1920’s Fashion - The Flapper Era

 

Flapper era fashion came about in a very tumultuous time. During the 1920’s America was in the midst of an era of great change. World War I saw women joining the workforce in a bid to aid the war effort and there was a general movement towards female independence. The term ‘flapper’ was coined in Britain in 1912 and is generally attributed to the fact that these newly independent women were likened to birds leaving the nest. After enjoying a taste of the euphoria and freedom that came with entering the workplace, these women flourished and actively resisted any mention of returning to the kitchen.

 

Other notable changes in the Twenties include:

 

·          Female voting rights

·          The Harlem Renaissance

·          The prohibition era

·          The rise of the middle class

·          The convenience of automobiles and electric home appliances allow people more leisure time.

 

It is interesting to see how these rapid social changes are illustrated in the women’s fashion trends of the decade.

 

Art:

 

The 1920’s are epitomised by the advent of the pinup girl. Charles Dana Gibson (1867 - 1944), an American graphic artist is famous for creating one of the very first pin-ups as part of his illustration series entitled “The Gibson Girl”. The image was subsequently emulated in many an art deco paintings and became the role model of the independent 1920’s woman.

 

Behaviour:

Aside from being renowned for their daring 1920’s fashions, Flapper women were also known for pushing the envelope where acceptable and ladylike behaviour was concerned. Unlike those women that came before them, they didn’t balk at riding bicycles, driving cars, drinking in public, smoking or being sexually liberated. The Roaring Twenties was the time of the ‘petting party’, which in essence was the predecessor of the modern-day sex party.

 

Early Twenties:

Flapper era fashion was essentially an androgynous style that made flapper women look young and boyish. Salient features included:

 

·          Short skirts

·          Dropped waistlines

·          Long and cylindrical silhouettes

·          Wide variety of detail in terms of cuts and trims

 

Hemlines started out quite modest, but as the decade progressed it rose steadily to the point where knees (gasp!) were exposed as the Flappers shimmied their way across the dance floor to the progressive sounds of jazz. Dresses were straight and loose, waistlines slung low, arms bare and busts flattened with tightly wound cloth. Plus, to add insult to injury, flappers started using makeup – something that was previously only associated with actresses and prostitutes!

 

Key trend: the ‘one hour dress’

 

The simpler silhouettes of the time gave women a great deal of physical freedom. Corsets were discarded and constricting skirts were abolished, leaving them free to cycle, run, etc. It was also less time-consuming. Not only could they dress themselves much faster, they could also sew their own clothing in a remarkably short time. In 1926 the Women’s Fashion Institute introduced the ‘one hour dress’, which was aptly designed to be assembled from scratch in one hour.

 

Mid Twenties:

The shirtwaist and skirts of teenagers provided the inspiration for the fashion trends of the early twenties and it was only in high fashion that the much-copied long, straight silhouette got a foothold. As time went by, the silhouette made inroads into day wear and was eventually incorporated in evening wear.

It was in the realm of evening wear that the innovative spirit of the twenties clearly made its mark. Before 1926, knees were a largely unacknowledged part of the female anatomy, but now the flappers were raising hems and exposing their knobbly bits for all to see. Fabric favourites included silk, cotton, linen and wool in a variety of ostentatious combinations.

Flapper era fashion also made use of the very first man-made fabrics, of which rayon was most notable. Knit fabrics that were previously only used to fashion underwear were now also used for outerwear. Colours and prints were assertive, with a palette that included everything from bright primaries to subdued pastels.

 

Key trend: bobbed hair

 

The bob was first introduced in America subsequent to the First World War and was established as a fashion trend by dancer Irene Castle. After styling her hair in this fashion during a European tour, she stunned home audiences by sporting it during a concert in 1914. Popular media latched on to the concept and popularised it by means of jokes, stories, cartoons, skits, articles and much more.               

 

Interesting fact:   Although of late this fashion trend has been ascribed to the actress Louise Brooks, the look had actually been around for almost a decade before she became well known.

 

Late Twenties :

 

As the decade roared to an end, 1920’s fashion slowly started to revert back to the longer silhouette, with waist lines inching their way back onto the catwalk. Fabrics were cut closer to the body and there was a brief period when evening wear sported both short and long skirts, reaching a hesitant compromise.

 

In reality, the look that has been termed "flapper era fashion" was only popular from 1925 to 1928. It represented such a radical shift in fashion consciousness, however, that its legend lives on to this very day.

 

And that, in short, is an overview of the most important elements of 1920’s fashion.