The Roaring 20's

At work today, I was listening to a podcast about the true American Gangsters, or Mafia. It was sooo interesting. I may have to listen to it again, I feel like I missed a lot. They talked about how the gangster life style got started and how it moved into being the Mafia. I love the Roaring 20's era and the history that goes along with it. The clothes, lifestyle, the Prohibition. It would have been an interesting time to live in.

I really found the Hollywood aspect of the whole thing fascinating. I learned that for the movie "Musketeers of Pig Alley" they used real Mafia for the extras instead of actors. And that the Mafia started mimicking the clothing style set by Hollywood. They started to use the image from the movies in real life. Most of the movies had an accurate portrayal of what the Mafia was and how they operated because many people from Hollywood rubbed shoulders and were in good with the American Gangsters. "Musketeers of Pig Alley" was one of the first films to be shot on location rather than just in a studio. The tactics to kill weren't just made up ways either. They were actual ways that the Mafia used to murder people. For example putting a gun in a violin was a tactic used by one of Al Capone's men, don't ask me to repeat the name because it was something ridiculous.

"Musketeers of Pig Alley" 

Video via YouTube

There's a restaurant in Moorhead, MN called "The Speakeasy" and it is one of my favorite places to go. There is an old 1920's car inside, the walls are covered with all things jazz and wine red velvet. All of the staff wear black and fedora hats. It is so great. There is a real Speakeasy in New York City called The 21 Club. If I remember it right, on or near 52nd Avenue or something. They had a brick wall that when invaded by the police would flip upside down and pour/drop all the alcohol down into the NYC sewer system. And it still works today. It was never found back in the 1920's by the police.

Pete's Tavern. One of the oldest bars in NYC. It turned into a speakeasy during the Prohibition. 

Image found here. 

The inside. Pete's Tavern has now made it onto my "To Visit List". The bar at the restaurant in Moorhead looks a lot like that one. 

Image found here. 

Big band jazz and swing music is one of my favorites and I find it interesting that it was born during this time period because the people wanted something faster the move to. I think it would have been amazing to be in a speakeasy with jazz music filling up the space. People doing crazy dances like the Charleston and soaking in the illegal liquor. 

via YouTube

Old vintage art from this time is some of my favorite. Art Deco started in Paris during the 1920's and continued after WWII. Bold colors and eye catching illustrations, straying away from soft colors of the Art Nouveau. 

Image found here.

Image found here.

Image found here.

And what a time for fashion. The 1920's was the time period when women's skirt hems got shorter as did the hair styles. And the men in their sleek suits and hats. The women were just as reckless and rebellious as the men. 

Image found here.

Image found here.

Image found here.

The Roaring 20's just seemed to be full of dancing, music, crime, fun, and a lot more carefree than our day and age. So that was my history lesson of the day. 

:)