The Role of the 1920's in Forming the Lifestyle of Our Present Day Generation

The 1920’s played a tremendous role in forming the lifestyle of our present day generation. The Roaring Twenties refers to a time period between 1920 and 1929 in which America celebrated youth and optimism . This optimism and overall good spirit led to new inventions and technological advances, predominately in the entertainment industry. In today’s society, the use of mass production, advertising and consumption have become a common practice, however these practices were during the early stages of the 1920’s. Culture played an important role in shaping this era – America observed social, cultural and artistic changes in their generation. While few may see the 1920’s as the birth of an overpopulated, “baby boom” generation, the majority of the general public view the 1920’s as a decade of social change that could potentially shape future generations to come.

The 1920’s are referred to as the Roaring Twenties due to the prosperity, pop culture and evolution of the decade. The generation of this era celebrated their youth and began to adopt new, modern values which strayed from the traditional values of previous generations. These new values, were referred to as modernism . Additionally. modernism began a movement amoung young people, changing their economic, environmental and social views. (reference) Young people acquired a desire to become rich and preferred a fast-paced, city lifestyle rather than the traditional, easy-going way of living. Traditional values placed great importance on community and family interdependance, however, those with a modernist outlook on life valued independence.

Entertainment was a major part of society in the 1920’s, and technology advancement allowed the recognition of entertainment to steadily i...

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...me period was the flapper, young women who were known for their straight waists, short hair and above the knee hemlines . The styles were heavily influenced by French fashions and role models such as French designer Coco Chanel . These women did not follow what were seen as societal norms, and openly expressed their sexuality. It was in this era that the heavy use of makeup became common. Women were wearing layers of mascara to create an illusion of big eyes, lipstick was being mass produced in convenient metal containers and tanned skin was increasingly popular . Makeup that was once considered acceptable only in the theatre, was now acceptable on a daily basis. Today, makeup is used on a daily basis by women all over the world. What was then seen as a breakthrough trend in the 1920’s, is now a common practice that many women begin in their early adolescent years.