Fashion is always changing now days. Each day a new trend is popular based on society consensus. Today there is not much said about fashion and what certain genders should be wearing. There are so many different styles that it does not have a big impact on gender roles within society. But during the 1920s, which was the most dramatic and influential fashion decade, fashion promoted independence for women from the stereotypical Edwardian and Victorian Era women. Women known as flappers helped carry this influential decade to where it is today. Flappers challenged society roles and fashion for women which caused many disputes among older generations and more conservative women of that era. The birth of the 1920s flapper created not only dramatic …show more content…
But what most people do not realize is that flappers are a form of independence and modernization for women. Flappers challenged the status quo and helped break the chain of traditional gender roles for women (shmoop.com). The birth of the flapper is not accredited to only one event but many events combine such as; the changing attitudes about morality and judgement and the new nightlife scene (ndhs.org). The first event was World War I; which is the starting baseline for the creation of a flapper (ndhs.org). World War I caused great question to arise within society about morality and judgement of traditional behaviors and changed the attitudes of many (ndhs.org). Before the war women were looked at as “guardians of morality” as Frederick Lewis Allen said which meant that women stuck to the traditional gender roles and avoided sexual behavior (ndhs.org). But as people started to question morality and judgement of traditional behaviors, social changes started to occur which helped flappers to rise. Social changes toward dating, sex and marriage, and fashion were the major points that evolved the new modernized women, the flapper (ndhs.org). These women started to party more and drink more and even dressed differently and more “provocatively”. Lastly, the new nightlife scene helped cause the creation of the flapper. Prohibition
Flappers were not just spunky young rebellious woman who tried to defy there mother’s traditions and cause an uproar in society. Her bluntness about sexuality created a new emotional and sexual culture for women. It also created a new foundation for male and female courtship. They showed women around the world that being submissive could only harm the remarkable female. The flappers created a new youth identity.
... They provided the accepting of women to do want they want including: dressing to their own style, living on their own, acting the way they want and working for any job they want. Flappers may have caused issues in the past, but without these ladies women would still be stuck in the past with long clothes, household jobs, taking care of children and sexist views from men.
Historians have debated over what the word “flapper” really meant. Some people thought the word was derived from the concept of a baby bird that is learning to fly for the first time. The word “flapper” came from the way a the baby bird flapped its wings as it flew from the nest. The women during this era were brave in the sense that they dared to step outside of boundaries that no American woman had stepped before. This change in history could be compared to a baby bird in the sense that the first jump from the nest was a symbol for the risks that women were taking during the 1920s. Furthermore, women ultimately benefitted from the popularization of flappers
... 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.
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 fashion in the 1920s showcased a more “boyish” and comfortable, look which led to huge controversy and affects how women dress today. Although to society now, these changes may not be seen as a big deal, back then it would split society.
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.
Partying, drinking, and dancing; these are the adjectives most commonly associated with the life of a flapper. While these descriptions are accurate, they do not inform people of the advantages and gains flappers made for the female gender. The flapper embodied the idea of freedom from the usual duties of a young female in the 1920s. These women were no longer tied down with the expectation that they immediately become a wife and mother, as well as being conservative and modest. By diving into a look at the fashion, music, and lifestyle of the flapper during the 1920s it will become obvious that they were not only independent, liberated, and enjoying many more freedoms than they had previously throughout history, but that they also helped to pave the way for future generations of women’s quest for independence.
... caused uproar in society (although they tended to do so along the way), the Flapper was, and still is, the biggest symbol of the loud and modern youth of the 1920’s. Their blunt personality about the sexual desire their feigned for created a new emotional and sexual culture for women, and new beginnings for both the male and female relationship. Flappers have had a major impact over the decades. They are still influencing women to this day. As they shook the social formation and the traditional female roles, they took pride in showing women across the globe that being submissive could only harm the potentially remarkable female. In other words, the Flapper created a new youth identity but not only in the United States, also in Europe and Russia. The older generation was all well familiar with the “Flaming Youth” and the desire it lead on to be free and at will.
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.
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.
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...
Women were modeling their lives after popular icons and their peers, rather than their mothers and grandmothers (Carlisle 21).... ... middle of paper ... ... The Flapper created a new emotional culture for women of all ages and races, as well as a new youth identity for herself.
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.
Fashion and history go hand in hand, believe it or not. Historical events in a time period reflects the way people living in the time dress, especially with teenagers, but it would not have started with out the Woman's Rights Movement. If it were not for the movements, would it still be a male-dominated society? It is scary to think about, what might not have happened if it were not for those who fought for privileges? In the first part of the twentieth century, fashion was beginning to make a radical change. Because of the first wave of working women making their way into American society, Victorian styles were suddenly unfashionable and the skirt and blouse combination became more accepted. The advancing feminine cause influenced many trends. Women, and their desire to conform with and show that they could do the same job as men, brought about such as the Gibson Girl, with her hourglass figure, her expertly upswept hair, and her unquestionable upper-class air, was everything American women in 1900 wanted to be.