The Roaring Twenties

The 1920s saw the emergence of a young subculture of Western women called flappers who were known for their short skirts, bobbed hair, jazz music, and disregard for traditional behavior. They were seen as brash for wearing excessive makeup, drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes, driving automobiles, treating sex casually, and flouting social and sexual norms. Flappers were a worldwide phenomenon, with different names depending on the country, although the American term "flapper" was the most widespread internationally. The term "flapper" may have originated from an earlier use in northern England to mean "teenage girl" or "prostitute." The flapper lifestyle was influenced by World War I, political changes, the rise of consumerism, and the automobile. The flapper image was popularized by actresses such as Olive Thomas, Clara Bow, and Joan Crawford, and writers such as F. Scott Fitzgerald and Anita Loos. Flappers were viewed as threatening to conventional society, representing a new moral order. Some young women celebrated the flapper spirit and appropriation of male privilege, while others acknowledged the dangers of emulating flappers too faithfully.The Flapper Movement: A Summary

• Flappers were young women who challenged traditional Victorian gender roles and rejected old ideas about women's roles in society.

• They were stereotyped as pleasure-loving, reckless, and sexually promiscuous.

• Flappers were associated with jazz clubs, smoking, drinking, and petting parties, which were more common on college campuses.

• Despite the scandal they generated, their style became fashionable in a toned-down form among respectable older women.

• Flapper dresses were straight and loose, leaving the arms bare and dropping the waistline to the hips. Silk or rayon stockings were held up by garters.

• Flappers did away with corsets and pantaloons in favor of "step-in" panties and simple bust bodices to restrain their chests when dancing.

• Boyish cuts were in vogue, and hats were still required wear, including the newsboy cap and cloche hat.

• Jewelry usually consisted of art deco pieces, especially many layers of beaded necklaces. Pins, rings, and brooches came into style. Horn-rimmed glasses were also popular.

• Makeup became more popular, with a heavy emphasis on lipstick, dark eyes, and blush.

• The Flapper Movement was a result of larger social changes, such as women getting the right to vote in the United States in 1920.

• The Flapper Movement was a significant challenge to traditional Victorian gender roles, devotion to plain-living, hard work, and religion.

• The New Woman was pushing the boundaries of gender roles, representing sexual and economic freedom. She cut her hair short and took to loose-fitting clothing and low cut dresses.The Flapper Era and its End

• The flapper was a young woman who rejected traditional moral codes and gender roles in the 1920s.

• The flapper was characterized by her energetic and intense lifestyle, which challenged Victorian American conceptions of femininity and sexuality.

• Flappers wore modern clothing that was lighter and more flexible, allowing them to engage in active sports and other activities.

• The flapper lifestyle and look disappeared after the Wall Street Crash of 1929 and the onset of the Great Depression.

• Women could no longer afford the latest trends and lifestyles, and the flapper dress disappeared.

• Hemlines began to rise again, but numerous states passed laws restricting women to wear skirts with hemlines no shorter than three inches above the ankle.

• Campaigns such as "Make Do and Mend" were prevalent during the 1930s to ensure there was no overconsumption throughout society.

• Fabric choices were limited during this time, and artificial fabrics were used instead of silk.

• Women headed to work to take over roles of men at war, and the physically demanding jobs called for the creation and social acceptance of women's pants in society.

• The end of the flapper era marked a sudden serious tone that washed over the public.

• The high-spirited attitude and hedonism of the roaring 20s were less acceptable during the economic hardships of the 1930s.

• The flapper era was a time of significant social change in America.