Depression chic

By Ed Biado

To get everyone ready to party like it?s 1933 (brush up on your social studies to get the figure of speech), one of the fastest rising trends in fashion right now is depression chic. It?s the fashion industry?s tongue-in-cheek retort to the world?s woes and thankfully, we?ve only needed to resort to it twice in the past century. And hopefully, we?ll never have to push those buttons again. But in the meantime, while it?s still hot, here are some ways to get your Great Crash on:

1. All that glitters is jazz. Many women have been secretly wanting to don shimmering fringed dresses like those in the Chicago movie. Well, now?s the time. You can get authentic 1920s vintages from eBay for as low as $25. A little nip here, a little tuck there and it?s gonna look like it was made specifically for you.

2. Fade into the groove. Coordinated monochromes in pale shades are a surefire ?20s-ending look. Get items with faded fabrics or cross-fading effects to really evoke the era?s feel.

3. The Waldorf flapper. Leighton Meister picked up on the trend when she walked one red carpet in an updated black tiered flapper frock paired with electric blue pumps. Get the look, accessorize, get a loose up-do, make it your own, unleash your inner Queen B and you?ve got trendy written from head to toe.

4. Keyword: loose. Think sack dresses and baggy trousers. Yes, we?re going that loose. It?s a little like boho, but not quite. It?s more like I-can?t-afford-to-buy-retail-so-I?m-getting-this-thing-on-the-discount-rack-that?s-a-tad-too-big-for-me. But also note that this doesn?t apply to all depression-inspired garments, just the really depressing-looking ones.

5. Cap it off. Headgear is a must to pull off depression chic. Choose from a variety of early century styles like the newsboy cap, the cloche hat or the conductor cap. There are even more styles within these styles that will perfectly complement whatever vintage outfit you have in mind.

6. Pattern patent. One of the things that made fashion so unique during the Great Depression is the fact that because of the economy, people started to make their own clothes. And they?d use any fabric they can find. The results were amazing; it was almost an overuse of patterns that somehow worked. Today, the interpretation is similar: plaids over glittery, stripes all the way, checks and stripes, and lots of dainty florals.

7. The knee?s the limit. Amidst the many different ways of dep-dressing, one factor seems to remain constant in most looks. That is keeping the garments short. That is also where it differs severely from the flowy and floor-length styles of boho chic.

8. Manning up. The current version of depression chic incorporates men?s late ?20s to early ?30s styles into women?s fashion. And it?s not just men?s high fashion. The look also includes representation of urban poverty. Utilitarian bags, pinstripe vests and pants with hemlines dropped to deliberately un-fit.

9. The casual hourglass. Another thing that?s being brought back from the era is the post-depression look. This time, it?s the exact opposite of the shapeless frocks. It?s actually an easy and casual look. All you need are a neatly tailored button-down shirt, a slim pencil skirt and all your might and determination to cinch your waist.

10. Art Deco strikes back. Accessories should be kept to the minimum but should be showy when available. Rhinestones are the all-around embellishment?on your purse, shoes and jewelry. You can also go for real classic Art Deco designs in your cocktail rings, clips and brooches.