Flappers became the image that represented the tremendous change in women’s lives during that time period. When America became a part of the flapper trends it spreaded like crazy. Many were getting sick and tired of not being treated fairly like the rest of the people and they wanted thing to change that. One of the first ever flappers was Zelda Fitzgerald. One of the origins of the flappers was called the Gibson girl.
A new, modern woman who was self-assured, exuberant, adventurous and sophisticated, the flapper embraced unconventional behavior and represented American’s changing attitudes towards cultural norms, language and dress. impact: the flapper left behind her indelible mark on language, dress and behavior of american women. She was often labeled as bold for her outspoken nature and her use of slang; she was not a woman to be shocked by swearing or to censure the language of others. Flappers were energetic, independent, self-sufficient and sure of themselves and they ushered in a new era of freedom for women. The changing attitudes they inspired increasingly allowed women to enroll in colleges, enter the workforce, participate in politics and generally play a greater role in society and public life.
This new feminist took the form of a narrow woman with bobbed hair, heavy makeup, and an extravagant drinking problem. These revolutionary equalitarians were known as Flappers and began surfacing around the 1920s. Flappers challenged the remaining issues of a woman’s social injustice and disapproved women’s dependence of men. Flappers helped spark the feminist movement because they
They had stated that a way that a woman’s dresses “affects her morals as an individual”. Flappers however didn’t seem to care though as to how the many viewed them. In 1922, Ellen W. Page had published an excerpt called “A Flapper's appeal to Parents.” This describes what it was like being a flapper and having the freedom to walk around proudly knowing that people are judging. “If one judges suppose I am a flapper... and other affairs at men’s colleges.”
The flapper represented the “modern woman” in American youth culture in the 1920’s, and was epitomized as an icon of rebellion and modernity. Precocious, young, stubborn, beautiful, sexual, and independent, the flapper image and ideology revolutionized girlhood. The term “flapper” originated in England to describe a girl who flapped and had not yet reached maturity.
(Hatton 2) Women in this era, were a far image from previous women. They turned the 1920s into a model of modern women hood by dominating the american cultural scenes. The flapper look was very different than what the women previously of the 1920s wore. Physically the women had bobbed hair, noticeable makeup, and flashy lipstick.
Flappers Picture yourself one day walking outside and seeing someone dressed nearly naked. This was what flappers were like in the 1920’s. With World War I over and many love ones lost women started to change their lifestyles a bit. Flappers would wear short skirts, cut their hair very short, apply lots of makeup, and reveal lots of skin. Before this era women would wear long dresses that touched the ground, even the glimpse of someone’s ankle was considered to be racy, they wore big hats, and their sleeves would go to their wrists.
Flappers, by definition, are young women , not yet in womanhood, whose intent was to enjoy herself and break the rules. Throughout the project, I learned that Flappers were roaring through the 1920’s as independent women who just wanted to have fun. Flappers had just gotten the right to vote, and were still fighting for more equal rights on their part. They were women who wanted to be treated equally with men; they wanted to get rid of the double standards between the men and women. People thought the women were trying to be like the men, when really the women just wanted keep everything equal without having a barrier between men and women.
The ideal image of women was one of the chief changes that occurred during the 1920s. The extreme lifestyle occurrence allowed the new developing concept of the new woman to diffuse across America. Throughout the 1920s women tested the gender standards set for them. The women that challenged the standard mindset of women the most were known as flappers. Flappers wore short dresses, wore short hairstyles, and also smoke, drank, and spoke their minds.
The origin of flappers, ideologically, were seen as being rooted in liberalism. After World War I, the flapper generally represented a disreputable woman who consistently flouted the conventions of society at the time of the 1920s. Still, despite the fact that a flapper’s conduct was at the time considered less than respectable, it still helped to redefine the role of women in society at
It became the symbol for the youth movement. Women would wear these to speakies, and show case their figure. The fashion of this time was totally rejecting the Victorian women. The flappers didn’t follow modern society, and were open about their sexuality. Margaret Sanders stood up for reproductive rights.
Flappers rebelled and rejected the idea that women should uphold society's morals through temperance and chastity The young women known as ''flappers'' were shocking to society because they challenged traditional notions and norms about femininity and the role of women. Flappers were a symbol of the 1920s, flappers embody the youth and rebellion commonly associated with the prohibition era. Flappers were often described by older people as energetic and wild—sometimes even dangerous or immoral these women would dress to dance the night away with their stylish and relaxed-fit dresses Colleen Moore, Clara Bow and Louise Brooks were the 3 most famous flappers in Hollywood in 1920's.
Flappers were young, middle class women that rebelled with their lifestyle and fashion. This is important because it gave a more insight of the development of women’s personality and behaviors. Flappers were more independent than previous generations, majority of the flappers would work at day time and then at night flappers would regularly go to night club or jazz clubs to drink and smoke (Alchin). One of the most noticeable behaviors that made flappers different from others were the fact that they did not mind cheating and having multiple affairs. The fashion of the woman changed drastically, one of the popular fashion styles were bobbed hairstyles, cloche hats, and exotic clothes.
Flappers beat the old stereotype that smoking, drinking, and one night stands were just for boys. Before a Flappers woman had to be societies imagine of a perfect woman, they had to be nice and don’t drink, smoke or sleep around. Girls smoking and drinking wasn’t publicly acceptable and finding out a woman slept with more than one guy, she would be labeled as a whore. A guy would never be labeled in a negative way; they would be encouraged to continue to act that way, they would be the “Man” and admired by their buddies. Flappers made it possible for women today to express Themselves and enjoy life without being judge.
In this aspect, the 1920s were one of the most influential decades in U.S. history because of the introduction of the "New Women". "New Women," or flappers, were young women who embraced the new ideas, freedoms, and modernism of the Roaring Twenties. Flappers wore new and popular clothing from the era. Their signature look was short "bob" hair, which represented their independence to men. A majority of flappers were women's suffrage activist.
