GATSBY
Ironically, perhaps, this year’s Gatsby Showcase followed closely on the heels of my own personal, Gatsby-inspired party. I’ve always been fascinated by the F. Scott Fitzgerald novel, as well as the 2013 movie adaptation featuring Leonardo Di Caprio and Carey Mulligan. What is it about this era, and this portrayal of it in particular, that is so compelling, nearly 100 years later?
Fitzgerald was one of the “Lost Generation,” along with Ernest Hemmingway, and Gertrude Stein, among other creatives who gravitated towards “gay Paris” and formed their own intellectual community. Following the trauma of the “Big War,” little thinking that a second was already in the making, these illustrious and elusive icons painted a far different picture than the fringed dresses and lively jazz music that most associate with the era. The Great Gatsby is a warning to those who would believe too naively in the deceptive “American Dream.” Ultimately Gatsby falls victim to his own expectations, in love and in life.
Now, in a post-pandemic era, the collective “we” are once again fascinated by the glitz and glam of this bygone era. At the Gatsby Showcase I was treated to fantastical visions of shimmering floor-length gowns, silk dresses crowned with cascades of tulle, and even a peacock-feather backdrop framing its wearer as with a crown of glory. Beads, sequins, and ostrich feathers are once again a la mode. It seems that so many of us, myself included, are eager to kick up our heels and celebrate, simply for the sake of celebrating. While there are still those content to succumb to the comfort of sweat pants, many of us are eschewing “athleisure” for a return to glamour.
What then of the lesson of Gatsby? Are these consumerist impulses only superficial, and void of the kinds of pleasure we should be taking in less worldly interests, such as friends and family? An argument could be made, of course, but for myself I see no reason to deprive myself of anything that gives me pleasure in these stressful times. As they say, “Laissez les bonnes temps roulez!”
