How To Jazz Up Your Wardrobe by Sharon Mosley on Creators.com

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How To Jazz Up Your Wardrobe

Let the fringe and the feathers fly. Dance into spring, and put some swing into your wardrobe by jazzing it up and channeling the styles of the Roaring Twenties a la Daisy and Jay: the main characters of F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel "The Great Gatsby" and of Baz Luhrmann's highly anticipated film adaptation.

From Prada to H&M, there's some Jazz Age glamour for everyone. Here's how to kick up a little art deco flair of your own:

—Start with the drop-waist flapper dress. There's no better way to jazz up your wardrobe this spring and summer than to don one of these slinky sheath-style dresses embellished with beading, metallic threading or embroidery.

—Go with the high-low hems. From the knee to the ankle, this is a great way to highlight your best features by choosing a dress or skirt with a pointed hemline that dips and rises in all the right places.

—Choose chiffon. Free and flowing is the name of the dress game when it comes to kicking up your heels in the deco designs this year. The fabrics are soft and supple, providing nonrestrictive flattering silhouettes — perfect for doing the Charleston.

—Add some fringe and feathers. Whether on that flapper-inspired dress or a hip-length jacket or swingy skinny skirt, fringe and feathers are a jazzy way to dress up anything you put on this season.

And it's really easy to throw on a feather boa to give your cocktail dress instant drama.

—Get exotic. Patterns and prints are another way to jazz up your wardrobe. Think geometric art nouveau or East Asian designs in particular. These artistically inspired motifs are easily incorporated into your everyday wardrobe with kimono-style jackets, shawls or scarves. Look for the unstructured evening coat trimmed with fur to be even more of a jazzy hit for fall. And harem pants, anyone?

—Add accessories. The fashion extras that complement all the Jazz Age designs are legendary, especially the millinery — from tight-fitting cloche hats to elaborate jeweled and feathered headpieces to Oriental toques and turbans.

—Add jewelry. Accessorize with long ropes of cultured pearls, arm bracelets and chandelier earrings. Top it off with a decorative "pouch" purse trimmed with tassels. And complete your jazzy look with T-strap pumps.

Now you're ready to dance the night away!

Sharon Mosley is a former fashion editor of the Arkansas Gazette in Little Rock and executive director of the Fashion Editors and Reporters Association. To find out more about Sharon Mosley and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.