The 1920s offered a brand-new world, one where cars and telephones and airplanes made it seem like anything was possible. It was also a world deeply scarred by war and plague. With the booming economy and wild parties, it’s easy to overlook the trauma that fueled this hedonistic era.
The devastating losses of young men during World War I, along with the Spanish Flu pandemic that killed approximately 50 million people, left the survivors with the very real awareness that tomorrow is never guaranteed.
Who would have predicted that almost exactly a century later, the world would once more be dealing with similar circumstances?
Does that mean we’re in for another round of over-the-top partying? Experts think it’s likely that the 2020s will mirror the Roaring Twenties. But what will that look actually look like for us?
Fashion Inspiration
No work of literature is more closely associated with the 1920s than F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby.
It seems appropriate, then, that a new adaptation of the book is in the works. This one promises to be a more modern, diverse update on the work, borrowing from the Bridgerton model of casting. The prestige limited series will air sometime this year, and I can’t wait to see how they interpret the story–especially the costumes.
The 20s was a glamorous era, although the “flapper” dresses you see every Halloween aren’t super accurate. The fashion of the 1920s raised hemlines to knee-length and dropped waistlines to mid-hip. Boxy, loose silhouettes ruled women’s fashion, but unless you were a showgirl, you weren’t dressed like a stereotypical flapper.
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But the spirit of the era was about being shocking. It’s just that showing your ankles was shocking back then. In the 2020s, I think we’ll see wild, unpredictable fashion. Most of us have been wearing athleisure/pajamas and skipping the lipstick.
When we finally get to go back out and mingle without masks, I think we’ll find bolder makeup, more outrageous styles, and lots of accessories. Empty the closets and wear all the things!
Changing Attitudes
During the OG Roaring Twenties, alcohol was illegal. Prohibition meant that nightlife in the United States went underground to speakeasies. While booze has been legal in the US for the last 90 years, there’s been an increasing push to legalize marijuana. I wouldn’t be surprised if we see that happen on a national level in this decade.
The Jazz Age was also an incredible period of creativity, especially from Black artists. With racial justice and the need for representation in media at the forefront of many conversations, it’s possible that we’ll see another boom of art, music, and literature by minority creators.
Amanda Gorman, the National Youth Poet Laureate who rose to immediate fame thanks to her incredible reading at President Biden’s inauguration, is a perfect example.
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It’s also important to remember that the push for social change comes from young people–we’re talking Gen Z, not Millennials. Gorman is only 22, a little younger than Langston Hughes was when he published his first poetry collection.
One thing that’s for certain: People are going to socialize on an epic scale. Expect to see lots of parties, thriving nightlife, packed bars, and a huge spike in dating as people shake off the cobwebs and get back out there. Just as many relationships did not survive the forced togetherness of the pandemic, we’ll see a huge rise in new relationships post-pandemic.
The recession won’t disappear overnight. And even if we can get everyone vaccinated on the fastest possible timeline, it won’t bring back those we lost or ease the suffering that we’ve experienced. We’ll still be recovering on multiple fronts for a long time to come. But when the worst is finally over, it’ll be time to celebrate.
