“Music changes, and I'm gonna change right along with it” (Franklin). Music changes as the years pass, music can change people within and that change reflects on the outside. As the popular music changed from the Victorian era of modesty at the beginning of the 20th century to the jazz age of the 1920s, so did the fashion styles of women. Between the 1900s and the 1920s, fashion styles changed from conservative to a more revealing style for the time. In the 1900s, women wore tight and modest clothing and listened to classical, more relaxing music. While the women in the 1920s wore, lose and provocative clothing for the time. The fashion change in the 1920s was said to be caused by a specific genre of music, jazz. Jazz gave way to new styles …show more content…
Women were known to be the perfect role model for their children in the 1800s, during the late 19th century women had to work to help support their families (“Striking”). Women also worked from home by finishing garments and shoes for factories, laundry, or preparation of snacks to sell in the market. This unpaid work came along with other responsibilities, “included cooking, cleaning, child care and often keeping small animals and growing vegetables and fruit to help feed their families” (“Striking”). The preferred clothing of the time was corsets, long dresses, and the least amount of skin the better. The clothing choices were respectable and modest. The dress code was not under the control of the girls but more of their mothers who were taught to respect their elders and their husbands or any other person in society (1900). The music genres were classical like symphonies and operas; they also listened to many church hymns (Hinshaw). These music genres more reserved, soft, and cultural; this music could give off a respectable manner and that could influence their …show more content…
As the music grew, the people who listened to it grew and changed with it. The change in fashion was one of the biggest well-known changes. Ladies who took part in the change were known as “flappers,” the name originated from a young bird that is immature and unknowing. This bird is compared to the young women because they too were immature and unknowing of what they are getting into (“Boundless”). “The surfacing of flappers—women noted for their flamboyant style of dress, progressive attitudes, and modernized morals,” the flapper way of life started a new way of living and “began to captivate society during the Jazz Age” (“Culture”). The clothing was much different from the clothing from the early 20th century. The clothing was loose, low cut, had a low waist, and showed more skin; the dresses were sleeveless and their heels were higher (“What”). The clothing trend soared throughout the whole United States when fashion magazines started advertising the flapper style. Jazz and fashion soared at once, the theme of jazz was upbeat and the clothing was made looser and cut to meet up with the ability to move freely while dancing (“Jazz”). Jazz, this new craze was still new and exciting, which gave more excitement to the fashion choices. The clothing trend was also much approved by young women because of the mass production and low cost, “Because of the post-war economic boom, the consumer market was
Jazz music gave rise to several subcultures during the 1920’s. One of the most well-known being the flapper. The flapper represented the changing role of women in the post war society. Women during this time wanted greater independence. They entered the workforce in an attempt to break away from parental authority and establish a personal identity (American Republic). Many women began to pursue educations and were able to make significant contributions in the fields of science and law. Often represented as shallow and not very smart, flappers were usually well educated young women who only wanted to break free from the restraints of a Victorian minded society. The trademarks of a flapper
Flappers are compared to young girls between ages 13-30, there was a big influence and change of a woman in 1920. Girls where whatever pleases them and others. The amount of makeup worn is increasing every season. Flappers showed women and young girls that there is no problem acting and doing what men do. Young woman today are examples off from the flappers, which is changed how our American society is looking at towards today’s young
At the start of the 1920s, a new woman emerged. She drank, danced, smoked, and took risks. She didn’t hide her legs behind thick stockings, and she put on as much makeup as she desired. Her voice was loud, her personality anything but conservative. She was known as a flapper. These woman were known for many reasons; such as, their social influence, their behavior, and the way they dressed, but how did they fill these categories?
Not only did the flappers affect how they act but how the women dressed as well. Flappers developed women to start to wear short dresses from their shoulder to their knees (Cellania). They began to wear a close-fitted bead cap that was very authentic, if they did not want to wear a cap, they would tie around a satin belt or scarf and make it into a headband (Trasko). Back then the shorter the hair the better. Women cut their hair into what we know is called the “bob”.
Furthermore, the influences of how music is created are different now than in the 1920s. Popular artists, types of music, and the influences have changed from the 1920s to now. The 1920s had popular singers. For example, Bessie Smith was the most widespread female artist. Not only was she the most popular female artist, but she was also the first black woman to start her music career.
Secondly, the new fast pace and grooves of the jazz music and new trends of dances were appealing towards the younger generations, and were very popular. These types of music could also have been easily accessed through the multimedia such as radio. Thirdly, the younger generations were also fascinated by the new fashion trends from New York, and other regions in United States. Woman who were extremely in to these fashion trends were called flappers. They have cut their hair short, rolled down their silk stockings, rose the hem- lines, and so on. Flappers believed in the unique characteristics of them and admired the new fashion trends. Lastly, new games such as Mah-Jong from China, and Crossword puzzles from U.S. were also very
Women in the Jazz Age saw this as a chance to change women as a whole. “Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening” (Brown 255). Fashion was changing rapidly during this time for women. The hairstyle of the 1920s was the short bobbed haircut; even some of the older generation women began to cut their hair short after some time. The hemlines of women’s dresses and skirts were getting shorter and shorter, up to the knees. It was shocking to the older generation of women of how much leg was now being exposed. Long, multiple strands of pearls and beaded necklaces were the style of jewelry to be worn. In this age, fashion was changing more than ever. Women now had a chance to express themselves with fashion.
Another area in which women made changes was with their appearance. Women used their attire and style to show an independence, a certain freedom in which they alone had control. Starting with the “Gibson Girl”, women dressed in long, slim dresses, freeing themselves of the poufy petticoats of yore. Women started wearing shorter dresses and shorter hairstyles, leading to “Flapper Jane”. “Women started wearing “less” clothing, shorter dresses, cutting off their hair, and just being more “sensual” than normal”, (Bliven, 1925).
In the 1920s, women’s fashion and how they were seen were changing. The hemlines rose above the knee, where as before it would reach below their ankles. Having a “boyish” look with “bobbed” and “shingle” haircuts, were really popular in the 1920s. With this new look it showed that women became freer and were equal to men. Many women became flappers who lived non- conformist lives. These women did not follow the traditional views of women. People thought they were immoral and wild. They wore heavy makeup and perfume, used inappropriate language, wore revealing clothing, smoked cigarettes and drank alcohol. Many disapproved of this lifestyle, but it allowed women to start expressing themselves. This movement affected me. The fashion made me feel like I was about to express myself. I felt free in some way and I thought changes were about to happen to the views of women. Flappers were significant since they were showing
The Roaring Twenties brought many fads and fashion rages. During the 1920's, Americans were given the honor of being called the "best- dressed". Several things contributed to this honor: Affordable pricing, mass production clothing, the birth of the "flapper girl", and rise of fashionable movie stars that Americans wanted to imitate.
As the role of the women in society changed, so did fashion. With the emergence of a new, daring woman (the flapper girl), garments reflecting the liberated lifestyle that she led appeared.
By 1925, people were able to hear about the latest fashions on the radio and see them in the movies. This influenced them to buy what was considered “trendy”. Newspapers and magazines such as Vanity Fair and Vogue began printing ads and columns about fashion. What a person would wear would determine their place on the social ladder, even if they weren’t born into that position. A distinct look was known as the “flapper”.
Thanks to Coco Chanel, the iconic flapper image most closely associated with the roaring twenties came about. The flapper and flapper image didn’t actually come to be until around 1926 and even then was only in style for about three years. Typical flappers were women who appeared to have a bold attitude and were independent women who didn’t adhere to the previously innocent housewife image. A flapper usually had a bob haircut, a shorter than average dress, a flat chest, wore tons of make-up, drank illegal alcohol, smoked with a long cigarette holder, exposed her limbs and danced the Charleston. This was a drastic change from the typical American housewife to the reckless rebel. The flapper dresses stressed above the knee hemlines and construed straight, sleek shapes. This was the first time in centuries women’s legs were being seen in a garment. (1920s Fashion 1) Flappers loved to jazz up their costume and even their image. Many flappers’ dresses were adorned with jewels and intricate beading. The main object of the flapper image was to appear almost boyish rather than looking feminine. (1920s clothing 1)
The 1920’s, also called the roaring 20’s, was a time of change. During this time period the fashion for both men and women was changing immensely. The aftermath of WWI caused America to enter a vigorous era. As a result of the role of women during the war, many customs and morals were changing. The Stock Market started booming, many new dances and music came about, and women got the right to vote and enter the workforce. There was an uprise in almost every activity, and fashion was definitely one (Tirocchi, Anna and Laura). Although fashion varied throughout the decade, one could notice a drastic change from the prior fashion.
Throughout the 1920s through the 1950s Women’s clothing in America was affected by World War II, which lead to the exploration of different styles, the encounter of new trends and the exchange of ideas and new styles.