Trevin Garrett
Feb 23, 2020Feb 23 at 2:50pm
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Although “The Flappers” was a term that has been assumed to originate in Great Britain for women who wore rubber galoshes, soon the term or name stuck to liberated women who wore skirts, bobbed hair, listened and danced to jazz music, and contained flaunted disdain in the 1920s of America and Europe. Flappers are very important to American history because not only did they become such a huge popular figure for the society in the 1920s, but they also helped defined the new norm and modern era of women in the twentieth century, especially after the first World War. During wartime in America, many young women experienced freedoms previously unheard of, such as taking jobs, shortening skirts, driving cars, and cutting their hair. Competition for male attention was paramount since the pool of eligible men had been depleted during the war, and this probably contributed to the flashier fashions and aggressive behavior of many young women. Most of the women contained a sense of outrageous behavior and dressing up in their way was seen as an investment against spinsterhood or, at the very least, boredom, for what the women originally were known as, but simply outgrew. In fact, in August 1920, women’s independence took another step forward with the passage of the 19th Amendment, giving women the right to vote, as well as a woman named Margaret Sanger, who helped women gain rights of birth control. And above all contributions, more women got a higher education by going to college and universities, as well as making their own transportation by having the ability to start driving. However, there were many concerns that started to flow through the flappers, such as dances being limited, alcohol being banned, otherwise known as the 18th Amendment, and even clothing and specific fashion were not to be notified. This showed that society was not for support in the flappers and wanted them to follow the natural laws. But no matter the result, the flappers showed truth and promise that they can do anything a man can do, if not better, and furthermore, how powerful a woman or women can be in not only America, but the world.
Sources:
Hatton, Jackie. “Flappers” In St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture Vol. 2: E–J. Edited by Tom Pendergast and Sara Pendergast. Detroit: St. James Press, 2000.
History.com Editors. “Flappers.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 6 Mar. 2018, www.history.com/topics/roaring-twenties/flappers.
Scott Foltz
Feb 23, 2020Feb 23 at 3:41pm
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There are few things more recognizable than a 1920s flapper; a young woman sporting a short “bob” hairstyle, with a cigarette in her hand, dancing to jazz music. Flappers were prominent throughout the twenties, reveling in the new liberties brought on by the end of World War I. Now regarded as the first era of independent women, flappers bulldozed barriers in political, economic, and sexual freedom. The Roaring Twenties started with the approval of the 19th Amendment, which finally allowed women to vote. Women were also joining the workforce in more numbers, being active in the mass consumer culture, and even delighted in more freedom in their personal lives.
The flapper came out of a changing American landscape. For the first time, there were more Americans were living in cities over the rural areas. With the nation’s economic growth, more women were getting jobs. However, more working women did not mean a change in gender roles. Most working women were store clerks, domestic servants, clerical workers and other professions deemed lowly or “woman work.” With these jobs though, came more income, which allowed women to be able to buy more things. Some advertisements even targeted women specifically for products like clothing, cosmetics, and household appliances. With birth control becoming more available, women had more freedom to explore and express their sexuality without the outcome of unwanted pregnancies.
The flapper lifestyle still had limits, as marriage continued to be a goal. “Only about 10 percent of women in the 1920s kept their jobs after marriage, most of them working-class women whose family needed their paycheck.” (Pruitt, History.com) There was also the fear of reputation that still concerned most flappers. Flapper women even had their fair share of criticism. Some states passed laws banning “revealing” outfits or setting length limits on skirts. Even some women’s right activists were against flappers, accusing them of going too far in their debauchery.
The stock market crash at the end of the twenties brought the flapper down. No one could really afford that lifestyle, and with the Great Depression brought economic realities that made the flapper lifestyle seem out of place.
Sources:
Pruitt, Sarah. “How Flappers Redefined Womanhood” History.com September 17, 2018 https://www.history.com/news/flappers-roaring-20s-women-empowerment (Links to an external site.)
History.com Editors. “Flappers.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 6 Mar. 2018, www.history.com/topics/roaring-twenties/flappers.
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