What would you wear to a 20th century themed party?

[squilliam]

Ok so it's kinda silly but here goes. I'm reading this science fiction book called Stand on Zanzibar, and the chapter I was reading last night was about a fashion party with a 20th century theme. You pick a year or theme from 1901 to 2000, and that's what you wear. So like you could pick 1921 and wear an outfit that's from around that year.
So, what would you choose to wear and from what year would it be?

 

[Phuel]

1920s and the 1960s (just before the period of psychedelia and hippies) for me. Those eras represent the most modern, forward, sleek and graphic periods in design without ever becoming too costume-y.

I'm a man so I'd wear the appropriate tuxedo for the decade: Tails and slick side-parted hair for the 1920s, and crisp, fitted, modish tailored tux for the 1960s with slicked back hair and wayfarer tortoise-shell eyeglass frames.

If I were a woman, I'd wear a Galliano-designed flapper dress from his late-90s namesake collection for the 1920s-theme, and a Gaultier for Hermes-designed Birkin-corset from his Hermes stint of the early-2000 with leather opera-gloves for the 1960s-theme.

 

[softgrey]

what did they wear in the book?

 

[squilliam]

what did they wear in the book?

It was kind of vague since the boom was written in the sixties but takes place in 2010. Most people favored the 70s,80s, and 90s. The rule was anyone wearing something from the wrong century would be forced to do something embarrassing, so the focus was on people wearing the wrong too modern thing.

 

[softgrey]

OH!...
i like that there is a rule that there will be consequences if you don't really make an effort to get it right...
it means that people will generally do a pretty good job and have pretty good costumes...

i like that -
prizes for the best costume...
booby prizes for the least amount of accuracy!

...

i'd probably want to wear something from the late 50's or early 60's...
something sort of beatnik but chic...

capri pants, kitten heels, bouffant hair, liquid eyeliner...
that sort of thing...