With the transition from 2019 to 2020, we’re about to enter a new year and a new decade, so it’s fitting we make some changes. Here are a few things we should and shouldn’t bring back from the Roaring 20s.
Should: Seeking higher education
With household income rising for the middle class, more people were able to seek higher education. Colleges and universities became prime spots for emerging fashion trends. Of course, segregated post-secondary institutions remained until 1954, which is something we definitely should not bring back. I don’t think I need to explain this one.
Shouldn’t: Raccoon coats
Made from raccoon hide, these coats were full length and sometimes referred to as “pimp coats.” These coats were walking monstrosities. Men of our current day, please do not let this make a resurgence. There are other ways to deal with raccoon problems.
Should: Cloche hats
Cloche hats are probably one of the more well-known hat styles from the Roaring 20s, and they need to make a comeback. Designed to fit over short haircuts, cloche hats were often tight to the skull and covered one’s eyebrows, making visibility difficult. This forced its wearers to hold their chin high creating an appearance of confidence and power.
Shouldn’t: Trying to bring religion back into modern times through pop culture
Yes, this was in fact a thing. Religious leaders attempted to modernize different aspects of religion through pop culture. One noteworthy example of this is “The Man Nobody Knows” by Bruce Barton, a book where Jesus became a modern businessman in order to appeal to businessmen of the time. Rest assured, he made sure to highlight that Jesus was a manly man who created a world-conquering organization. No, just no.
Should: Marathon dancing
Despite the rather controversial past, I fully believe we can and should bring back marathon dancing. It’s a test of endurance and honestly seems like it should be an Olympic level sport. Granted, we could do without the swindling and rigging of the event. Oh, and the preying on smaller cities who haven’t put on events like this and thus can be easily taken advantage of. In theory, dance marathons would be a great event to bring back.
Shouldn’t: The Great Depression
I feel like this one goes without saying, but it’s included anyway. I hereby forbid the bringing back of the Great Depression. We really don’t need that.
Overall, there are plenty of trends we could bring back from the 20s, and plenty that we really shouldn’t. The point of all of this is to show how we’ve changed in the past century and to remind everyone of our pasts. There’s so much we can learn just by looking into our history.
So Golden Hawks, I challenge you to find something from the Roaring 20s to bring into your life as we enter the new decade!