Why is Gatsby so darned cool?

Here at West End Events, we’ve noticed something interesting about our Great Gatsby parties. They often sell out in a nanosecond.

From Brighton to Edinburgh, people just seem to love Gatsby. As a party theme, and as a character, we can’t get enough of him.

When Book magazine published its list of the 100 best characters in 20th century fiction, Jay Gatsby was number one. He beat Sherlock Holmes, Scarlett O’Hara, George Smiley and (shock horror) Winnie the Pooh.

Why is this? What is it about Gatsby that’s so darned cool? We’ve decided to look into it. Let’s start with a bit of history.

100 years of cool

F-Scott Fitzgerald’s (surprisingly short) novel, The Great Gatsby, was published in 1925 at the height of the American jazz era.

The main character, Jay Gatsby, is deeply flawed and, it has to be said, slightly dodgy. Yet for nearly 100 years he’s represented everything that’s cool… and conspicuously wealthy.

During the 1920s, America was getting seriously rich. Income levels, stock market trading and hemlines were rising fast —  and in Gatsby’s rarefied circles, they celebrated big time.

The Roaring Twenties was all about huge, lavish parties.

The HUGE parties

Jay Gatsby is famous for his unbelievably luxurious parties. Everyone who is anyone longs to be invited.

There’s a live outdoor orchestra, swimming pools, fountains, a private beach, crates of fresh oranges and lemons, buffet tents in the gardens… and a great deal of liquor.

At the time, alcohol was illegal in America. Nobody worried though. At a Gatsby soiree, they were too busy gossiping about the host.

The one thing that guests expected and, in fact, still expect today from a Gatsby party is opulence. The theme is guaranteed to exude glamour, sophistication and decadence.

You can walk through the gilded doors and, for one magnificent evening, forget about the stresses of everyday life.

The fashion for women

In the 1920s, for the first time in the history of Western fashion, women wore skirts which revealed their legs. It was revolutionary.

Corsets were thrown out, waistlines dropped and shockingly, hair was cut short. It was all about the sleek angularity of the bob.

Day dresses were often cut on the bias, partly to allow the fabric to fall beautifully, but also because of changes in society. With this new fashion, women could easily dress and undress themselves without the need for a lady’s maid.

When it comes to Gatsby parties, however, it’s the evening wear which gets everyone dressing up to the nines, tens and elevens.

Dresses with low-cut backs and thin shoulder straps are encrusted with beads and decorated with jewelled fringes. Accessories are everywhere, particularly long strings of pearls and feathered headbands.

With fashion becoming increasingly casual nowadays, it’s hardly surprising that Gatsby-themed parties are popular. How often do we get a chance to dress like that?

The fashion for men

As anyone who can remember double denim would agree, some fashion eras have not been particularly kind to men.

The Roaring Twenties, however, was a high point.

As with women’s fashion, clothing for men was becoming more relaxed, with softer fabrics and a looser fit. Evening wear was elegant and glitzy.  Suits were no longer limited to dark blue and black. There were lighter, bolder colours.

Gatsby famously wears a pink suit at one point, and Daisy Buchanan is moved to uncontrollable sobbing at the beauty of his button-down shirts.

Gangsters had a big influence in the 1920s. Birmingham’s Peaky Blinders made 3-piece suits and flat caps trendy, while Al Capone got everyone wearing tailored pinstripe suits with cuffed trousers creased at the front.

For the first time, it was OK to dress casually, so men had more fashion options. It’s one of the best things about a Gatsby party. Men have lots of choices. Cardigans, knitted jumpers, caps, fedoras… and sportswear.

Plus fours, anyone?

The decor

When Tutunkhamun’s tomb was discovered in 1922, designers mixed this exotic look with Viennese abstract art, Cubism and a wealth of influences from a world that was opening up.

The result was Art Deco. Although the style briefly went out of fashion during World War II, it came back in the late 1960s and isn’t showing any signs of age. Art Deco is still incredibly popular today.

Think gold, black and silver colour schemes, geometric patterns and sleek lines, along with luxurious fabrics and stylised imagery.

It’s hardly surprising that people love the look and feel of a 1920s Gatsby theme. There’s a sense of luxury and escapism about it.

The music

The Great Gatsby is all about jazz. It’s everywhere, particularly at Jay Gatsby’s parties where he tries to impress guests by showing off his knowledge of this revolutionary style of music.

In the 1920s, polite society saw jazz as shockingly immoral. They believed it encouraged sex, drugs and violence and gave jazz the same treatment that rock and roll would later get.

Predictably, this po-faced disapproval made it even more popular.

The great thing about music at Gatsby parties is that these days, `jazz’ has such a wide span  — anything from Bessie Smith, Louis Armstrong and Cole Porter to hip-hop. If it sounds cool, it’s perfect for a Gatsby party.

If you fancy dressing up to the nines and partying like it’s 1922, check out our Great Gatsby Christmas parties.