Rise Of The Flappers In The 1920's

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Recommended: The impact of 20 s fashion

Taylia Terrell
Lilley
English II
06 April 2017 The Rise of the Flappers
Flappers of the 1920s left an extensive impact on the women of America today. Without these broad, daring, and independent women, we would not be seen as the individuals we are today. These free spirited ladies changed the way women were viewed by their bubbly, loud, and outgoing personalities that many women now have. These modern rebels are dynamic in history from their short bobbed hair to dancing in public while drinking out of their flask. Flappers were important figures in American history and helped shape the future for generations to come.
The 1920s went from a time of cataclysm to reconstruction in the United States. Men left …show more content…

Before the flapper, there was the Gibson girl who displayed immense femininity, dressed modestly, and waited patiently for a man to show interest in her. Many men died in World War I, leaving the younger generation of women single. This generation decided against the Gibson girl concepts; instead they wanted to live their lives independently, abandoning the “damsel in distress” mindset. “Unlike the Gibson girl, the flapper was radiant, energetic, volatile, voluble, brazen” (Leinwand 172). These young ladies were anything, but ladylike; they were strong, bold, and ready to seize everyday beyond the dominations of a husband. Flappers escaped from the older generation's mindset and created the perception of dating and introduced the idea of premarital intercourse. Urban areas grew vibrant as the decade of risque activity bloomed. “The ‘Younger Generation’ was breaking away from the old set of values” (Rosenberg). Flappers wanted to celebrate their autonomous lives by taking pleasure in activities that no Gibson girl would ever attempt. These revolutionary women began wearing makeup, drinking, partying, and …show more content…

Fashion was hot off the press, distancing itself from the style of the previous age (Kalloniatis). Unlike the Gibson girl, flappers wanted to have more of a “boyish” look. They did this by cutting their hair into what was known as a “bob”: a cropped haircut that sat just under the ear. During the Jazz Age, men and women were shocked to see the young generation be so courageous, brave, and bold with their once long locks, but compared to society’s hair today with the many different haircuts and styles, the 1920s seem orthodox. In addition, they “...tightly wound their chest with strips of cloth in order to flatten it” (Rosenberg). These women decided against tight clothing and wore loose garments to move freely while they danced the Charleston. “Women wanted their clothes to reflect their freedom” (Kalloniatis). The lose clothes they wore showed more of their ankles, legs, and necks-- as if their body was an outfit accessory. Much like the automobiles being produced by Henry Ford, flappers represented the “live fast, die young” mentality of the time, their actions being often impulsive and risky. Technological developments like the automobile helped young men and women have more secret and private dates. Women not only rode in this new invention, but were daring enough to drive themselves (Rosenberg). This also was a shock to the older generation of this decade

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