Bright young things
The Bright Young Things, or Bright Young People,[1][2] was a term given by the tabloid press to a group of Bohemian young aristocrats and socialites in 1920s London.[3] They threw flamboyant fancy dress parties, went on elaborate treasure hunts through nighttime London, and some drank heavily or used illicit drugs — all of which was enthusiastically covered by journalists such as Charles Graves and Tom Driberg.[4]
This article is about young aristocrats of 1920s London. For other uses, see Bright young things (disambiguation).
They inspired a number of writers, including Nancy Mitford (Highland Fling), Anthony Powell (A Dance to the Music of Time), Henry Green (Party Going), Dorothy Sayers (Murder Must Advertise), and the poet John Betjeman. Evelyn Waugh's 1930 novel Vile Bodies, adapted as the 2003 film Bright Young Things, is a satirical look at this scene.[4] Cecil Beaton began his career in photography by documenting this set, of which he was a member.[5]
Prominent members of the group included: