What Did Men Wear in the 1920s?

Men's fashion in the 1920s was built on tailoring. Almost every man wore a suit, whatever his job, and accessories such as hats, ties and suspenders were part of daily life. Here is what men wore in the 1920s and how to recreate the look today.

The Suit

The three-piece suit, with jacket, waistcoat and trousers, was the standard outfit. Jackets were cut close to the body with narrow shoulders, often single-breasted. Popular fabrics included wool tweeds, flannels and pinstripes in gray, brown, navy and black. Trousers sat high on the waist, were often pleated and sometimes cuffed, and by the late 1920s some young men wore very wide trousers nicknamed Oxford bags.

Shirts, Collars and Ties

Shirts were usually white or pale, sometimes with detachable collars. Rounded and pin collars were fashionable. Ties were shorter than today, often patterned, and bow ties were worn both for evening dress and by stylish men during the day.

Suspenders Instead of Belts

Because trousers sat high, most men wore suspenders, also called braces, attached to buttons inside the waistband. Belts became common later. Button suspenders are the most period-correct; clip-on styles are a practical modern option.

Hats for Every Occasion

No man went out bareheaded. The felt fedora was the city hat, worn with suits; the flat cap or newsboy cap was everyday wear for workers, drivers and weekend outings; straw boaters appeared in summer; top hats were reserved for formal evening wear.

Evening Wear

For formal evenings, men wore a tailcoat with a white wing-collar shirt, a white waistcoat and a white bow tie, or the slightly less formal dinner jacket, today's tuxedo, with a black bow tie. See our 1920s men's tuxedos.

Shoes and Small Details

Oxfords and brogues were standard, often two-tone in black and white or brown and white for leisure. Spats covered the ankles in the early part of the decade. Pocket watches on chains, pocket squares and cufflinks completed the look.

How to Recreate the Look Today

• The gentleman: three-piece suit, white shirt, tie or bow tie, fedora.
• The gangster: dark pinstripe suit, wide tie, fedora, two-tone shoes.
• The working man: waistcoat, rolled sleeves, suspenders, newsboy cap.

Pick the one that matches your event, then add one detail, such as a pocket watch chain, to make it convincing.