Price: $
For the cheapest costume, thrift and second-hand stores have a wide variety of both used costumes and vintage outfits. Haight Street is known for it’s exuberant fashion, perfect for the 1920’s themed event. There are also an abundance of 20’s style hats in these stores for guys to add a 20’s twist to their suit.
Best second-hand stores for 20’s outfits:
Haight Ashbury Vintage (pictured) – 1501 Haight St, San Francisco
Wasteland – 1600 Haight Street, San Francisco
Out of the Closet – 238 E 18th St, Oakland
Thrift Town – 2101 Mission St, San Francisco
Mars Mercantile – 2398 Telegraph Ave, Berkeley
Price: $$
If you want a costume you can re-wear head to any store that you can find a sequin dress. Look for a dress that is a knee length, looser silhouette. It helps to buy a size bigger to get that effect. This dress was from Marshalls and I added the fringe from Piedmont Fabric (4009 Piedmont Ave, Oakland.) The fringe can easily be removed later.
Best shops to find dresses you can re-wear:
Forever 21 – 5668 Bay Street, Emeryville
Wet Seal – 2321 Stoneridge Mall, Pleasanton
Marshalls – 5795 Christie Ave, Emeryville
H&M – 5630 Bay Street, Emeryville
Ambiance – 1458 Haight Street, San Francisco
Sway – 3359 Lakeshore Ave, Oakland
Price: $$$
To really get into the swing of the 1920’s go to Decades of Fashion at 1653 Haight Street, San Francisco to get a dress straight out of the decade itself.
Teachers encourage creativity no matter where students’ outfits are from. Students will be rewarded for embodying the 20’s spirit in whatever they chose to wear.
With any outfit, adding a feather to a headband, or wearing a string of pearls, will complete the look. Almost all of this year’s seniors participated last year. If all else fails, ask around to see if you can borrow the dress that they used.
Note: This article was been updated on December 12 from an earlier version posted December 11 to include more information regarding homemade costumes and the teacher criteria for 20’s night.
