The Roaring 20's

The 1920s were an age of dramatic social and political change. For the first time, more Americans lived in cities than on farms. The nation’s total wealth more than doubled between 1920 and 1929, and this economic growth swept many Americans into an affluent but unfamiliar “consumer society.”

THE DECADE

The “New Woman” most familiar symbol of the “Roaring Twenties” is probably the flapper: a young woman with bobbed hair and short skirts who drank, smoked and said what might be termed “unladylike” things, in addition to being more sexually “free” than previous generations.

The Jazz Age

Cars also gave young people the freedom to go where they pleased and do what they wanted. (Some pundits called them “bedrooms on wheels.”) What many young people wanted to do was dance: the Charleston, the cake walk, the black bottom, the flea hop. Jazz bands played at dance halls like the Savoy in New York City and the Aragon in Chicago.

Prohibition

On January 16, 1920, the federal Volstead Act closed every tavern, bar and saloon in the United States. From then on, it was illegal to sell any “intoxication beverages” with more than 0.5% alcohol.

TRENDS

Hairstyles:

From "the Bob", Louis Brooks' "Black Helmet", to the flapper's curls -

The Cloche Hat:

It's said that it was the invention of French milliner Caroline Reboux who introduced it in or around 1923 on the streets of Paris.

Made of velvet, satin, horsehair, straw or felt, the cloche (means "bell" in French) hid a woman hair and allowed her to tuck it up into the hat.

The Flapper Dress:

The specific flapper type of dress was cut in a straight and loose style and throughout the decade the length of the flapper dress varied a little. In the early 1920s the length of dresses and skirts were about calf length, with some a little longer and some a bit shorter. From around the years 1926 to 1928, the hem lines of dresses were the shortest (approximately knee-length), and this is what most people remember when they talk of the flapper dress. During part of this decade the waist line of dresses dropped to the hip to promote more of a "boyish" look.

Mens:

Men in the 1920s wore suits with hats into town and flannel at home. He liked boots and long overcoats. Dress shirts were often lightly colored or white, with or without collar.

Sometimes a man would substitute the dress coat for a flannel lumberjack, while still wearing a shirt and tie underneath. This was for a more casual look.

For the man who was looking to impress, a hat was a smart look, and even a cane could add a bit more sophistication. To go even further, he would have an $80 14k gold pocket watch, a bow tie, black shoes and a fitted vest. Custom tailoring was very important, suits needed to be sized perfectly.

THE SILHOUETTE

By the 1920s, the columnar silhouette had become almost planar.

Women’s dress seems to have been reduced to two dimensions and hung from the shoulders with little acknowledgment of bosom or hips.

The waistline on the 1920s silhouette, if any, was located somewhere around the hips.

The ideal underpinning of the 1920s dress was no underpinning at all, but the continued existence of women’s breasts necessitated the development of the brassiere.

Unlike the corset, which had supported the bosom by pressure to the waistline below, the bandeau brassiere of the 1920s was anchored by a shoulder strap above and was more effective in suppression than support.

Long-line corsets reappeared for use by women whose curves interfered with the plank silhouette of the 1920s; however, such assistance was not ideal, as freedom of movement was the underlying appeal of the loosened dress.

FABRICS

In general 1920’s fabrics were very delicate, thin and airy for women and stiffer but getting softer for the men. Most garments were not washed as a whole, only spot cleaned as necessary to preserve the shape and colors.

Silk has historically been a prized and expensive fabric due to the fact that it is relatively costly to make. By the 1920s however, it was more widely available among the middle class. Ties, dresses, and lingerie were popular clothing articles made from silk.

Knit fabrics during this time were associated with sport and leisure, and knit 'casual' wear became popular for men and women. Knit jackets and sweaters were especially popular. The popularity of knitwear prompted the spread of homemade knitting clubs.

Cotton a growing industry was the cotton mills. More and more clothing was made of durable, breathable cotton. During the chemical treatment called mercerizing, cotton took on the texture of silk making it an affordable alternative to real silk.

Rayon became increasingly popular during the 1920s and 1930s. Rayon was a synthetic silk. It was much cheaper than real silk, and even cheaper to produce than cotton or wool. Rayon was often used to produce socks, undergarments, and other ordinary articles of clothing. The popularity of rayon actually contributed to a decline in the American textile industry during the 1920s.

Georgette is a sheer crepe silk, heavier than chiffon and with a crinkle surface. It was called “the material that both concealed and revealed” because it was see-through yet still a fabric and thus considered a modest cover up. It was used most on sleeves, necklines, upper backs, and overlays. It replaced lace from the previous decades as a fancy fabric and trim. Cotton voile is similar but less sheer.

COLORS AND DESIGNERS

Solid colors were preferred over prints for most of the 20’s. A solid color showed off beads, embroidery and ribbon decorations better than patterns.

Solid colors were preferred over prints for most of the 20’s. A solid color showed off beads, embroidery and ribbon decorations better than patterns.

The early 20’s didn’t have such bold colors as the mid and late 20’s. Early colors were mostly black, dark blue, tan, deep pink, violet and of course gold.

Common prints were stripes, polka dots, repeating geometrics, large plaid and simple florals.

THE TIME: The Pursuit of Women’s Rights,

Freedom, & Social Change.

The Pursuit of Women’s Rights

The 19th Amendment – granted American women the right to vote. Ended a century of protest.

Confirmed on August 18th, 1920.

*Women couldn’t own property.

*Had no legal claim to money earned.

*Expected to focus on home and motherhood, not politics.

The Enactment of Prohibition –1920. liberation and desire to create culture

and embrace values. Aim at American youth.

*Women embraced their youth.

*No desire to mirror the older generation.

*Modern dating.

*Open with behavior. Smoked in public, danced, sexually liberated.

*Favored up-beat jazz, performed and created by African-American musician.

World War I - a turning point for women’s fashion. 1914-1918.

*Wear of uniforms, including trousers.

*Time of event (WWI) resulted in simpler lifestyle and wardrobe.

*Less lavish, less accessory.

*Military-style. Jackets, belts, epaulets.

Today’s Fashion to the Roaring 20’s.

1920s.

As fashion entered the modern era, women of the roaring 20s embraced comfort and versatility in clothing. Freedom after war was the expression, as they now understood the significance of individualism. Short skirts and trousers played

a role in trend.

“Beauty, individuality, and functionality” was the goal; expressed in solid fashion statements.

Today's fashion.

Fashion of the 1920s set the trend for styles of today. Women signify their own fashion, as the same was translated in past years.

Fashion remains a source of expression. Dressing in whatever you want, whenever you want. Today’s fashion continues to evolve.