Have you just received your invitation to a night filled with Gatsby-style elegance, extravagance, opulence, a hint of wildness, and of course – murder? First thing first – what 20's style costume are you going to wear?
Typical 1920's costumes focus on flappers and gangsters, but the 1920s had much more depth. Get into the mindset of your character with some other female and gender-neutral 1920's costume ideas.
So, what can women wear to a 1920's murder mystery game?
- Flapper Costume
- 1920's High Society Evening Dresses
- 1920's Daytime Tea Party Dresses
- 1920's Sporty Outfits
- "New Women" 1920s Pant Outfits
- Gangsters Or Bootlegger Costumes
- Speakeasy Barmaids
These costumes ideas fit with a range of mystery characters such as flappers, silent movie stars, social elite, sporting women, jazz and musician singers, and speakeasy barmaids.
The exciting escapism element to murder mystery games is further elated by your costume choice. You may want to assume your character's persona with authentic dress wear or mix your personal style with a 1920's twist. We will be breaking these costumes and outfits down one-by-one for you.
Please note, while the article typically explores female costumes, gender-neutral outfits will also be explored.
Women Costume Ideas For 1920's Murder Mystery Game Night
Flapper dress costume
A Flapper is the iconic look of the 20's young stylish party-girls ruled by designers like Coco Chanel, Elsa Schiaparelli, and Jean Patou. These women were both from high-society, famous-figures, jazz entertainers, and working-women.
Flapper costumes are readily available for purchase or hire from costume stores and online.
Costume recommendations:
A knee-length dress – slim and straight, not figure-fitting, with frills and sparkles. Add glitz to dresses with big sparkly broaches or glitzy chunky-belts paired with small heels.
Costume Accessories:
Headwear: Crystal, feathered or beaded headband, turban hat, or cloche hat.
Jewelry: Tassel necklace, bead necklace, long pearl(s), drop earrings, big rings, cuff bracelets
Wraps: Capelet shawl, fur stole, fringe jacket, feather boa, sequin scarf, kimono coat
Gloves: long opera gloves for evenings
Costume Props: Long stem cigarette holder, fake e-cigarettes, hand fan, hip flask, leg garters.
Ideal for Murder Mystery Roles: Flappers, silent movie stars, Young socialites, gangster girls, jazz musicians, and singers
High 1920's Society Evening Dresses
While the flapper dress stands most notably as the iconic 1920's look, high-fashion was the height of opulence with luxurious fabrics of velvet and silk and eye-catching colors; velvet and silk. Coco-Chanel introduced the "little black dress" into high-society, before which the color black was only worn at funerals. Gowns were still a staple, dressed up by furs, wraps, and jewelry.
Costume recommendations:
A knee-length dress or full gown – slim and straight, not figure-fitting. Velvet and silk dress very common with sparkles and diamontes paired with small heels.
Costume Accessories:
Headwear: Crystal, feathered or beaded headband, tiaras
Jewelry: Tassel necklace, bead necklace, long pearl(s), drop earrings, big rings, cuff bracelets, broaches,
Wraps: Capelet shawl, fur stole, fur coats, fringe jacket
Gloves: long opera gloves for evenings
Ideal for Murder Mystery Roles: Young Socialites, Dames, Silent Movie Stars, 1920 Heiresses, Gangster Girl, Jazz Musicians, And Singers
Casually Elegant Tea Party Dresses
The setting of the mystery might change, but the murder remains the same. Consider more casual looks for Gatsby Outdoor Garden Murder Mystery Parties. Traditional 1920's fashion was less flapper and more dapper during the daytime; women were choosing to wear more pastels, florals, and white tea dresses.
Costume recommendations:
A knee-length tea dress in pastels, florals, and white with beaded belts and strap on small healed-shoes or slippers.
Costume Accessories:
Headwear: Feathered or beaded headband, bowler hats, Cloche hats
Jewelry: bead necklace, long pearl(s), drop earrings, big rings, cuff bracelets,
Wraps: Capelet shawl, fringe jacket
Gloves: shorter mid-arm silk or mesh gloves
Costume Props: Long stem cigarette holder, fake e-cigarettes, hand fan
Ideal for Murder Mystery Roles: Young Socialites, Silent Movie Stars, Jazz Musicians, and Entertainers
1920's Sporty Outfits and Costume
The 1920s saw women professional athletes come into the spotlight, especially in cheerleading and golf. This too evolved into the 1920's sporty tennis dress outfit that became a staple in society. Again, this would be another playful daytime Gatsby-style garden mystery party costume.
Costume recommendations:
White sailor dress or sailor top/ blouse with a necktie and matching pleated skirt combo with tennis shoes or short heels.
Costume Accessories:
Headwear: straw sun hat, silk headscarf, visor, bucket hat
Jewelry: silk necktie, long pearl(s), chunky rings,
Wraps: kimono jackets, cardigan/sweater
Costume Props: Long stem cigarette holder, fake e-cigarettes, hand fan
Ideal for Murder Mystery Roles: Young women, athletes, and famous sportswomen
"New women" Pants or Pant suit Options
Want a 1920's pants or pant suit option? You're in luck. Most women typically wore dresses in the 1920s, but some women, known as "new women," revolutionized fashion in the late 1920's adopting men's clothing and fabrics.
"New women" suit pants costume is widely considered a gangster girl look – but contrary to popular belief, women who participated in underground mobster or bootlegging exploits would have wanted to blend with more common female fashion trends. Despite this, the cross-dressing Gangster girl is certainly a fun 1920's costume choice.
Hollywood and Silent Movie Stars began wearing silky pants in the late 191920sinspired by Asian Pajamas, later named Beach Pajamas. With a wide-length pant fit, they are a super comfortable costume option and are a popular fashion trend today. For inspiration think - Miss Fisher Inspired Clothing from the TV series Miss Fisher Murder Mysteries.
Costume recommendations:
- Wear matching pants, dress vest, and suit set in dark colors or pinstripes– pants are worn wide-legged or bootlegged, with button-down shirt or blouse, necktie paired with dress shoes.
- Wear plain or striped pants, suspenders, button-down shirt with the option of a vest paired with dress shoes.
- Wear wide-leg or palazzo pants, a silk blouse or beaded top paired or pantsuit, with thin-heeled pumps or slippers.
Costume Accessories:
Headwear: Crystal, feathered or beaded headband, turban hat, bowler hats, or newsboy hats.
Jewelry: Tassel necklace, bead necklace, long pearl(s), chunky rings, cuff bracelets
Wraps: kimono jackets, fringe shawls/scarfs kimono coat, vests, suit jackets
Costume Props: Long stem cigarette holder, fake e-cigarettes, hand fan, hip flask, a fake wad of cash (gangster girl)
Ideal for Murder Mystery Roles: Young socialites, silent movie stars, gangster girls, jazz musicians and singers, 1920 famous athletes and sportswomen
Barmaids and Servants Costumes
Barmaids and Servants are classically underrated in mystery games but are historically the best at dishing the dirt – advantageous in a game of discovery. The so-called "hired help" costumes are also incredibly fun.
The most common is the classic French-Maid costumes available from most costume shops and amazon for hire or purchase, albeit maybe a little shorter than historically accurate.
We suggest taking inspiration from the Roaring 20's Speakeasy Barmaids. Many barmaids followed the traditional club fashion with white blouses and glitzy skirts; take further inspiration from the classic Gatsby Bartender for a 1920's speakeasy guise.
Costume recommendations:
- French maid costume
- Barmaid/bartender black pants or skirt, suspenders or vest, white blouse, bow tie
Costume Accessories:
Headwear: bowlers hat, beaded headband, French maid hat
Jewelry: bow tie, sparkly necktie, pearls
Costume Props: apron, pocket watch, cocktail shaker, toothpicks
Ideal for Murder Mystery Roles: Servants, Housekeepers, Barmaids, Servers, Speakeasy Bartenders
For more inspiration and authentic vintage costume ideas, consider this post from Vintage Dancer What to Wear: Roaring 20s Fashion Guide
Quick Tips for 1920's Mystery Game Costume Makeup and Hairstyles
Complete your 1920's themed -costume with some makeup and 20's hairstyles. Consider the following:
1920's Costume Hairstyle suggestions
Female hairstyles in the 1921920sre shorter than the decades' hairstyles before. Many women wore their hair in a stylish straight or curly bobs or the hallmark finger wave curl.
Their short hairstyles were usually always complimented by headgear – rounded hats, headbands, and scarfs. Feathers, glittery beads, and felt were the usual material used to create the headwear.
1920's Costume Makeup suggestions
Simple Matte-Finish Foundation - 1920's face was very simple, valuing even skin tone for that doll-like complexion. Therefore, abandon your contouring brushes and simply apply a matt-finish product with a brush to your entire face. Then, finish with a subtle pink or peach blush to your cheeks for a fresh, flawless look.
Simple, Thin Brows - Step away from the tweezers. The thin brow look was a roaring 20's trend, but you can easily achieve this look by filling in your brow line using a sharpened brow pencil. Then, use a brow brush to sweep your brows into a thin line.
A 1920's Subtle Smokey Eye - A little less intense than current smokey eye trends, unlike today, the 1910's smoky eye was simple and elegant using only a single color. Use black, gunmetal, or dark brown eyeshadow colors.
Rosy Red and Cupid's Bow Lip - Bring on the deep red lips for a dramatic nod to the 1920's era. For the cupid bow lip, apply concealer generously until your lips are blotted out. Next, create the cupids bow on your lips with a color-matching lip liner and then fill in with your matte lipstick.
Host your own 1920's Murder Mystery Game
Masters of Mystery offers you a moment of complete escapism and an intriguing mystery, transporting you back to The Roaring '20s with our "Jazz, Gin, Money & Murder" game kit.
Our Murder Mystery Game Kits allow you to effortlessly host your own Murder Mystery Game again and again with our Random Murderer Option. Our Murder Mystery Game delivers between 1.5 -3 hours of fun, enjoyed at home with the family, at a dinner party, virtually, or as a function for colleagues or professional events.
Go back in time to 1923, New York, to the Glittersby Mansion and unravel the mystery of the murdered party-goer.
Assume the role of one of our gendered or gender-neutral characters.
Use our costume recommendations to play as Goldie Diggs (gangster's moll), Avery Keye's (Jazz enthusiast), Dame Wanna Debest (Society-elite), Mimi Crye (Famous Silent Movie Star,) Jinn Slinger (bartender), and many more.
If you are interested in other mystery games, please see our store for a range of other exciting adventure games.
