The 1920s were a decade of dramatic transformation, not just in culture and society, but in fashion. Amid flapper dresses, jazz music, and the excitement of the Roaring Twenties, a groundbreaking style emerged that blurred the lines between masculine and feminine: the Garçonne look.
The Garçonne style was more than a passing trend, it was a fashion revolution that continues to inspire designers and style icons nearly a century later.
Western Fashion Before the 1920s: Victorian Roots and Gender Separation
Before the 1920s, Western fashion was heavily influenced by Victorian traditions, which strictly separated men’s and women’s clothing.
Men’s clothing represented authority, mobility, and power. Women’s clothing, by contrast, emphasized modesty, delicacy, and domesticity. Fashion reinforced gender norms, leaving little room for personal comfort or self-expression.
After World War I, everything changed. As men went off to war, women entered the workforce, managed households, and experienced independence like never before. When the war ended, women weren’t willing to return to restrictive gender roles, especially in the way they dressed.
What Was the Style in the 1920s?
The fashion of the 1920s represented freedom, rebellion, and modernity. Women cut their hair short, shed corsets, and chose garments that allowed movement and confidence. Designers like Coco Chanel introduced a boyish, minimalist silhouette that embodied the spirit of the modern woman.
Key features of 1920s women’s fashion:
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Silhouette: Straight, androgynous shapes with dropped waistlines and tubular dresses
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Hair: Sleek bobs or Eton crops
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Accessories: Spectator shoes, Mary Janes, long pearl necklaces, tailored jackets, and cloche hats
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Makeup: Bold lips, rouge, and thin brows
Kristina modeling a classic 1920s-inspired outfit in authentic vintage clothing from my personal collection, featured in my May 2024 fashion show.
What Does Garçonne Mean?
The French term la garçonne is the feminine form of garçon, meaning “boy.” The word became famous through Victor Margueritte’s 1922 novel La Garçonne, which told the story of a young woman who defied social expectations. Cutting her hair short, wearing menswear-inspired clothing, and living life on her own terms.
Soon, “Garçonne” came to define the image of the modern, independent, and daring woman who embraced both feminine and masculine aesthetics.
What Is Garçonne Style?
The Garçonne style wasn’t just about women wearing men’s clothes, it was about gender expression through fashion. The look mixed classic masculine tailoring with feminine accents, creating an image that was bold, elegant, and self-assured.
Defining elements of Garçonne fashion:
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Menswear-inspired clothing: Tailored jackets, trousers, vests, neckties, and crisp shirts
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Androgynous elegance: Combining structured tailoring with pearls, lipstick, and heels
American “It girl” Louise Brooks epitomized the look in her sleek black bob and wide-legged trousers around 1927.
Icons of the Garçonne Era
The 1920s and 1930s were full of trailblazing women who embodied the Garçonne ideal:
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Louise Brooks The silent film star whose sleek bob and mysterious presence became a 1920s fashion signature
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Josephine Baker African American performer who celebrated freedom and sensuality on the Paris stage
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Coco Chanel Designer who redefined elegance through simplicity, practicality, and confidence
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Marlene Dietrich Hollywood star who made androgyny glamorous, famously wearing a tuxedo and kissing a woman in the film Morocco (1930)
Dancer Josephine Baker in a white tie suit and top hat, circa 1920s.
When Wearing Pants Was Revolutionary (and Sometimes Illegal)
The garçonne style symbolized freedom and modernity but it wasn’t just a cultural statement. In some places, it was literally illegal for women to wear pants. In Paris, a 1800 police decree required women to get permission to “dress like a man,” a law that technically remained in effect until 2013, though long ignored. Gradual relaxations came with amendments in 1892 and 1909, which allowed women to wear pants if they were “holding a bicycle handlebar” or “reins of a horse.” Across the United States, similar “cross-dressing” laws could see women fined or arrested for simply wearing pants. Even in Britain, where no explicit ban existed, pants were considered scandalous well into the early 20th century. The garçonne’s tailored suits and androgynous silhouettes were a bold rebellion against social and legal boundaries.
Marlene Dietrich wearing a white tie suit in the 1930 film “Morocco.”
The Legacy of Garçonne Style
By the 1930s, the boyish silhouette softened, but the Garçonne spirit lived on. Designers like Yves Saint Laurent, Jean Paul Gaultier, and Hedi Slimane reimagined the look through sleek tuxedos and gender-fluid fashion.
In film, Diane Keaton’s Annie Hall (1977) popularized androgynous fashion with oversized blazers and wide-leg trousers, while Julie Andrews in Victor/Victoria (1982) channeled the playful sophistication of the original Garçonne.
Today, the Garçonne look continues to influence contemporary style, symbolizing gender fluidity, freedom, and self-expression.
How to Create a Garçonne Look Yourself
The Garçonne look is about mixing masculine tailoring with feminine details to express confidence, sophistication, and individuality. Here’s how to achieve the modern Garçonne style:
1. The Silhouette
Opt for tailored blazers, trousers, vests, and button-up shirts. Slightly oversized jackets and high-waisted wide-leg pants are signature elements of 1920s-inspired fashion.
2. The Hair
Bob or short crop: Sleek, structured, and timeless. Try a blunt bob, pixie cut, or Eton crop for a modern twist.
Styling: Smooth and polished, or softly waved for a vintage vibe. Long hair tied in a bun.
3. Add Details
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Jewelry: Long pearl strands and brooches.
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Accessories: Neckties, fedoras, or paperboy caps for a true 1920s touch
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Makeup: Bold red lips and thin defined brows complete the Garçonne look
Here we have created a Garçonne in spired look with our 1920s spectators, called Frances.
4. Choose the Right Shoes
Mary Janes or T-straps: Vintage staples of flapper fashion
The Helen T-strap is an elegant late 1920s to early 1930s inspired pump.
Oxfords: Flat or heeled, they add a masculine twist to any outfit
Our Juliettes are a classic pair of 1930s inspired oxfords with a block heel.
Spectators: Two-tone shoes that embody classic 1920s style and gender crossover appeal
Frances is a timeless 1920s style spectator in brown and white, perfect to complete the Garçonne look.
5. Own the Attitude
The Garçonne look is about more than fashion, it’s about attitude. Walk tall, move freely, and wear your style unapologetically, just like the original Garçonnes of the 1920s.
Why the Garçonne Look Still Matters Today
The Garçonne style wasn’t just a fashion movement, it was also a cultural shift. It marked the moment women began dressing for themselves rather than for society’s expectations.
A century later, the style continues to influence modern womenswear, inspiring today’s gender-neutral and minimalist designs. From Chanel’s tweed suits to Saint Laurent’s tuxedos, the Garçonne legacy lives on in every outfit that challenges convention.
Want to learn more about women’s fashion in the 1920s?
Explore our blog post: 1920s Fashion | Discover the Styles of the Roaring Twenties
Or dive deeper into vintage footwear: The History of Two-Tone Spectators: A Vintage Icon
Sources:
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Shoes - An Illustrated Story by Rebecca Shawcross
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Tidens Mode by Anne-Grete Steckhahn
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Vintage Fashion - Collecting and Wearing Designer Classics by Emma Baxter-Wright, Karen Clarkson, Sarah Kennedy, and Kate Mulvey
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Vintage Shoes by Caroline Cox
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The chronology of fashion : from Empire Dress to Ethical Design by N. J. Stevenson