The 1920s were a time of major cultural and aesthetic changes. After the more somber tones and shapes of the Victorian era, people were eager for something new and exciting. This led to the rise of Art Deco and the flapper aesthetic, which brought bold colors, geometric shapes, and sleek lines into fashion and design.
Fashion Colors
In women’s fashion, brighter colors started to emerge in the early 20s. Soft pastels like peach, mint green, powder blue, and lavender became popular. These shades evoked freshness and youth, complementing the looser, dropped-waist dresses of the era.
By the mid to late 1920s, bolder colors came into vogue. Red, coral, emerald, royal blue, canary yellow and emerald green were popular choices, often in loud, theatrical prints and designs.
For eveningwear, rich metallics and accents were in demand. Gold, silver, bronze and black added glamour and luxury to flapper fashions.
Color Trends by Year
1922: Pale tones like peach, grey and almond were the rage this year. Mauve and lilac also emerged as new fashionable shades.
1923: Emerald green became highly fashionable, often paired with black. Other popular colors included ruby red, sapphire blue and citron yellow.
1924: Beige, taupe and other earth tones came into vogue this year. Red and black continued to be staple colors.
1925: Bright colors were in full swing. Coral, mint, turquoise, lavender and canary yellow were worn in abundance.
1926: Violet, cherry red and forest green were the “it” shades of the year. Gold and silver accents remained popular for evening.
1927: Pastels returned with a vengeance, with powder blue, pink and peach dominating the color palette.
1928: Emerald green once again became the most coveted color in fashion. Yellow, red and cobalt blue were also favorites this year.
1929: As the economy boomed, flashy brights reached their peak. Hot pink, grass green, royal purple and tomato red closed out the decade.
Men’s Fashion Colors
For men, the palette was generally more subdued throughout the 1920s. The staple colors were navy blue, gray, brown and tan. However, men’s fashions also saw some diversification.
In the early 20s, men’s suits moved away from Victorian black and took on lighter shades like pearl grey, beige and light brown. Accents like handkerchiefs and socks provided a chance to add color.
By the late 20s, men were adopting bolder colors like forest green, burgundy, golden tan and burnt umber in suiting and casual wear. This aligned with the playful, androgynous fashions of the time.
Home Decor Colors
The Art Deco movement brought bold, geometric color schemes into interior design. Black and metallics were popular neutrals. These were often paired with one or two bright accent colors like emerald, sapphire, ruby or citron.
In furniture, reflective chrome and gold finishes were fashionable along with lacquered pieces in black, red and ivory. Glossy black piano finishes were also common.
For textiles, bright mismatched patterns were trendy, with colors like seafoam, peach, purple, lime green and canary yellow.
Automobile Colors
In automobiles, color choices grew exponentially in the 20s as mass production expanded. However, the most common color continued to be black due to its ease of maintenance.
For secondary hues, deep greens and blues were popular. Rich browns and maroons were also coveted as luxury finishes.
High-end brands like Cadillac and Packard offered custom colors toward the late 20s like canary yellow, navy, apple green and sky blue. Duotone paint jobs also emerged, like navy above grey.
Makeup Colors
The iconic makeup of the flapper era used color to make a bold statement. Trendy lipstick shades included cherry red, raspberry, rich burgundy and deep magenta. Nails were painted in crimson, pink and coral.
Eyes were done in black kohl liner with green, blue or violet colored shadows. Products like mascara and rouge blush gained widespread popularity and use.
Face powder came in pale pink, white, ivory and tan shades to create a smooth, unblemished look. Metallic eyeshadows and lip glosses added sultry sparkle for night.
Advertising Colors
Color was a powerful selling tool in 1920s advertising. Brands leveraged the appeal of new vibrant hues to capture attention and set themselves apart.
Emerald green was a popular choice to connote wealth and distinction. Sapphire blue also featured heavily to evoke trustworthiness.
Foods and household goods increasingly came in brightly labeled packages, with reds, yellows and greens to grab the consumer’s eye.
Cars, appliances and other novel technologies emphasized sleek metallics like silver, gold, chrome and glossy black in their ads.
Overall, advertising color palettes directly mirrored the fashions and aesthetics that were considered desirable at the time.
Factors Influencing Color Trends
There were several cultural forces that shaped the color trends of the 1920s:
- The end of World War I brought a sense of optimism and a rejection of traditional norms. This fueled a desire for novelty and fun.
- Advances in synthetic fabric dyes allowed brighter, more vibrant and more affordable colors to be produced.
- Coco Chanel’s modernist black and white aesthetic inspired sleek, high contrast looks.
- Art Deco, which originated at the 1925 Paris Exposition, emphasized geometric shapes and bold colors.
- The jazz age and flapper culture celebrated youthful rebellion through bold fashion statements.
- Hollywood increased the public’s exposure to glamour, luxury and sensational styles.
- Increased manufacturing led brands to use color as a way to stand out and advertise.
Conclusion
The 1920s were a groundbreaking decade for the use of color. New technological ability combined with changing social mores led to an explosion of vibrant hues across all areas of design. The visual landscape was radically transformed by the energy and optimism of the post-war era.
While certain core colors like black and metallics maintained popularity, there was an increased willingness to experiment. People reveled in color combinations that broke the rules and made bold statements. This paved the way for increased color democratization in the decades that followed.
The longest economic boom in history certainly helped, giving consumers the means to purchase new styles, goods and technologies in vibrant pops of color. The roaring twenties created a ripple effect that continues to shape our color sensibilities today.