It’s impossible to ignore the siren call of the twenties. Nostalgically remembered as a decade of jazz and speakeasies, dandies and flappers and gangsters and their molls; the twenties are an era of decadence and elegance versus prohibition and violence. With a war cry of ‘hedonism’ at its forefront it was a decade determined to celebrate youth and to party away, at whatever cost, any remaining shadows of the First World War. So for any twenties novices or those who just fancy injecting some deco-dence back into their lives here’s a whistle stop tour on anything and everything prohibition themed:
F.Scott Fitzgerald:
‘The parties were bigger. The pace was faster, the shows were broader, the buildings were higher, the morals were looser, and the liquor was cheaper’
F.Scott Fitzgerald
Fitzgerald cuts a dapper figure in the landscape of the twenties. His tales of parties, the indulgences, the excess and the giddiness have given him the weighty title of godfather of the jazz age. A term incidentally coined by himself. A mention of Fitzgerald is thus unavoidable on any tour of the twenties whose writing will forever bring to mind the decadence of the age just as, say, music of The Beatles will forever evoke the image of the swinging sixties. Part of the ‘lost generation’ of writers that emerged following WWI, which also boasted members such as Hemingway and T.S Eliot, he spent made many excursions to Paris and the French Rivera. It should come as no surprise then that off the page Fitzgerald, along with his wife Zelda, embodied the opulent lifestyle he had come to base so much of his work on. For all of you keen to get your Fitzgerald fix fear not for Baz Lurhaman’s version of ‘The Great Gatsby’ is due to be released at the end of the year. There’s no time like the present to start channelling Daisy Buchanan or Jordan Baker?
The Speakeasy.
In the time of prohibition these establishments were artfully hidden behind an unmarked door, in a basement or down a dingy alley. The main order of the day was hooch, preferably bathtub brewed, and was naturally to be drunk from an unsuspicious container. For all of you those that such illicit drinking sounds like jolly good fun you’re in luck for a prohibition revival is in full swing as London has recently witnessed an invasion of self-styled speakeasy joints. Bourne and Hollingsworth, The Nightjar and The Black Cotton Club all offer the retro-seeker a truly debauched drinking experience and will satisfy anyone who has secretly harboured an ambition to drink gin from a teacup. Whether decorated to resemble a grannies sitting room, compete with chintz curtains and floral wallpaper, or a moonshine warehouse these speakeasy style bars are united in attempting to recreate a truly clandestine drinking experience. The candlelight club, a monthly prohibition themed event, takes the theme even further by only emailing ticket holders a few days before with details of location, passwords (which cops have been bribed etc).
The Flapper.
Next we come to the flapper who perhaps the most notorious character of this decade. She haunted only the steamiest of jazz clubs, and was most likely found moodily chain-smoking in dark corner whilst simultaneously entertaining her hoard of suitors. She drank, she swore and, god forbid, she wore make up. To her Victorian parents this last act was nothing short of becoming a common prostitute. Scandalous. The flapper also naturally participated in dances such as the Charleston and the Black Bottom, considered hugely provocative at the time, which became popular during the era of speakeasies. Another defiant act against her Victorian parents. By bobbing her hair, throwing out her corset and rolling down her stockings and generally adopting this ‘garconne’ look she rejected previous ideas on feminity and morality. It was, arguably, Coco Chanel who led the charge into fashion modernity with the use of more masculine fabrics such as jersey, and the inclusion of the dropped waist dress in her designs. Poster girls of the flapper movement included the actresses Louise Brooks and Greta Garbo and Clara Bow.
The Gangster.
Following closely behind the flapper is the infamous Tommy-gun wielding mobster. Romanticised in modern films, literature and songs in a similar manner to the outlaws of the American West he has come to take the form of an urban Robin Hood. Although perhaps slightly more hard talking and street-smart, who also lived in New York. The television series Boardwalk Empire is the latest to pay homage to the seedy underworld of prohibition-fuelled crime. In the age of the American dream he came to symbolise the ultimate self-made man. And whilst it was admittedly with fresh blood on his hands as an accessory he was still just essentially a well dressed ‘business man’. These are the men who lived by a literal interpretation of the phrase ‘being dressed to kill’. Al “scarface” Capone, Vito Genovese, Charles “lucky” Luciano and Bugs Moran were amongst the most famous gangsters of the day. Revered as much as they were feared by the early twenties these American gangsters had begun to dominate entire cities with their illegal booze, racketeering, prostitution and gambling. It was this lawless, yet slightly dashing, image that appealed to the masses and made these men celebrities of their day. After all who doesn’t like a bad boy.
The Stars.
There is no great tale of decadence and debauchery than that of Hollywood and the birth of the silver screen in the early twenties was a defining moment of the decade. With this came the origins of a new phenomenon, the star. With an endless supply of beautiful, bright young leads to satisfy the masses the dawn of the celebrity had risen. A love affair that would transcend the decades had begun. Audiences were hooked and names such as Rudolph Valentino, Douglas Fairbanks, Louise Brooks, Gloria Swanson and Charlie Chaplin soon became common knowledge. Even the origin of the title ‘It girl’ can be traced back to the silent film star Clara Bow, who became the first real sex symbol of the silent film industry. Whether this is a blessing or curse,
you decide. The decade even saw the release of The Jazz Singer (1927) which became the world’s first talkie. The recent success of the film ‘The Artist’, which pays homage to the films of the twenties, has meant that of recent times silence has never been more fashionable.
The Slang. Any self-respecting dandy or flapper knew that knowing the right slang was essential in maintaining that all important image. Here are a few of the most popular sayings of the day.
Applesauce- an expletive same as horsefeathers, As in “Ah applesauce!”
Baloney – nonsense
Bank’s Closed – no kissing or making out – i.e. – “Sorry, Mac, the bank’s closed.”
Bee’s Knees – An extraordinary person, thing, idea; the ultimate
Cat’s Meow or Cat’ pyjamas – Something splendid or stylish; similar to bee’s knees; The best or greatest, wonderful.
Dapper – a Flapper’s dad
Drugstore Cowboy – a guy that hangs around on a street corner trying to pick up girls
Hooch – Bootleg liquor
Juice Joint or a Gin Mill – a speakeasy or bar
Mrs. Grundy – A priggish or extremely tight-laced person
Palooka (1) a below-average or average boxer (2) a social outsider, from the comic strip character Joe Palooka
Spifflicated – Drunk. The same as canned, corked, tanked, primed, scrooched, jazzed, zozzled, plastered, owled, embalmed, lit, potted, ossified or fried to the hat
Struggle Buggy – the backseat of a car. A parent’s worst nightmare.
Take for a Ride – To drive off with someone in order to bump them off.