Chicago style dress - what to wear with it. Modern gangster style Chicago gangsters of the 30s women
Many people know that the 20s and 30s in America were very dark and bloody.
Lawlessness reigned on the street, crime was at every turn, everyone obeyed authoritative gangsters,
respected and greatly feared them. Very interesting article with real photos- I advise everyone!
Turn it on for the mood!
The most famous gangsters of the 30s.
Seasoned gangster William Stanley Moore from Chicago, nicknamed “The Inquisitor.”
He was responsible for the executions of debtors and people who “stood in the way” of the mafia.
From the criminal case note: He is distinguished by extreme cruelty and does not compromise.
Prostitutes working for the mafia, during sexual intercourse, lured valuable information from clients
and “leaked” it to criminal patrons.
The owner of a well-known brothel in her circles personally sent 7 people to the next world - by poisoning.
Everything is motivated by the goal of robbery and profit.
Mafia members who controlled parts of New York City were responsible for labor unions and the supply of alcohol and tobacco.
Murders and armed raids were the everyday profession of these “noble” men. We were friends with John Dillinger.
Mr. Sing is a mercenary and generalist. He worked for the mafia, skillfully eliminating competitors, police officers and officials.
He poisoned the unfortunate people with various Asian poisons.
The leader of the Chicago gangsters, Smith (Bone Hand) and his assistant Jones, were engaged in “protection protection”
dens with girls, gambling, drugs, robberies of cash collectors and murders of rich Americans for profit.
The note in the criminal case says: They have the gift of instilling fear, they are very dangerous, they will kill without a second thought.
This sweet lady met men on the street, flirted and invited them to her place for “tea”.
She treated guests to wine or tea with arsenic. She stole and sold her property to buyers of stolen goods,
everything right down to the shoelaces of their victims.
The owner of a dashing bar on the outskirts of New York, Mrs. Turner, worked until the last client, and together with her assistant she often killed in the “meat cutting room” for the purpose of robbery.
The note in the criminal case says: If he finds out that you have cash on you, you are dead.
The man in the middle is the leader known as "Bloody Fletcher".
His gang of gangsters has a huge number of contract killings and kidnappings for ransom.
The gang did not hesitate to steal children, high-ranking officials and high-ranking police officers.
The note in the criminal case says: Do not put people together, only alone, very dangerous and cruel,
They can kill their cellmates in a dispute.
The man in short trousers is an accountant for the Chicago Mafia. In prison, under pressure from the police, he repented, but immediately after,
was found hanged by his cellmate. On the chest there was a scrawled inscription: “I said everything and was silent forever.”
Smith is a senior rank-and-file mafia gunslinger. The criminal case note says:
He is distinguished by his powers of suggestion, cunning and mercilessness towards the enemies of the mafia, and shoots very accurately.
The most dangerous ethnic gang of the Farlane brothers. They traded in robberies on the roads and in remote areas of the states.
Apparently, they didn’t have time to loot anything, since they walk around in torn rags and holey shoes.
Thieving prostitutes. They drugged clients with alcohol by emptying the contents from their pockets.
They worked for the mafia, the most valuable and talkative clients were handed over to the criminals.
Mafia prostitutes. We met rich clients in restaurants, started having affairs with them,
which ended in a bloody massacre with the plunder of the contents of the “Lovers’ Woe” apartments.
18-year-old prostitutes from a brothel. They also stole.
Seasoned gangsters from Chicago. More than once they protected John Dillinger's gang from the police.
Oversaw workers' unions and gambling. Closely involved in prostitution, armed robbery,
"protection" for businessmen and drug dealers. The two on the right are two brothers. They became famous for beating a police informant to death with butcher hooks, and then hanging him on the main street with a sign on his chest: “He spoke a lot and all to the wrong people.”
The criminal case note says: Very dangerous and ruthless, despite their courtesy and intelligence.
Famous Chicago gangsters. They did not disdain anything, they robbed collectors, bank branches, and jewelry stores.
The main feature: they killed everyone, leaving no witnesses.
A lone thief, he climbed into apartments on the first and second floors, strangled victims and took everything valuable from the apartments.
Why he was photographed in the toilet remains a mystery.
The criminal case tag says: First-class rock climber and strangler.
Seasoned car thief Fitch, nicknamed Smooth, from Chicago.
He worked for the mafia, obtaining cars for their dark affairs.
He also stole cars and then sold them for parts.
Ross is a mafia lawyer who goes by the nickname “Old Man.” For a long time I did not want to testify against members of a large group of gangsters
from Los Angeles. After testifying against its members, his entire family was found dead in the city center in their home.
A month later he was strangled by fellow inmates while sleeping. Scrawled across his chest was the inscription: “I just liked to talk a lot.”
Insulted wife. After she found out that her husband was cheating on her repeatedly, she got him drunk to the point of unconsciousness,
filled the bathtub with boiling water and “brewed” him to death. The husband died without really understanding what was going on.
She herself came to the police to confess and told everything.
Feitrill is a young thief and burglar. He was 16 years old at the time of his arrest.
After serving his first sentence, he was caught stealing again in 1928.
Faleni - killed his first wife, served time. Then he married again and killed the second one.
Sydney Kelly is a dangerous gangster from Los Angeles. Worked closely for the mafia in other states.
On his account: contract killings, armed attacks, drugs and pimping.
Knew and did unproven affairs with John Dillinger.
Gracie and Dalton are very serious gangsters from Los Angeles. They were among the elite of the American mafia,
were involved in workers' unions of factories and factories, gambling, hippodromes, and the finances of mafia groups.
They did not hesitate to personally kill a caught informer or competitor.
“Debt bouncers” of businessmen and mafia debtors. They were engaged in confiscating money, health, and sometimes even the lives of debtors.
The note in the criminal case says: They are very dangerous, they have the gift of persuasion and severe psychological pressure.
William Mundro is a buyer of stolen goods. He worked for the mafia, buying everything from prostitutes and thieves for resale.
A thief is a burglar. He stole and, if necessary, killed homeowners. The criminal case note says:
Very cunning, dexterous, loves to pretend to be mentally ill for the effect of pity.
Little Schmidt is a homeless child, a thief. Worked for the mafia, was a courier for the transfer of valuable notes
between shops and dens. When caught, he immediately ate valuable notes with instructions.
Skukerman - dealt with securities scams and port fraud for the mafia.
Twenty year old thief. He has a record of theft from homes and shops, pickpocketing and rape.
The criminal case note says: Particularly dangerous, dexterous, cunning, prone to escape and panic.
Murray is a burglar. The peculiarity of this character is that he spent all his loot on drinking and prostitutes.
Vera Crichton is a thief, a swindler. She gained the trust of apartment residents by pretending to be a new neighbor,
and carefully cleaned their homes. Participated in robberies in jewelry stores,
took on “distraction maneuvers” during the robbery.
Walter Smith is a thug. He was engaged in street robberies and contract killings from the mafia.
He didn’t like weapons, he killed people with his bare hands, carefully twisting their heads.
The criminal case note says: Very dangerous, has pronounced sadistic tendencies,
can bite, there is no feeling of fear, sits alone.
Engaged in organizing crimes, incited accomplices to commit crimes,
completely controlled the division of the spoils. The criminal case note says:
Particularly cruel and dangerous, outstanding leadership qualities, does not tolerate the police and the law.
And this is a fairly early period of photography. April 1865, Lewis Powell, Confederate Patriot,
accomplice in Lincoln's assassination, three months before his execution by hanging.
A retro party in Chicago style is one of the most popular themes for celebrations and just friendly meetings. A special ambience of the frenzied 30s, fragrant cigar smoke, forbidden alcohol, brilliant women and men in every sense, “sparkling” games, gambling accompanied by great music! Guests will surely appreciate and remember for a long time a small trip into the past.
Scenery
To create a vintage atmosphere, it is not necessary to fill the room with antiques. Of course, it will be great if you can find something “antique” from those years - ashtrays, dishes, record players and records, lampshades with fringes and heavy candlesticks, antique postcards and figurines. But you can get by with aged posters (sepia or b/w) - photos of Chicago, movie stars, jazz performers, swing and tango dancers. Shots from films about gangsters and the mafia will fit into the theme, because this was their era!
The interior breathes style, high cost and pomp. There are rich curtains on the windows, good quality furniture, carved or hidden under textiles. In crystal vases there are fresh scarlet roses or snow-white hydrangeas. The color scheme of the evening is predominantly black or dark brown, white, and a lot of deep red. Anything related to gambling (cards, chips, roulette, dice), weapons, banknotes, feathers and beads are suitable for mini-compositions and garlands. Garlands with small round bulbs will fit perfectly, but there should be a lot of them. Don't forget to hide modern interior elements under the decorations.
Invitations:
- a postcard in the shape of a dancing couple, a vinyl record, a cigar, in the shape of hats (men's and women's, respectively);
- an original invitation on the back of a banknote, a wine label, in the shape of a machine gun or pistol, bullet, grenade or brass knuckles will hint to friends about the mafia theme;
- aged paper, calligraphic handwriting, slightly frayed edges, a gold pen and the address “Lady”, “Gentleman” will create the right mood in advance. The holiday is only for the cream of society!
Suits
The 1930s lady look is playful and goofily messy. Bright lips with a bow and bold black wings, fluffy eyelashes and eccentric curls. A straight-cut dress with thin straps, decorated with sequins or fringe sparkling to the beat of the music. The classic length is just below the knees. High heels, fishnet stockings, a fluffy boa, a long string of beads or sparkling diamonds. The charming head of a seductive lady is decorated with a miniature hat with a feather, a large flower or a veil. As an option - a headband with the same fittings.
A man in a formal suit, dark monochrome or with narrow stripes, with a bow tie or a classic tie. Cleaned shoes, a perfectly ironed white shirt, a scarf or a rose in the buttonhole of a jacket. Suspenders or a vest, a hat, a cane, and a cigar will complement the Chicago men's look of the 30s. The standard of style, impeccable and unchanged in any situation!
For the most active guests or animators - the costume of a cabaret dancer, a gangster armed to the teeth, a bootlegger smuggler, a policeman in uniform, a newsboy in a tweed suit from someone else's shoulder and a cap on one side, a black jazzman.
Menu
Any snacks, cold cuts, seafood, salads in baskets, cheeses, tartlets and canapés. You can arrange a buffet or seat guests at small tables for 2-4 persons. The choice of dishes is almost unlimited, within the framework of American and European cuisine.
But everything should be beautiful, to the highest standard - sparkling dishes, neat portioned pieces, decorations from fruits and vegetables. Openwork napkins, skewers in a retro theme or ordinary transparent ones, without unnecessary details. To decorate the dishes, you can use photos of celebrities of those years, make thematic inscriptions on napkins: “An open mouth kills a fish,” “You can achieve more with a kind word and a gun than just a kind word,” and other quotes.
Alcohol in those years was strictly prohibited, but cunning bootleggers supplied strong drinks in any quantity. Therefore, there are no restrictions here either - punches, cocktails, strong drinks for men, champagne and martinis for ladies. For ambience, replace the labels with “pharmacy” stickers - a potion against boredom, an elixir of happiness, an infusion of vigor (in the 20-30s, alcohol was sold in pharmacies as a medicine for insomnia and neurasthenia).
Entertainment
According to the scenario, guests are greeted by a waitress, a receptionist, or a newsboy handing out the latest issue of Chicago Today. The newspaper contains photos of friends and small “scandalous” articles with humor. Tell your friends where they can get the missing accessories - prepare a table with beads, hats, fans, or even a mini-wardrobe in advance.
Take a short tour and tell them that just a year ago this building was a warehouse for bootleggers. And, according to rumors, not all the contraband was found during the raid! Hide small bottles of alcohol around the hall in advance. You can glue numbers to the bottoms - the more difficult it is to find the “stash”, the more bonus points the team receives. Fake bullets or banknotes, old playing cards or chips that can be “cashed in” - exchanged for memorable souvenirs - are suitable as rewards for competitions.
As entertainment for the esteemed public, any gambling games are appropriate - cards, roulette, everything from the casino. The setting is perfect for playing mafia! You can invite a card magician or learn a few tricks and invite guests to guess the secret of the trick.
Tricky question
A table game that liberates guests. The goal is to quickly come up with funny and original answers to the police officer's questions. For example:
- Miss/Mister, why do you smell of alcohol?
- There's a brandy label stuck to your shoe. Where did she come from?
The best dancers
Couples competition, after a short lesson on basic movements. Foxtrot, swing, Charleston, Lindy hop are suitable. The ideal music for the evening is jazz and blues, but you can use any retro compositions, soundtracks to films about Chicago of the 30s, even rock and roll. Your friends may be interested to know that dance marathons were popular in those years: couples danced literally until they dropped, until they hallucinated and fainted for several days without stopping!
Impenetrable
The host hands out paper cups and straws to several guests. The remaining guests play the roles of vigilant police officers patrolling the city park. According to the terms of the competition, one of the “vacationers” has prohibited alcohol in his glass! While some of the guests drink the contents of the glasses through a straw, the rest must guess who is maliciously violating the prohibition law. Alcohol can be poured into all glasses, so it will be even funnier to watch the “policemen” try to recognize an avid drinker among the teetotalers.
Money, money, money!
The presenter blindfolds the participants (2-5 guests) and gives them an impressive stack of banknotes, half of which are fakes. The goal is to divide the bills into two bundles in a minute, without peeking. You can feel the money, crush it, smell it, do whatever you want, but don’t look at it! The fakes are thrown into the trash, the real ones go to the winner - the one who made the fewest mistakes and correctly separated the flies from the cutlets.
The scenario coming to an end can be ended with a noisy spectacular fireworks display or a friendly shooting at the ceiling. Hand out pistols with plastic bullets to your guests, and hang balloons partially filled with glitter streamers and/or confetti from the ceiling. The unexpected sparkling rain will certainly be welcomed!
We are willing to bet that almost all of us are familiar with such films as “The Untouchables,” “Scarface,” “The Godfather,” and, of course, the legendary “Some Like It Hot.” Films that describe the events taking place in Chicago in the 1930s fascinate and inspire many people; they allow you to feel that atmosphere and mentally transport yourself to the world of Chicago, the world of gangsters, luxurious women, shining jewelry and expensive furs and fringes.
The Chicago style of the 30s of the last century still attracts and inspires a huge number of people around the world. The fashion that originated there is still relevant today. A large number of couples in love choose the Chicago style of dresses and suits of the 30s as the main idea for their wedding celebration; photo shoots in this style are also very popular. Who among us wouldn’t want to play the role of a dangerous gangster at least for one day or try on precious stones and noble furs?
Chicago style 30s - women's fringe dress
What about 1930s Chicago style for women? What did he bring to the world of fashion that was so revolutionary? Women's outfits were more influenced by that time. Chicago style made dresses more revealing, bold, and sexy. Translucent fringed outfits fascinated men, forcing them to literally devour the beautiful half of humanity with their eyes. Agree, not without reason?
Parties in the best traditions of 1930s Chicago are extremely popular these days. If you want to throw an unforgettable celebration and try on the chic outfits of that time, don’t hesitate, because a Chicago-style party will definitely not leave anyone indifferent. From us you can buy a dress in the Chicago style of any style, size, color.
Need a men's suit or women's dress in Chicago style for rent? Welcome to the Theater of Imperial Spectacles!
What is a Chicago style suit? For women, these are elegant dresses made of silk or satin in black, crimson, dark blue, silver or gold in a true Chicago style with fringe. Elegantly styled hair is decorated with miniature hats or headbands created using precious stones or feathers. The fashion of that time is distinguished by classic rigor, laconicism and the absence of bright colors, but at the same time elegance and boldness. Chicago is a unique cocktail experience that mixes luxury, glamor and sophisticated style.
The Imperial Spectacular Theater is ready to offer a huge selection of both women's and men's costumes in the style of Chicago of the 30s for a party or photo shoot. Our assortment will amaze even the most sophisticated customers, because all the outfits are made from high-quality materials, and most importantly - with love! From us you can buy Chicago suits and dresses of any style, size, color.
Chicago of the 30s is an original style, unconditionally recognized as a timeless classic. And these days there are many people who dream of throwing a party, posing as a gangster or mafioso. This is a special, unique style in which luxury (even if not always real), brilliance and free morals meet and mix with each other.
Life in Chicago in the 1930s
Chicago of the 20s and 30s is associated with an extremely high crime rate, gang warfare and entire families engaged in black business, hiding behind the most harmless activities, but ready, however, to lend a helping hand to each of its members. All this is very familiar to us from films about the mafia, some of them are shot so well that it’s not a sin to watch them twice, 10, or 40 times.
However, Chicago of the indicated period is not only tough guys who spit through their teeth at the law and justice. It is noteworthy that the gangster Chicago style, which by definition should be masculine, fades against the background of the beauties of the Chicago style image.
Image of a woman
This image is quite restrained. To better understand the style in question, watch Rob Marshall’s famous film “Chicago,” which deservedly received several Oscar awards. One of them is just for the costumes.
Characteristic elements of the Chicago style:
- Dresses with additional fringe decorations; dresses embroidered with beads, sequins, and rhinestones;
- Deep neckline, bare back;
- Thin straps of the dress. This was an undoubted innovation in American fashion of those years;
- Costumes were often decorated with fur, which created the effect of luxury.
The brightness and richness of the image was achieved mainly due to the dazzling shine of stones (non-precious) and other decorative elements, which, in turn, also shone in gold and silver. The variety of colors was at a low level: black, dark blue, white and flesh tones predominated.
Accessories were an important part of Chicago style. These are integral attributes of this fashion trend.
Accessories that complement the Chicago style:
It was considered good form if shoes, gloves and handbags were chosen in the same color. In addition, jewelry was often replaced with flashy costume jewelry, provided, of course, that they did not stand out from the overall picture of the style.
Any fashion trend, in addition to characteristic clothing and accessories with its own specifics, includes a special hairstyle and appropriate makeup. A hairstyle in the style of the 30s is a short haircut or the popular “perfect structured waves” styling. It is clear that even in the marathon the girls, declaring their free morals, did not limit themselves to accepted norms. That's why we see passionate scarlet lips with perfect, seemingly drawn out boundaries, dark shadows on the eyelids and blue-black eyelashes, striking in their thickness. An expressive and passionate look was emphasized by a clear line of eyebrows.
Chicago style hairstyles
A special feature of the style is the hairstyles. They have some features:
In Chicago style, it is important that the hair is the required length. A hairstyle in the style of the 30s is usually done on the basis of a bob or page cut.
For girls with naturally curly hair, this style of hairstyle is not at all difficult to achieve. To do this, just wash your hair and then apply a fixing gel to the strands. That's all. To complete the look, add an elegant hairpin, headband or hat with a veil.
It’s more difficult for girls with straight hair to do something like this. You'll have to use a curling iron. Wash your hair thoroughly before the curling procedure, apply foam along the entire length of the strands, and dry carefully. We fix the hairstyle with a bandage or hairpins. Finally, apply varnish.
Despite the fact that the Chicago style involves short haircuts, girls with long hair do not necessarily need to cut their hair. The hair can be curled by carefully laying only the front strands, and everything that remains can be gathered at the back, forming something like a “bump”.
For short hairstyles (pageboy or bob), you only need to curl the ends of the hair outward, and then secure them with a bandage.
As you know, retro style is very relevant today...
As you know, retro style is very relevant today, so many people pay close attention to the fashionable styles of the last century.
Women's fashion of the 20s-30s looks very attractive against the general background - the so-called Chicago style. And if you are going to become the central person at the next party, then a dress in this style can be the perfect outfit!
What is a Chicago style dress? It should immediately be noted that this style can be conditionally divided into two periods of time - the beginning (the 20s) and the later, more liberated one (it took place in the 30s).
Dresses in the Chicago style of the first period can be called quite restrained and modest. Firstly, looking at their photographs, we will see almost the maximum length, and only a few ladies allowed themselves the frivolity of showing off their legs to the knee. Secondly, it has long sleeves and a modest neckline.
The main feature of the Chicago dress is its cut, creating that very interesting and original silhouette that has allowed this style to remain in fashion. Ideally, the silhouette should resemble a cylinder with a low waist, i.e. The waist and chest lines are not emphasized, but the hip line is perfectly emphasized. To get a visual idea of how low the waist should be in such a dress, imagine modern low-rise jeans - this will be exactly the line.
With the advent of rapid and daring 30s The Chicago style dress also became more frank, free and bold. Firstly, its length is significantly shortened. The same trends are emerging with the sleeve - its length can vary. Moreover, ladies now choose models with straps, thus revealing their shoulders. The neckline also becomes deeper and cutouts appear on the back. The cut of the dress itself is slightly modified - the previously low waist rises slightly. This makes it possible to make the silhouette more tight and highlight feminine charms. Notes of sexuality and femininity are added to the image.
Chicago style dresses, especially the late designer models, are the epitome of chic and glitz, which is emphasized by the choice of fabric, color, accessories and finishing. Among the fabrics, preference is given to noble velvet, exquisite satin, airy chiffon, flowing silk and other materials rich in texture. Fringe is an integral element of decoration. It looks especially impressive in models where the skirt has a cut from the center to the hip line. Also very appropriate is finishing with fur, mesh, sometimes even lace, embroidery made of beads and stones. All this looks chic and creates a very bright image.
Chicago style dress - color
As for color, the classic Chicago style dress has interpretations in dark colors - for example, classic black or sophisticated and deep blue. In combination with the shimmer of silver, the shine of gold, and pearls, the created image acquires brightness, which does not look vulgar and flashy.
However, today it is possible to diversify the color scheme for a dress in this style. An excellent option could be a rich wine color, deep burgundy or lilac, emerald, blueberry. And by choosing pastel colors, cream or even white, you will emphasize the tenderness and femininity of your image.
Chicago style dress - what to wear with
At the initial stage of the emergence of the Chicago style, in the light without a hat It was simply not decent for a lady. However, in the 30s, at the same time as the length of the dress was shortened and arms and shoulders were exposed, it became possible to demonstrate hairstyles. And as a headdress for such a dress, it became very fashionable to wear a headband on the hair, decorated with beads, stones or a lush feather.
Because the 30s dress length opened a woman's legs for viewing, then silk stockings come into fashion. Therefore, when choosing a Chicago style dress today, also do not forget to pay attention to this detail. If the dress reveals the arms and shoulders, then you can add an accessory such as gloves.
As for jewelry, several long strands of beads can add to the already present chic and shine. When choosing a handbag model, give preference to a clutch. Makeup in the style of those years will also help complement the look. As a rule, much attention was paid to the eyes - very rich eyeliner was used for makeup, and dark shades of lipstick were chosen for the lips.
