20s Flapper Halloween Costumes and Accessories

A flapper Halloween costume from the roaring 20s is fun to make. Flapper girls were the rebels of 1920s society; they smoked, drank, bobbed their hair and wore scandalous makeup and short dresses. You can make your flapper dress using old clothing or make one by hand with a flapper costume pattern.

20s Flapper Halloween Costume Dresses

Red and black are among the most popular colors for flapper dress Halloween costumes. However, flapper dresses can be any color, such as blue, green, white, purple and silver. Flapper fashion often includes a lot of fringe and sequins. Flapper costumes of the 20s were also often made from jersey fabric which clung to the figure naturally. On occasion, they were also made from silk. Today, polyester makes an excellent inexpensive fabric for flapper dresses. If you can sew, you can make your own flapper costume using a McCall's, Butterick or Simplicity costume pattern. If you can't find the right flapper costume pattern new, there are used costume patterns in good condition that you could buy. You can simplify your costume design by purchasing fringe trim specifically designed for use in flapper dresses.

An easier way to make a flapper dress costume is to make minor changes to an existing dress. Rummage through your closet or check your local thrift store for a sleeveless dress with a dropped waistline. Ideally, the hem of the dress should be a few inches above the knee. Sew on lace, fringe, sequins and other trim to make your flapper costume complete.

20s Flapper Halloween Costume Accessories

Accessories such as a long string of faux pearls, a cigarette on a long holder and a feathered headband are essential for the flapper costume. If your dress is sequined, select a headband that has matching sequins. Also, double or triple up your faux pearl necklace or tie a knot in the end. You could also carry a beaded, sequined or fringed handbag. You can also wear a feather boa and elbow-length gloves in a color that matches or complements your flapper dress. A flapper wig can also help your flapper costume to look more attractive and authentic. You can get a flapper wig in a short, bobbed style with bangs and tapered sides that are slightly longer than the back. Another type of flapper wig mimics the type of tight permanent "finger wave" that was popular in the 1920s. Make your flapper Halloween costume complete with a pair of high-heeled flapper-style shoes or sandals.

For more 1920s costume ideas, read Homemade 1920s Gangster Halloween Costumes and Accessories and Sexy Halloween Costumes You Can Make Yourself.

Sources:

Jennifer Rosenberg, "Flappers in the Roaring Twenties." About.com
"Christy's Fashion Pages." Rambova.com