1920s Music Changes

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.

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.

The 1920’s fashion was a period of liberation, change, and even more importantly a movement towards the modern era. Fashion in the 1920’s varied throughout the decade but one could see the noticeable change from the previous fashion statements and eras. At the start of the decade, women began emancipating themselves from the constricting fashions by wearing more comfortable apparel. As women gained more rights and World War I forced them to become more independent, flappers came to be, mass-produced garments became available, and artistic movements increased in popularity, one can see how the fashions from the roaring twenties characterized the time and redefined womanhood. (1920s clothing 1)

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

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.

One of the most iconic changes that occured in the 1920s was the change in women's wardrobes and lifestyle. Before the 1920s, the traditional woman’s

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”.

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

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”.

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.

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?

They also began using makeup and cutting their hair short. The flappers were claiming a new statement that women are free to explore who they are without being restricted to the things they can wear. Fashion is an art that has been around for centuries. From the early 19th century to now, fashion is constantly changing, along with society. Every one person has a certain style they gravitate towards.

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

Fashion had a big impact on the 1920s era, news styles and trends were developing all the time. During this ear, a new women was about to be created, a flapper girl. The fashion of the flappers raised some eyebrows due to the styles they chose to wear and how they decided to wear their hair and make-up. In the paragraph above I said that they wore short dresses that were line with stings of beads and the neckline of their dresses grew deeper and their dresses got shorter, it was the most popular yet daring trend of this decade. This fashion of the 1920s was definitely rebellious for the women. With that being said, middle class women wore long dresses a little below the ankle, lower class wore any clothes that they could purchase, upper class wore extravagant dresses and headbands, and casual wear for middle and upper class women included

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).