AS any girl knows, the era of the flapper was an era of elegance, daring and a new kind of playfulness.

With the arrival of the 1920s, chic women cut their hair short in a bob for the first time, danced the Charleston, and openly smoked cigarettes and wore make-up.

Here’s a quick guide to capturing the élan of the decade.

Inspirational films: Think Louise Brooks in Pandora’s Box, with that iconic bob and perfect cupid bow lips.

Or, speaking of bow, Clara Bow – red lips, arched eyebrows and sultry eye make-up.

If you can perfect a sultry stare to go with it, so much the better.

Daisy Buchanan in The Great Gatsby, Josephine Baker as herself – but maybe skip the banana skirt.

Skirt lengths: Knee to mid-calf. Unless you’re Coco Chanel fishing in the Scottish Highlands in baggy tweeds, trousers aren’t the thing, so stick to a ladylike skirt or dress. A boyish figure was all the rage, so the chest or hips shouldn’t be accentuated, but a loose drop waist is perfect.

Hairstyle: The bob. This can be straight or waved. For long hair, gentle finger waves around the face and the rest gathered into a bun at the nape of the neck, as in Lady Mary in Downtown Abbey.

Shoes: Mary Janes, or dancing slippers with a small kitten heel.

Jewellery: Long strings of pearls, sometimes knotted. Tiaras and dangly earrings. Art deco pieces, enamel and costume jewellery. Heavily beaded evening dresses are almost jewellery in their own right, but you can always add to them.

Accessories: gloves, cloche hats, velvet headbands across the forehead with feathers or a large jewel. Underwear: Silk chemise, French knickers, teddys and opaque stockings.

You can shop for vintage clothes, accessories and jewellery 24/7 at www.myvintage.co.uk or visit our vintage clothing shop in Darwen, Lancashire.