The decade was characterized by a general air of rebellion and daring. Gangsters and bootleggers made use of city streets, and nightclubs became popular with the rise of the nightlife scene. So-called "Flaming Youths" lived day to day with risqué mottoes such as "Tomorrow we may die, so let's get drunk and make love." (Lois Long) The middle class also increased significantly in affluence.
"Flapper" fashion
Women's fashion during the Jazz Age was all about liberation. Following the end of World War I (1914-1918), women gained increasing prominence in the social and economic spheres, including winning the right to vote in 1920. Women who had experienced a taste of freedom and opportunity during the war, in the absence of men to control them, now spurned the stiff restrictions of previous Victorianism. Corsets and bustles only hindered their refined, expanded daily agendas. Dress hemlines gradually shrank over the decade, from being floor-length to mid-calf to knee-length, and waistlines also dropped lower and lower over time. The structured, fitted shapes of previous fashions was replaced by a new, relaxed fit, almost to the point that day dresses became entirely shapeless and hanging. Even shoe choice was affected by this new live-free ideal: T-bar heels became wildly popular, because women could dance in them for hours without worrying about them falling off. This new ideal in both social persona and physical appearance was epitomized by the Flapper Girl, who dressed in the garconne ("little boy") style popularized by the brilliant Coco Chanel and lived on the edge.
1920's Day Dresses
That's not to say, however, that fashion completely lost its elegance and elaborateness. High fashion designers that are still iconic today, such as Chanel, Lanvin, and Patou, had their beginnings in this decade. Fashion icons such as Louise Brooks popularized bobbed hair in the garconne style. Floral prints, pastel colors, and patterns inspired by the popular Art Deco style of the era were stylish trends, and evening gowns were no less elegant than in the past. Cloche hats, heeled shoes, matching accessories, and stockings or tights with garters were also popular at this time. Women tried to mimic men: girls cut their hair into short bobs, wore suits and sportswear, and lived lifestyles of sexual liberation similar to men's. However, on the other hand, women also began to wear makeup more avidly during this decade, behavior that in the past had only been carried out by loose women.
Fashion icon Louise Brooks
Sources:
http://www.1920s-fashion-and-music.com/1920s-fashion.html
http://fashionbloglife.com/1920sfashion/
http://glamourdaze.blogspot.com/2010/05/1920s-fashion-womens-dress-and-style.html
http://history1900s.about.com/od/1920s/a/flappers.htm
this is really informative. i really like how you connected the fashion to the changes which occurred in popular culture during the 20's.
ReplyDelete-sarah s.
I love the connections to APUSH!! Brought back good memories, and taught me about this era's fashion very effectively
ReplyDeleteThe description of changes in popular culture through the use of historical events really helped me understand the changes in fashion over time. I learned a lot from this insightful post!
ReplyDelete~Priya A.