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Fashion Of 20's

Presented By Huda Hamza


Jazz clubs, bobbed hair, silent movies and flappers, all of these were things that, in one way or another, made the 1920's roar. The 1920's opened with an explosion of colour and the wailing sound and fast rhythms of jazz and energetic dancing. It was a period of escapism, a youthful reaction against the dark and serious clothes, behavior and mood of world war one. Fashion was a way for people to change and express themselves. The fashion of the twenties was a fashion of rebellion. Many of these women could be deemed rebels simply because of the way they began dressing. These women were wearing shorter skirts, cutting their hair short and even wearing men's pants. These new trends were seen as horrid and indecent. Women were also beginning to wear make up, which only a few years earlier was only worn by prostitutes.

This was not the only way that women were breaking the mold though; women were now entering new fields in the work force. Women were now doing jobs that many people had felt women could not do. Not everything in the twenties was about pushing the envelope though. There was also a trend now where a woman was expected to keep up both her appearance as well as her home. Fashion for young women focused less female physical form. Dresses stopped at the knees, the hiplines were lowered, and there was less emphasis on the breasts. The look was basically "tubular", going from the shoulders straight.

As with all the female fashion during the 1920s, the evening dress progressed to display more of the body. While the skirts were still full length, the neckline in the speakeasy and the European nightclub became low-cut. Backless dresses also remained popular throughout the twenties. An important part of the evening gown during the twenties was the beading. The long straps of the backless dresses (if not the entire dress) featured beaded chiffon fabrics. Women wanted to be noticed so they can also be heard, and they did, women were able to vote, they entered industries and they were more respected. �

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The Roaring 1920's
Created By Huda Hamza, Keith Leung & Sohil Dhanani.

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Social Studies, Big University

last modified: January 29, 2003