1920s Fashion Research Paper

Fashion in the 1920s is a perfect representation of the attitude of Americans during the decade. Fashion in the 1920s changed based on the altering of gender roles and the influences of advancements in communication and technology. Fashion in the 1920s changed based on the changing gender roles and manufacturing advancements. The impact of Industrialization in the US and manufacturing advancements affected 1920s women’s fashion. Clothes became more accessible and affordable which spread the popularity of fashion. Fashion choices made by icons like Coco Chanel and Josephine Baker affected women’s fashion in the 1920s. Without them, it is possible that some of the clothing items worn by women today may not have been socially acceptable without

With women feeling more liberated and free, fashion began to reflect the same feeling of freeness and liberation. Industrialization and the advancements in manufacturing caused women’s fashion to change into more simpler designs and styles. These post-war innovations helped mass produce many products including inexpensive and simple, yet fashionable clothing items. As interpreted through this quote, “The simple lines of postwar clothes were easy to reproduce, making them affordable and readily available to the public” (Galli 2). Manufacturing formed the style of simplicity in 1920s fashion. They had to keep the patterns and designs plain and simple in order to mass produce the clothing because they were in high demand. These technological innovations was one of the causes of the increase in the interest of fashion. This occurred because more women were able to afford the expensive clothing. What also influenced the spread of the interest in fashion was the fact that it was becoming more accessible. As displayed in

As film stars became more popular and magazines and newspapers were able to spread the awareness of them, they soon became fashion icons for people across America. They helped popularize the interest in fashion and what style was for the time period. As explained by Birns, “Her innovative styles, which shortened skirts, avoided waistlines, and dismissed confining corsets and crinolines, became closely identified with that epitome of 1920s womanhood: the free-spirited flapper” (1). Coco Chanel popularized trends such as trousers for women and a flat, masculine silhouette. Without Chanel, it may not have been socially acceptable for women to wear trousers. This is a perfect example of how women in the 1920s felt more liberated. Chanel has made a long lasting impact as shown through this quote, “A key arbiter of 1920s style, Chanel’s fashion went on to exert a major cultural influence for the rest of the twentieth century and beyond” (Birns 3). Coco Chanel is now a household name because of her great influence on society during this time period. Her brand is still well known today and is thriving with