Fashion of the 1920's
The 1920's, probably the most daring decade for men and woman alike, revolutionized the fashion world. In these years feminine emancipation took off and woman demanded functional comfortable clothes, and a freedom to do as men did. Women took up smoking, embraced their sexuality, equality of opportunity and, therefore, freedom of attire. Many woman mistakenly felt that to work as successfully at a job as men did, they must appear to be masculine or, at least, un-feminine. For ten years woman hid the attributes given to them by nature: breasts, sloping shoulders, small waists, ample hips and flowing hair with a major change in fashion during those years. To assert their new-found freedom, woman's skirts rose scandalously to the knees, and their hair was cut short in the boyish bob. Woman shamelessly smoked and drank in public and defied the rigid social status that the early 1900's brought. The waistline of the dresses dipped to the hips and braziers were worn to bind th!look, "a look that commanded power and equality with men. A look called 'The Flapper'".The boyish flapper look was undoubtedly "in". Pajamas were worn in bed as opposed to nightd
Fedoras were a major fashion statement of dashing men, and with the arrival of gangsters like Al Capone, pinstriped suits come into fashion. Progress and woman's pursuit for more "liberated" lifestyles forced cumbersome pre-war fashions to yield to more practical attire. Lips were made to look very Swinton 5large and supple with dark red and purple hues. , Let There Be Clothes, Workman Publishing, 1991 · Smith, A. The impact of bobbed hair and all it was felt to represent was enormous during the twenties. Tuxedos were virtually indistinguishable from those worn today, sometimes worn with a silk brocade vest, a very elegant accessory. People felt free-spirited, and wanted to have fun, as a result, fashion became less formal and restrictive. Men sported broad brimmed Panama straw hats as well as those with shallow, flat tops and stiff brims called Boaters or skimmers. Eye make-up was usually very dark to create a mysterious look. The skin was typically very pale to play up the dark eye and lips. The extremely shorter skirts for which the era was noted were first presented in 1920-21 as the hemline steadily rose, reaching its shortest level, just covering the knee, in 1927. They were thought by many to indecently expose the female body and police were stationed on some beaches to measure the depth of ladies' bathing suit neckline to see if they met the code of decency. The easy un-corseted look of the extremely simple formal gown usually consisted of a straight long-waisted chemise with thin shoulder straps, deep V shaped armholes, and plunging V-necklines for both the front and back. During this time, men wore their hair parted in or near the center and slicked back with brilliantine, an oily, perfumed hairdressing that added shine and kept it in place.
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