MasTERPiece and Student Success Media joined forces Friday to throw “The Gatsby Extravaganza” — bringing Roaring ’20s style and fashion to the University of Maryland.
The event brought students dressed in flapper dresses and stylish suits, adorned with pearls or feathers together in Stamp Student Union’s Grand Ballroom. MasTERPiece president Midiene Joseph said the Gatsby-themed ball was a celebration of queer history and culture, highlighting the ballroom scene and its lasting impact on the fashion industry.
The guests didn’t disappoint with their outfits, including Joseph, who wore a formal black dress with black gloves, a pearl necklace and a flapper headband.
“We were looking for something different, and I think that 1920s is a good theme,” said freshman computer science major Ben Everson. “It’s very fashion-forward. It has a very distinct style that I think is nice, and it’s very unique.”
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Everson, who is vice president of recruitment for MasTERPiece, dressed in black slacks, a white button-up with a black tie and a fedora with a feather he grabbed from an event table.
The party started with a quick round of “Bingo: The Gatsby Edition.” Attendees ran around the room in search of someone who fit fun descriptions like guests with a fake beauty mark, a boa, a dramatic eyeliner or a smokey eye.
Journey Hodari, a sophomore information science major and MasTERPiece member, donned a light-colored flapper dress she thrifted, a cream-colored matching scarf from her aunt and a pearl necklace she got at the event.
“We didn’t want to do ’90s, like denim, because a lot of the clubs on campus do that already,” she said. “We thought ’20s was like really fun. We thought people would dress up, which they did, which is awesome.”
Shortly after the bingo game ended, the event’s next activity, Pop the Balloon, began. Guests who believed they had the best outfit lined up at the front, as Joseph evaluated each one, before popping the balloons of those she didn’t consider the best dressed. Ultimately, sophomore horticulture major Emily Shepherd won best dressed.
“I feel so honored. I was not expecting it,” Shepherd said. “I love a ‘Great Gatsby’ theme. I love that you can dress up for it or dress down for it.”
Shepherd’s winning outfit was a black dress with a gold pattern, gold bangles over long black gloves, a pearl necklace and two feathers in her hair.
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The grand finale of the night was the red carpet fashion walk with five categories for the runway: “The Next Monroe,” “Best Fit,” “Best Attitude,” “Best Walk” and “Bonnie and Clyde.” Guests were able to strut their stuff and serve face while walking the runway, either solo or as a dynamic duo in the final category.
With vibrant outfits, spirited games and a nod to history, “The Gatsby Extravaganza” not only brought the past to life but also proved the timeless impact of the ballroom scene on today’s fashion. As Joseph put it: “It’s a fashion party.” For those in attendance, it was a night to remember.
