment on the jacket, or to pair chiffon palazzo pants with a blouse and a fringe kimono jacket. If you watch Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, you will see her wearing a lot of flowing pantsuits.  Here are some ideas:

Shop pants, jackets/shawls, and tops.

Gangster Girl Costumes

While there were women “gangsters” and “gangster molls” (wives) in the 1920s, they did not dress any differently than other women. However, it is a popular ’20s costume to take the men’s striped suit or wide leg pant outfit and make a female gangster costume with it. Again, its not accurate, but it is fun to wear.

Shop pants, hats, tops, and suspenders. Buy gangster girl costumes.

1920s gangster outfit

1920s inspired menswear for women: tweedy pants and vests, bow neck blouses, knit sweaters, and newsboy caps. These and more ideas here. 

Cabaret Tuxedo Outfit

Another cross-dressing option was worn by cabaret performers. Her show costume was usually a men’s tuxedo tailored down to fit a woman’s body with a black derby/bowler/top hat, cane, Oxford shoes, and a monocle. Anita Berber pictured below was an iconic naughty showgirl of the era.

1920s Vaudeville Showgirl- Tuxedo with accessories

Evening Dresses- Not Flapper Dresses

For an evening event, finding a sophisticated 1920s style dress that isn’t covered in beads, sequins, fringe, or feathers can be a challenge. Longer lengths and dresses with sleeves are the best options, as well as fabrics like velvet, taffeta, organdy, and low-shine satin. Ideally, you still want a dress with the iconic drop waist but a slip dress, long sheath dress, tiered dress, or draped gown all have potential. Here are some examples:

You can find these and more dresses under evening dresses, plus size dresses or day/mature dresses. You may have to scroll past all the flapper dresses to find these styles.

Tip: You can jazz up any plain dress into a unique ’20s dress with the addition of a sparkling belt or sash placed low around the hips. You can also add a fabric flower, brooch pin, or dangling scarf to one side of the hip or shoulder. These were all techniques used in the ’20s. See more ideas like this.

Not-flapper accessories? Avoid long pearl necklaces and choose a long tassel or bib necklace instead. Replace a headband with a turban hat or simple hair comb. Instead of a feather boa, choose a fringe shawl or faux fur wrap.

Silent Movie Gypsy/ Fortune Teller

Recently, I dressed in a 1920s silent movie star/gypsy/ fortune teller costume for an evening party.  Wearing a long black sequin embellished dress with a black slip underneath, a velvet turban hat,  gold beaded necklace, brooch pin, lace up boots, sequin fringe scarf, and dark makeup, the look came together beautifully.  You could create your own early 1920s silent movie character outfit with a mix of long dresses (lace, light sequins, silk), headscarves or turbans, layers of jewelry, scarves as waistbands/skirts, and greyscale makeup. Keep the look dark and mysterious by wearing your hair long and curly for this non-flapper outfit.

My 1920s Gypsy outfit

Here are a few more 1920s outfit idea articles to look at:

• 1920s Outfits – 10 looks for day to night using new or thrifted clothing
• 10 easy 1920s costumes – More simple DIY costumes you can put together
• 1920s Outfit Inspiration- Women 20s Costume Ideas
• 1920s-30s casual outfits -See more 20s menswear-inspired outfit ideas (with pants!)
• Evelyn Wood– If you have moderate sewing skills you will love these 20s refashion outfits that Evelyn makes on YouTube.

What other non-flapper clothes can you wear? Ask us for help and we will find the perfect outfit for you.