Unclear of how the word first came into use, it is rumored that the term, “flapper” likely originated from pre-war England. The word was used to describe young women in their teens and twenties who were influenced by the writings of F. Scott Fitzgerald and the principles that became popularized by actresses such as Clara Bow in print and films of the age. Given how new the character type was in America, the flapper was a figure that sparked much controversy and public debate in the 1920’s.
As a result of the nation’s railroad system, the introduction of second class postal rates, rural free delivery, and advances in technology, magazine sales jumped to nearly 200 million in 1929. Advertisers quickly learned how to use advancements such as the …show more content…
These ads typically included sleek, curvy women wearing skirts that exposed their legs with accessories complementing their outfits. The “flapper look” featured rounded dresses with dropped or invisible waistlines, hemlines reaching as high as the knees, tank tops, straight vertical lines, and decorative beading, with bell shaped hats on top. Throughout the years, color schemes changed, new fabrics like tweed started being used, and new design elements were implemented into different articles of women’s clothing, however, the flapper style remained fairly similar throughout the decade. Popular flapper fashion also began to incorporate oriental and primitive themes from sub-Saharan and Asian civilizations as a result of imperialism and global trade. Designers such as Coco Chanel and Madeleine Vionnet made big contributions to flapper fashion by raising hemlines on skirts to reveal more of women’s legs and feet. Taking influence from Chanel, Vionnet emphasized women’s curves and created a new effect in dresses and skirts by having them take the shape of the subject rather than the other way around. Though Chanel had influenced many other designers of this time, many women in the 20’s began developing an eye for fashion to distinguish different brands
As a result of the nation’s railroad system, the introduction of second class postal rates, rural free delivery, and advances in technology, magazine sales jumped to nearly 200 million in 1929. Advertisers quickly learned how to use advancements such as the …show more content…
These ads typically included sleek, curvy women wearing skirts that exposed their legs with accessories complementing their outfits. The “flapper look” featured rounded dresses with dropped or invisible waistlines, hemlines reaching as high as the knees, tank tops, straight vertical lines, and decorative beading, with bell shaped hats on top. Throughout the years, color schemes changed, new fabrics like tweed started being used, and new design elements were implemented into different articles of women’s clothing, however, the flapper style remained fairly similar throughout the decade. Popular flapper fashion also began to incorporate oriental and primitive themes from sub-Saharan and Asian civilizations as a result of imperialism and global trade. Designers such as Coco Chanel and Madeleine Vionnet made big contributions to flapper fashion by raising hemlines on skirts to reveal more of women’s legs and feet. Taking influence from Chanel, Vionnet emphasized women’s curves and created a new effect in dresses and skirts by having them take the shape of the subject rather than the other way around. Though Chanel had influenced many other designers of this time, many women in the 20’s began developing an eye for fashion to distinguish different brands