Flappers In The 1920's

907 Words2 Pages

The ease and plenty of the 1920s, in the United States, served as a breeding ground for the growing acceptance of risqué attire that has come to dominate female clothing over the past decades. Dress over the past century has shifted from thick full-body gowns, and grand headpieces in the early part of the twentieth century, to a minimalistic and comparatively revealing style of attire. Flappers in the roaring twenties and their rising popularity after World War 1 eventually lead to the growth of acceptance for shorter more exposing clothing that can be seen in the typical clothing of the public today. Prior to the onset of the 1920s, the idea of being fashionable went in tandem with the concept of being acceptable and presentable. Appropriate traditional dress was what separated the popular elite from meager lower-class (Glamourdraze.com). Symbols of wealth such as pale skin, elegant and luxurious outfits, and etiquette signified the pinnacle of beauty for this time period. To maintain such facades of perfection, women forced themselves into corsets and layers of undergarments to create the proper appearance. …show more content…

Following the war, a large amount of the men of the young generation had been killed, meaning the young woman of this generation had less hopes of marriage. With the struggle they endured in the First World War, the women were not willing to go back the traditional life styles observed by previous generations. In reaction to this, the flappers abandoned social norms and adapted a life style of enjoying the time given to them (Rosenberg). The actions of the flappers to abandon previously accepted and expected actions in order to do as they please serves as the stem for disobedience that is still seen in teenagers. This philosophy has continued to prevail in some form, often to lesser extents, in the United States and is often observed by those who wish to move on from the expectations of the

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