The Flapper Style During The 1920's

During the early twentieth century, the flapper style began to evolve. It involves women focusing more on their outward appearance and behavior to fit in with other ladies their age. This style seemed to be revolutionary for many women as they viewed the change in expectations for women as liberating. However, depending on the perspective the flapper style can be considered as either restricting or liberating for women. Contrasting perspectives are demonstrated through both Ellen Page’s article, "A Flapper's Appeal to her Parents" and the advice column, "Young Women Seek Advice About Petting" (Blanchard, Manasses). These articles also discuss the changes taking place in young women’s lives during the twenties.
During the roaring twenties, it was common for …show more content…
Yet, others maintain that the flapper style became a new standard for women to withhold before successfully fitting in with society. This new standard was a continuation of previous developments as women have had high expectations that they often failed to meet throughout history. Also, these women were now expected to wear restricting clothing, do their hair and makeup and ultimately dedicate a majority of their time and money to their appearance. These challenging expectations made it somewhat arduous for women to adapt to the flapper style. However, Page describes the changes occurring in women’s lives as being a natural, gradual occurrence. She expresses that there are different levels of being a flapper as there is no women should be expected to act in ways that contradict their morals. For instance, Page asserts that she does not smoke, drink, or engage in sexual activities with men. Yet, she claims that she is still a flapper as she identifies as a moderate flapper. In the later portion of the article, she explains the changes taking