The Right Dress to Take You Back in Time

Looking at the return of the long, shapeless dress in the 2020s

I remember a pre-pandemic time when 2019 was coming to a close and the internet buzzed with all the ways we hoped 2020 would be the start of our own roaring 20’s. People imagined everything from massive parties to the return of the well ornamented mini flapper dress we see all over modern day media’s renderings of the 20’s. No one got the start to the 2020s that we had all dreamed of, but that doesn’t mean bits of the 1920’s have not still managed to find their way back. Though 2021 just passed its half-way mark, the return of long shift dresses and democratization of fashion stand keep the rest of the year reminiscent of those 20’s we longed for. 

Despite what you can purchase on Amazon and Ebay, most flapper dresses actually reached at least the knee. many women’s styles of the 20s extended beyond that, gracing right above the ankle. Short, bob cut hair and a long skirt or dress was the look. These styles were not meant to hug the hip or accentuate the waist. It was fashion’s first nod to androgyny. 

If you have had the chance to wander through the big red automatic doors of a target lately, you have probably come across Christopher John Robert’s Target collab. Amongst the many fantastic sleeves and bright colors reminiscent of his upbringing, there should be (if it has not already flown off the racks) a gorgeous shift dress in an enlarged black and white chevron. Buy it. Or buy any long shift dress you can find. 

 The dress will kiss your hips as you slip it on, but won’t linger beyond that. It will hang from your shoulders with a long black ribbon down the back. Its shapelessness will be an unexpected comfort as you start what is predicted to be a very hot summer. 

What was so revolutionary about the long shift dress was its simple sewing lines and accessible shapes. The dress could be made and appear flattering in nearly any fabric of any quality. Fashion fell back into the hands of the people, as the making of such a dress didn’t require an atelier or yards and yards of silk. If you knew how to sew you could provide every woman in your family with the latest trend from the comfort of your living room. This was known as the democratization of fashion. Though it didn’t last long, it was an inspiring few years. A look at how yarn crafts re-democratized fashion during the pandemic requires a whole article to itself, best saved for next week.