Despite terrible dancing skills and curves that make flapper dresses look ridiculous, I could have lived in the Jazz Age. I’m like Owen Wilson’s character in Midnight in Paris: obsessed with the Lost Generation and their post-war glamor, longing to rub elbows with the likes of F. Scott and Hemingway and Gertrude Stein. I dream of writing poetry like TS Eliot (I mean, I don’t write poetry, but maybe if I lived in the 1920’s I would have!). Everyone has their favorite golden era and the Jazz Age is mine.
Which is probably why Kim insisted I come back to New York last weekend to take part in the glitzy Jazz Age Lawn Party on Governor’s Island. And as usual, Kim was right.
Finding a costume was difficult due to those aforementioned curves. Drop waisted dresses make me look about 6 months pregnant and I’m too busty for those sleek low cut things. I eventually came up with a blue, casual but era appropriate dress, a jaunty hat and kim curled my hair into ringlets. She herself wore a flowing black dress and a crown of flowers and her husband Brian went for the khakis and suspenders look. None of us looked like we were going to the same party but we all looked cute.
It didn’t matter anyways, the costumes ranged from boas and sparkles to floor length gowns to colorful sundresses. Nearly everyone came in some kind of costume and if you squinted, the effect was almost right.
Unlike a certain complete travesty of a movie that came out recently (and I’m still mad about it), the Lawn Party actually strives for an air of authenticity. Era appropriate music floated over the lawns where hundreds of people spread out picnic blankets. We drank St. Germaine cocktails in the shade while others learned how to do the Charleston.
The Jazz Age Lawn Party occurs twice a year on Governor’s Island- in June and August.
This looks like so much fun! At least the cocktails do… As a fellow curvy lady, I completely know how you feel about flapper trends (and so many fashion trends, really) that look great on gamine girls, but not so much those of us with actual breasts. I’ve actually been having a horrible time finding clothing in Asia for this reason as well… for once I’m on a continent where I’m the right height, but the shopkeepers take one look at my chest and quickly hurry me out yelling “No! Too small!”
I’ll never forget having to buy extra large men’s sweatshirts in China. They are super blunt about it too!
Such a nice original party. I wish i was there too… love the way you recreated the event trough your pics..:) so cool!
Looks like fun!! And warm too 🙂
So envious!! I’d love to go someday. Looking fabulous Steph 😉
Looks like a fun party! (But was the movie really that bad? Never got a chance to go see it here)
It’s one of my favorite books so I had a lot of FEELINGS about it. Leo was pretty good but otherwise I was not a fan.
I’ve been following your travel blog for a little while, so it was so much fun to see you cover an event I went to as well! Love the pictures – the gloves and ties are especially gorgeous.
This is so amazing! I had no idea there was such a party! I’m slightly obsessed with the Jazz Age as well! Boardwalk Empire is one of my favorite shows. I may have to corral some friends to venture up to the next one!!
That looks like a lot of fun! Sometimes I think living in a more simple era would have been cool. Except for that prohibition thing.
Such a cool event, I love the attention to detail here. If you’re ever in London when Secret Cinema is on, you should check it out. They do themed events (depending on the film) and they are brilliant! We went to one that was 40s themed and they went to town with it!
Crazy for me to see pictures and events happening on Governor’s Island – I was actually born there (well, *technically* I was born in Manhattan since there are no hospitals on the island, but I lived there as a wee one), and moved back there right before it closed down as a military base in the 90s. Considering how it stood derelict for so many years after that, it’s so nice to see its popularity now as a park/event space, as it was a beautiful place to grow up.
This was my first time there, it was really interesting to see all of the empty buildings. Definitely a lot of life there still.