Fashion in the 1920's
The Roaring Twenties brought many fads and fashion rages. During the 1920's, Americans were given the honor of being called the "best- dressed". Several things contributed to this honor: Affordable pricing, mass production clothing, the birth of the "flapper girl", and rise of fashionable movie stars that Americans wanted to imitate.
The style and cut of women's clothing during the 1920's changed drastically. Waistlines dropped dramatically while hemlines rose scandalously. Turned-down hose were no longer black, but beige. Rouged knees, bobbed hair, and figureless figures characterized the "radical flappers". These women violated many of the rules dictating appropriate clothing and behavior for women. The flappers took their look one step further by hiding their...
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.
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 were not to look “boyish” in any way, so when short hair and short skirt were introduced, it was seen as shameful. The girls wearing this new style were known as flappers. Their style was introduced in the early 1910s but did not spark until the 1920s. The style was said to be more comfortable, but was not appealing to the more conservative. Before the change of style, most women were dressed modestly; however, women's
Throughout history, there were many things that influenced fashion and the ideal body image of the time. Things such as politics, and changes in social roles were some things that had an influence on the fashion of the day. One particular shocking thing that had influenced on the fashion around the 1800s were sickness and diseases. Not only were diseases and sickness caused by different fashion trends, but it set the tone for certain ideal body images and also influenced the fashion of the time.
To begin, it is important to connect the fashion of the 1920s to events that were occurring in the late 19th Century to fu...
In the early twentieth century, women were expected to dress modestly at all times and were predestined to be housewives. Once men were drafted into World War I, women needed a distraction such as working and providing for themselves and a way to show that they are just as strong alone and don’t need men to make decisions for them. Eventually a new breed of women emerged from society. Women that wore bobbed hair, short skirts, flamboyant dresses and had an enjoyment of jazz were considered to be “flapper”. The flapper was an in-between of adulthood and pure immaturity (NYU) . Flappers were daring, empowering and courageous. This group of women were determined to let society know that they were on a mission to steer society from the cultural norm. They believed women were just as powerful as men were and would use their voice, actions and even appearance to prove this theory. The Flapper went from being just a look to the beginning of a feminist awakening.
Showing off your body was the new trend of the ‘20s. Flappers of the 1920 era started wearing shorter dresses and sleeveless tops to seem keener. Before the 1920’s, it was rare for women to even show their ankles let alone their knees. Not only did women start to wear “skimpier” clothing, but they also garnished themselves with accessories. It was all about that bling. Girls were obsessed with pearls, diamonds, and just about anything that looked expensive. They hated cheap dull accessories and wanted the real McCoy. Clothing was not the only change during this time. The way women did their hair and makeup changed. Flappers started wearing a lot of makeup and styling their hair differently. “Flappers raised their hemlines, bobbed their hair, and applied make up with abandon.” (Armburst, Lloyd) No one wanted to be considered a bug-eyed Betty, and they did whatever it took to make themselves more alluring. This new style of women was the bee’s
There was a change in traditional clothings. A new fashioned group of women started to appear in the 1920s. Flappers are women who appeal to more modern and fashionable way of dressing and living styles. Women wore short skirts instead of long dresses. The short, bobbing hairs took place of long, tight buns. “Manly” actions such as smoking and drinking are becoming more common within women. Women are totally turning the tradition upside down during the twenties.
Fashion of the 1920’s was also known as the roaring 20’s. Fashion in the 1920’s became more relaxed in the 20’s. In the early 1920’s the normal fashion was dropped waistlines, long, cylindrical skirts, 7” to 10” below the knee. Women finally received the right to vote, with this new right women also
“Flappers.” Fashion, Costume, and Culture: Clothing, Headwear, Body Decorations, and Footwear through the Ages. Ed. Sara Pendergast and Tom Pendergast. Vol. 4: Modern World Part I: 1900-1945. Detroit: UXL, 2004.
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...
Political and economic revolutions that began in the early 1920’s, strongly affected the fashion industry of that era. Designers began creating clothing much more functional than in the previous decade, so that it would suit the rising number of well-educated, working women. Those extreme simplifications of the wardrobe were compensated by embellishments, like shiny embroidery, as well as other intricate accessories, for example boa scarves. The image of the women changed dramatically. A more youthful, slimmer silhouette superseded the more mature and ample shapes. Women of the 1920’s, inspired by the tomboy character from Victor Margueritte’s novel La Garconne, began dressing like men. The tomboy, used to wear a hat with flipped edges on
Beauty has evolved over the years. It all started with the Egyptians, who cultivated beauty in an extravagant way. Ever since then there has been a dramatic change in beauty and fashion which occurred during the decades of the 1920s, also called the era of the Flappers. It was a time where “good girls” could become worse in the evening. The 1920s was when cosmetic industries became bigger, with the help of the media. Every pharmacy and department store in the world had a makeup counter. The type of makeup women would purchase from the makeup counter were the latest powders, vanishing creams, pan stick, lipstick and mascaras. The “flappers” were the type of girls that wore all of those products and a lot of makeup. The use of heavy makeup became the fashion of the era, because of movie stars like Clara Bow and Mae Murray, who created the flapper attitude. Clara Bow was the one that started the cupid’s bow lip which became popular. It also created the image of 1920s women with their bow lip and dark eyes.
Women used to dress very conservatively and strict before the turn of the decade. Clothing consisted of fitted dresses, long skirts, and corsets in lady like manners. Since the 1920’s brought women’s rights along, young women decided that they were not willing to waste away their young lives anymore being held down to the rules; they were going to enjoy life. The younger generations of women were breaking away from their old habits and their fashion statements changed their roles in society completely. Women were modeling their lives after popular icons...
The sixties were a time of growing youth culture and youth fashions, which had already begun in the late fifties. In the west, young people were benefiting from the postwar industrial boom, and had no problem finding work. With extra cash in their pockets, they were able to spend more and had begun to refashion themselves accordingly. This higher demand in the fashion business brought out a new generation of designers. The freedom of extra cash meant room for more imagination and creativity, bringing out new and provocative fashion ideas.
The roaring twenties were full of great invention, jazz and the fads. Everyone could find an interest in the twenties especially in the fads. Each fad made this decade one of kind. Without the fads this era would not have had the impact it did on the American history. This was a wonderful time in the American history but it also short lived and the great depression and WWI were just the corner and soon to come.