Flappers In The 1920s Essay

The nineteen twenties was a period of time where spending money and having fun was routine. Their lifestyles led to the twenties being recognized as the Roaring Twenties. The decade was well known for their style. Fashion had entered the modern era. Women began doing away with restricting fashions and started wearing comfortable clothing. Although women were changing appearances in a more comfortable way, there were many women known as flappers that according to the still modern living people, were unacceptably dressed.
Flappers were some of the first people to change the ways of style. Their outfits consisted of short skirts, bobbed hair, and heavy makeup. The trend of flappers became popular. Some other iconic fashions of the 1920’s were hats, fur coats, wool sweaters, and tailored suits. “During this decade, fashion became an increasingly important symbol of a person’s social status” (Routledge 1). Style was everything during the twenties, it was recognition to others as to who you are. Being at the top regarding social status was important because it became a reflection to other people.
“In the nineteenth century America, women were encouraged to wear skirts and dresses for all

occasions, even household chores” (Crane 21). In the twenties, every women was expected to look the same form of classy. Fashion began to change when Coco Chanel became recognized. Coco’s real name was Gabrielle Chanel. She became an icon. She was an example of a woman who came from nothing, and still managed to establish herself as a famous designer and businesswoman.
Chanel was born on August 19, 1883 in Saumur, France, where her career began to become true to its name.

(Abrams 66). She was raised in an orphanage, where she was taught to sew. Coco had a brief career as a singer before launching her first shop in 1910. She created many accomplishments that were not only clothes. Coco was famous for her purses, and perfume too. Chanel number 5 was her first perfume, which had a flowery scent (Abrams 68). “It was the first time that a perfume was named after the designer and given a number” (Abrams 68). A recognizable story about Chanel was she became cold and picked up a mens polo sweater. It was too big so she adjusted the sleeves and put a belt on it. After people noticed her new look, many women participated in the new

style.
Coco’s fashion line became legendary. The 1920’s era of women found her style to be stylish, as well as comfortable. Her clothing line relates to The Great Gatsby because 1920’s women, including Daisy, wore her stuff. The line of cloths were brought usually by upper class women, therefore she participated in the look. The Chanel look is still worn and sold now a days, but is usually purchased by the wealthy. Today’s century of clothing is different compared to the 1920’s, but many people still participate in some trends. In The Great Gatsby, a woman named Lucille discussed with Jordan about an expensive dress that Gatsby bought her. “It was gas blue with lavender beads. Two hundred and sixty-five dollars” (Fitzgerald 48). This quote explained the high end taste the women in the twenties had. Gatsby's social status was shown in the scene where Daisy sees his closet full of shirts, which explained how big of an ordeal it was to have expensive taste.