When Coco Chanel set about liberating modern women with pants and pearls, the actress and dancer Louise Brooks was exactly the type of dame she had in mind. This chic little flapper set the style world aflame with her unforgettable bob and one incredible wardrobe.
In the glitzy, glittering 1920s, flappers like Brooks were the original bad girls: They drank, they smoked, they loved freely (she once had an affair with Charlie Chaplin!), and they dressed like total tomboys. You can still see their influence on the runways and sidewalks of 2008, from sailor suits and pinstripe pants to waist-length stands of pearls and the ever-present cloche hat.
Incorporate some of Brooks's sense of sass into your own modern wardrobe with a few well-chosen accessories: Those superlong strands of pearls look great against a dark crewneck sweater, while a wool or felt cloche worn with your winter coat is a refreshing change from the ubiquitous knit berets and boring fedoras. And when in doubt, go for all black with a feminine flower pin on your lapel. As the flappers would have put it, it's the cat's pajamas!
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