SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Donning fringe, pearls, feathers and old Hollywood dresses, the SPCA Gatsby Affair was the cat's meow of the weekend.

Sally Settle adorned with strands of pearls to imitate classic look of the 1920s. - Dana Bowen/NNSL photo

The event featured 140 people who participated in a silent auction, card games, jazz music and dancing all under the theme of the roaring twenties.

"We are always looking for a way to spice things up," said Sarah Johnson, communications and events director for NWT SPCA. "It is really important to us to that people have fun and doing a 1920s Gatsby theme was a perfect way to do it. It allowed people to get dressed up, come out and gamble, enjoy delicious food and drinks and be entertained."

The cold weather didn't stop women from donning sheer nylons with the iconic seam up the back, T-strap heels and knee-length dresses that all created the classic 1920s flapper look.

Taking place at the Explorer Hotel, nearly everyone did their research to the look the part from head to toe.

"Everyone looked like they just stepped out of the roaring 20s and it was incredible to see them put in as much effort as we did planning the gala," said Johnson.

Readers of The Great Gatsby may think of the archetypal look: bobbed hair, feathered head pieces, pearls and fringe dresses.

That look defined the 20s during the later half of the decade as women became more care-free and independent.

The shorter dresses meant it was easier for women to move freely while dancing to the Charleston.

Saturday night also called for dancing as Kimberley Galbaransingh sang both upbeat and slower jazz tunes in a voice that was clearly meant for the genre.

Later in the night, the band Valley of the Ashes played as well, likely borrowing the name from the F. Scott Fitzgerald novel.

Valley of the Ashes is the desolate neighborhood where character Myrtle Wilson lives.

The book itself was not lost on gala-goers as Andrea Sluggett turned heads with her Gatsby-inspired accessories.

Sluggett donned a jewelled headband with strands of pearls hanging down the side.

It matched the triple strand pearl bracelet that wrapped around the hand and up into a ring.

Although Sluggett bought them online, both pieces are a replica of Daisy Buchanan's attire in the 2013 Great Gatsby film.

The main character wears the same pieces during one of Gatsby's infamous parties during the movie.

That wasn't the only part of Sluggett's outfit that turned heads.

She wore a knee-length dress with an art deco design.

Art deco was a popular pattern in all areas of visual arts at the time and is characterized by bold geometric shapes and patterns.

Sluggett's dress was set in a pale colour not to outshine that pattern,

The front of her dress included sequins with fringe hanging down the hem of her outfit.

"I love 20s everything," said Sluggett. "I love everything about the olden era."

Another popular piece among women at the gala were feathered headpieces.

Krisdee Gagnon was one of them, with a peacock feather sticking out the top of the head band, adding a pop of colour to her black fringe dress.

"When I bought the head band it was very bland and it needed a little more," said Gagnon. "So I added a little color with the peacock feather and the gold broach."

Headpieces during the golden era was an alternative to the usual cloche hats women wore.

The fashion for women was to bob their hair and either pin it down or style it into S-waves, which were curls shaped to look like "S"s.

The variety of feathered and jewelled headpieces was a way for women to differentiate their look from others.

"The 20s was all about glam and class," said Gagnon.

The third annual event raised $30,000 for the SPCA.