Jazzin It Up!

In the 1920's there was a liberation movement of sorts as women became more free spirited.  They smoked, danced, cut their hair short, wore make up and dared to take risks.  These women were called 'flappers'...

Flapper, by definition:

flap·per/ˈflapər/Noun

1. (in the 1920s) A fashionable young woman intent on enjoying herself and flouting conventional standards of behavior.

Flappers were generally urban, single, young middle-class women who usually held steady jobs by day and frequented jazz clubs by night.  These women sought to break down the barriers of the double standards that were the norm between men and women back in that era.  They were smoking, drinking & exploring their sexuality without reservation, at a time when it was unheard of for women.

This was definitely the time of the birth of 'female independence', as these reckless femmes were all about 'jazzin' it up' in every aspect of their lives!

The spirit of vintage speakeasy fashion is still alive and well circa 2011 as designers such as Rodarte, Reyes, Christian Dior and Reem Acra have designed flapper inspired frocks for the 21st century...

The HBO hit series Empire Boardwalk, set in the time of the prohibition has definitely had a huge influence on conjuring back up the style of the roaring 20's...

Thanks to these vintage rebels of days gone by, women have since been doin' it for themselves!!!  


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Hats Off To Spring!

Women have always been in love with hats as a fashion accessory.  In the 1920's the cloche hat was one of the first modern styles of the 20th century.  Cloche is the french word for 'bell' as these caps were form fitting to the head in that shape. These hats were considered 'sexy & mysterious' because the hat sat right above the wearers eyes...

In the 1930's there was a trend in the U.S. for wearing hats when Spring was in bloom and they often did so with a sense of rivalry involved as to whose hat was the biggest and the best! In the midst of the great depression, a new hat at Easter or a refurbished old one was a simple luxury for most women...

There's also a rich history of African-American women and hats, in that the act of covering your head during worship has its roots grounded in scripture.  It has since become a firm tradition for many women who want to show respect for God while adding pizzaz to their presence!

The 1950's saw a decrease in the popularity for hat wearing in general by women, and were no longer a 'must have' for every outfit but have since regained popularity in the 21st century since this is one of the most flexible times in fashion history and everyone is pretty much following their own impulses, especially when it comes to what they're topping off with.


Remember the floppy colorful shade hats in the 70's? We're starting to see them again... 

When talking about 'hats' you cannot forget to mention the huge hats women have been parading around in at the Kentucky Derby for ages. Styles of course have changed so much throughout the years that now the Derby event is more like a red carpet who's wearing who and what!

Just like everything...'what goes around comes back around' and hats of pretty much every style are being seen worn again these days.  Here at Retro Threadz, we pride ourselves in selecting only the most quality of vintage hats for you to choose from so make sure you stop by the shop regularly as we are always stocked with a variety of beautiful vintage styles ranging from the 1940's to the 1980's.

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