The History of The Flapper Era

INTRODUCTION

"Take two bare knees, two rolled stockings, two flapping goloshes, one short skirt, one lipstick, one powder puff, 33 cigarettes, and a boy friend with flask. Season with a pinch of salt and dash of pep, and cover all with some spicy sauce, and you have the old-time flapper."[1]

The roaring twenties, a very accurate name attributed to the decade during the 1920’s.   Life and culture during this time changed forever, especially for women.  The early decades in the twentieth century were an upbeat and flourishing time.  World War One was over and a light and life was illuminated in the people.  The restlessness of women was at its peak and was quickly approaching what would become a revolutionary shift from the social norms that had held them captive from freely expressing themselves and being able to rule their own lives.   This was a time that the role of women changed, never to be the same again.  The traditional styles of modesty and women’s conservative nature changed drastically.   Women were no longer confined to the home; they became active in the community and emancipated themselves from their long held social roles.  Their skirt lengths began to rise, they bobbed their hair, and an alarmingly new sexual expression and freedom emerged.  A complete moral, economical, and social shift occurred that changed the world.  This was the rise of the Flappers.

            

      CONCLUSION

            Although this grand period of change was short, it in no way was small.  Great changed occurred in history that freed women from a bondage that had held them captive for years.  A new culture evolved.  The coming forth of new dances and new music will always set apart this very special and peculiar time in history.  May we ever remember what a Flapper truly is.

                              VIDEOS     

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[1] Robert Scott, “The Flapper,” 1920-30.com, 2012, http://www.1920-30.com/fashion/flapper.html

[2] Catherine J. Lavender, ʺNotes on The Cult of Domesticity and True Womanhood,ʺ Prepared for Students in HST 386: Women in the City, Department of History, The College of Staten Island/CUNY (1998), https://csivc.csi.cuny.edu/history/files/lavender/386/truewoman.pdf

[3] Catherine J. Lavender, ʺNotes on The Cult of Domesticity and True Womanhood,ʺ Prepared for Students in HST 386: Women in the City, Department of History, The College of Staten Island/CUNY (1998), https://csivc.csi.cuny.edu/history/files/lavender/386/truewoman.pdf

[4] Lucinda MacKethan, “The Cult of Domesticity An Online Professional Development Seminar,” National Humanities Center, http://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/ows/seminars/expansion/domesticity.pdf

[5] Jean Matthews, The Rise of the New Woman: The Women's Movement in America, 1875-1930. Chicago: Ivan R. Dee, 2003, 5.

[6] Jean Matthews, The Rise of the New Woman: The Women's Movement in America, 1875-1930. Chicago: Ivan R. Dee, 2003, 3.

[7] Angela Latham, Posing a Threat: Flappers, Chorus Girls, and Other Brazen Performers of the American 1920s. Hanover, NH: Published by University Press of New England [for] Wesleyan University Press, 2000, 1.

[8] Ellen Page, “The History of the Flapper: Part 1 A Call for Freedom,” Smithsonian, http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/the-history-of-the-flapper-part-1-a-call-for-freedom-11957978/?no-ist

[9] Miss Cellania, “The Rise of the Flapper,” Mental Floss, http://mentalfloss.com/article/22604/rise-flapper

[10] Ellen Page, “The History of the Flapper: Part 1 A Call for Freedom,” Smithsonian, http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/the-history-of-the-flapper-part-1-a-call-for-freedom-11957978/?no-ist

[11] Robert Scott, “The Flapper,” 1920-30.com, 2012, http://www.1920-30.com/fashion/flapper.html