Young and Wild Women of The Twenties

757 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Fashion in the 1920s and 1930s

When you hear the term “Roaring Twenties”, what is the first thought that comes to your mind? Do you think of the amazing night life and the beautiful extravagant parties? Or, do you think of the incredible influence alcohol had on the culture in the twenties? Many people imagine the severe transformation of the people. During this period of overwhelming prosperity, many people questioned the values of the past and were willing to experiment with new values and behavior as well as new fashions. Today, you will be reading about the most significant changes and qualities in women during the 1920’s. Over the course of the rebellious and luxurious atmosphere of the twenties, women began asserting their independence, and demanding the same values and freedoms that men received.
The lives of the young and wild women of the twenties began with a new attitude and a completely different look. The Flapper is “an emancipated young woman who embraced the new fashions and urban attitudes of the day”. Generally, one would cut their long hair down to a short, boy like bob and dye it jet black. Many wore dress that were very bright, flashy, loose fitting, and would not hang past the knee. Close fitting felt hats, many strings of beads, pumps, and skin toned stockings typically completed the look of a flapper. So many young women completely changed their lifestyles in their fight for equality. Smoking cigarettes and drinking immense amounts of alcohol in public became a normal attraction. Too many young girls were speaking openly about sexual activity, as well as other numerous activities that would have ruined their reputations, and lives not too long before. The discussion, of courtship and relationships completely and utterly offended...

... middle of paper ...

... of the twenties really had an impact on the world. Eyes were opened, minds were freed, and souls were powerful and wise. The most magical opportunities came about for these powerful women, and they certainly took advantage of these great moments. It is even inarguable that most women, created their own opportunities. Tired of being pushed around, controlled, and told what they can and can’t do. They set themselves up for success. Women all across America, changed the lives of the entire female race, simply by fearlessly revolting against society.

Works Cited
"Flappers in the Roaring Twenties." About.com 20th Century History. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Jan. 2014.
"Roaring Twenties." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 26 Jan. 2014. Web. 30 Jan. 2014.
"The Twenties Woman." The Americans. Reconstruction to the 21st Century. Evanston, IL: McDougal Littell, 2006. 440-43. Print.

Show More
Related

  • Great Gatsby Dialectical Journal

    1258 Words  | 3 Pages

    The 1920s or the roaring twenties was post World War I and before the Great Depression. Unfortunately, not everything was pleasing for the 1920s, as this time period experienced social, economic, and cultural alterations that affected the lives of Americans. One reason I would not enjoy living in the 1920s was because during this time a law prohibition was passed abolishing the manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcohol and liquors which led to bootlegging and high crime.The 20’s were a very time changing era. Personally, I think things were to uncontrolled and especially for young women living the cities of America. They could now

    Read More

  • Flappers in the 1920s

    657 Words  | 2 Pages

    From coast to coast people were reading the exploits of a new type of woman called flapper. Prior to World War 1 Victorian ideals still dictated the behavior of American women and girls. Frederick Lewis Allen describes the traditional role of women. Women were the guardians of morality. They were made of finer stuff than men. They were expected to act accordingly. Young girls must look forward in innocence to a romantic love match which would lead them to the altar and to living happily ever after. Until the right man came along they must allow no male to kiss them. Flappers did the opposite. Flappers danced the Charleston, kissed their boyfriends while they played golf and sat behind the wheels of fast cars. The liberated usually young female disdained the traditions of her mother and grandmother before her. Flappers would smoke and drink alcohol, she cut her hair and wore short dresses. They also changed their views on courtship rituals, marriage, and child rearing. With these they could have the same freedom as men could. The time period also saw a highly physical change in women’s lives like how they dressed and looked. For the first time in American history women could choose to be free from long hair and voluminous clothing. Before the women changed they wore very restrictive clothing consisting of long skirts with layers of petticoats over tightly laced corsets that produced an hourglass figure with wide hips and a narrow waist.

    Read More

  • The Roaring Twenties with Women's New Right to Sexuality

    941 Words  | 2 Pages

    ... fewer children was stressed to the patriarchal, consumerist society. The roaring twenties were a consumerist and capitalist age for America, and the liberalization of women occurred naturally as the younger generation was born into the new age of Freudian sexuality, however the flapper as a symbol for young women is incorrect. Out of proportion, and unfounded the flapper was a consumerist to exploit a rising cultural market. Women gained the right to their bodies, as America gained the right to its profit.

    Read More

  • Flappers In The 1920s

    1276 Words  | 3 Pages

    Imagine walking in the streets where all other women and girls are dressed in long dresses, look modest, and have long hair with hats. Then, there is a girl with a short skirt and bobbed hair smoking a cigarette. This girl makes a statement and is critically judged by many people for dressing this way. Women during the 1920s did not look “boyish” in any way, so when short hair and short skirts were introduced, it was seen as shameful. The girls wearing this new style are known as flappers.

    Read More

  • Flappers: Women's Liberation In The 1920s

    1422 Words  | 3 Pages

    Serving as the symbol of a heroine during the Roaring 20s, young women strived to obtain the flapper image while youth culture was on the rise due to urbanization. Although this concept was a highly popularized ideal during this era, it is not entirely clear where the term “flapper” originated from. According to the book The Damned and the Beautiful: American Youth in the 1920s written by Paula Fass, “In Great Britain at the end of the nineteenth century, [a flapper] meant a woman of loose morals, possibly a prostitute.” Reflecting this newfound sense of maturity and sexual independence openly expressed by females who adopted the desired lifestyle of a flapper, women emerged from the restricting societal norms of the early to mid-19th century and engaged in more scandalous activities, such as smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol

    Read More

  • Flappers: The Untraditional Women of the 1920s

    675 Words  | 2 Pages

    Some people hated this idea of the Flapper and they blamed the war for these women’s new behaviors. After World War I, young women and young girls started to act free and go against their families. “Some people in society blamed the war for triggering this rebellion of youth and they claimed it had upset the balance of the sexes and, in particular, confuse women of their role in society and where they truly belonged” (Grouley 63). Some people hated the idea of the flappers and these women had become. These women, the flappers, in the 1920s felt free after the 19th amendment was passed. “Since the early twentieth century, the sexual habits of these American women had changed in profound ways” (Zeitz 21). Flappers drank, partied, and had romantic evenings with men. All of which were illegal for women. In addition, they were an embarrassment to society and they were able to get away with anything. “Flappers were a disgrace to society because they were lazy-pleasure seekers who were only interested in drinking, partying, and flirting” (Dipalo 1). For instance, Flappers went to clubs, drank, and hung out with men and were too lazy to do anything. Therefore, one consequence of the war was the creation of a new woman and this led to a movement like no other.

    Read More

  • Essay On The 1920's

    801 Words  | 2 Pages

    The 1920’s was a period of extremely economic growth and personal wealth. America was a striving nation and the American people had the potential to access products never manufactured before. Automobile were being made on an assembly line and were priced so that not just the rich had access to these vehicles, as well as, payment plans were made which gave the American people to purchase over time if they couldn't pay it all up front. Women during the First World War went to work in place of the men who went off to fight. When the men return the women did not give up their positions in the work force. Women being giving the responsibility outside the home gave them a more independent mindset, including the change of women's wardrobe, mainly in the shortening of their skirts.

    Read More

  • Flappers In The Roaring Twenties

    1972 Words  | 4 Pages

    In the 1920s, a new woman was born. She smoked, drank, danced, and voted. She cut her hair, wore make-up, and went to petting parties. She was giddy and took risks. She was a flapper.

    Read More

  • Women's Role In 1920

    1173 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the 1920's the term flapper referred to a "new breed" of women. They wore short skirts and dresses which were straight and very loose. The arms were left bare and the waistline was dropped to the hips. By 1927 the length of the skirts had rose just below the knee which when they danced would be shown. The chests appeared to look very small and women would tape themselves to look even smaller. Bras were also sold to make them appear very small. Their hairstyles were cut very short and were known as a bob, another popular style that was later introduced was the "Eaton" or "Shingle". These styles had slicked the hair back and covered the ears with curls. Women started wearing "kiss proof" lipstick in shades of red, their eyes were ringed a dark black color, and their skin was powered to look very pale. One of the big things with the flappers were that they smoked cigarettes through long holders and drank alcohol openly in public now. They also started dating freely and danced all night long very provocatively. Jazz music was rising in population and the flappers brought it out even more. Not all women changed into becoming a flapper, yet the little numbers impacted the 1920's in a huge way.

    Read More

  • The Women of the 1920's

    1142 Words  | 3 Pages

    Women during the 1920's lifestyle, fashion, and morals were very different than women before the 1920's. Flappers became the new big thing after the 19th amendment was passed. Women's morals were loosened, clothing and haircuts got shorter, and fashion had a huge role in these young women.

    Read More

  • The Tensions of the Changing 1920s

    981 Words  | 2 Pages

    Early on in the 20s woman began to change both in actions and appearance; they had short hair, had dresses showing ankles,began smoking and drinking in public. There was an uproar, especially from the conservative woman. Up until this time women were portrayed as perfect home makers that only cared for the home, their children and their husbands. But the era changed and with it the style too, the 1920s brought along a new desired fashion, the flapper. Flappers were portrayed as rebellious youth who had short hair, flashy clothes, bold make-up and listened to jazz. While many women of the 1920s were not flappers, the fashion did catch on, therefore the “scanda...

    Read More

  • The Flapper In The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald

    1180 Words  | 3 Pages

    “Although she is often seen now as a mere fashion of the bygone Jazz Age, the flapper should be regarded as one of the great authentic characters in American history…” (Johnson, P. 88). Before the release of The Great Gatsby in 1925, women were characterized as stay-at-home mothers who cooked and cleaned during the day. When the roaring twenties arrived, the description of a typical woman completely changed as the term “flapper” was coined. Women began to take on the perceptible role of the flapper; a role characterized as being spoiled, self-centered, and rebellious. As a 30 year-old man, F. Scott Fitzgerald had his own thoughts and feelings about the new norm for women. He summarized his thoughts in The Great Gatsby by giving specific characteristics

    Read More

  • The 1920s

    1825 Words  | 4 Pages

    In the 1920’s, the Nineteenth Amendment was passed, which gave women the right to vote. During this decade women became strong and more independent. Women were accomplishing a lot more than they had before. Women started going to college so she could earn her own living. More women started leaving the home and working at a factory or as a secretary. Women were discriminated at the work place. They received lower wages then man did. In the 1920’s, the term flapper was introduced. It was first used in Britain after World War 1. Young women were labeled as flappers who wore makeup shorter skirts. Fl...

    Read More

  • Flappers

    747 Words  | 2 Pages

    When one thinks of flappers, the first thing that comes to mind is the image of a woman dressed much like Julie Andrews in Thoroughly Modern Millie, bobbed hair, fringed low-waisted dress, flat-chested and highly made up face. This, though a stereotype is close to the truth. In the 20’s after the first world war women’s roles in society began to change, primarily because they started becoming more independent – both in their dress and action. They started to defy what was considered to be appropriate feminine behavior and along with those actions came new fashions. The sleek, boyish look became popular and women began to wear lower waistlines, higher hemlines, sleeveless dresses that showed off their arms, long strands of pearls and rolled down pantyhose to show their knees. Women who had larger breasts even went so far as to bind them down to fit into the flat-chested ideal of beauty. The “in” look now was boyish, much in contrast to the feminine big skirted, shirtwaisted dresses of their mothers’ age. Women began to gain the independence and social liberties that men had always possessed, they wanted to physically display their newly gained freedoms. Short hair, first as a bob, later as a slicked down “shingle” that curled above the ears emphasized the new androgynous look women were trying to obtain. These “modern” women asserted their independence by going out dancing, moving to the city alone, drinking even during prohibition, flirting and having love affairs.

    Read More

  • Flappers Stereotypes

    1531 Words  | 4 Pages

    Flappers were women who were characterized by their choice of bobbed hair, short skirts, and their enjoyment of jazz music. Flappers usually had bobbed hair styles, usually wore heavy make-up, loose fitted dresses and to be considered the perfect flapper they usually had a pale skin tone. The roaring 20s was a time of change in which the way society had chosen to view women. This was the beginning of the "flapper". A flapper was a woman who was extremely willing at parties with little to nothing as far as regret went. They’d tend to smoke, drink, dance, drive cars, have casual sex and usually couldn't hold onto a man. Flappers usually feigned to do everything the men would do while attending parties. While thinking of flappers, Chicago would have been a very common place to find them.

    Read More

More about Young and Wild Women of The Twenties

Open Document