1920's Womens Fashions and the Changing Role of Women

Fashion has always been influenced by the mode of transportation, the architecture of the period, and the customs of the people, and so it was in the 1920's. In line with progress in other areas, clothing developed closer relationships with art, and an increased sense of freedom was expressed in simple yet elegant designs, with carefully selected fabrics, and an intelligent use of color.

Beautiful coordinated and accessorized outfits were a feature of 1920's ladies fashions. Hats, shoes, stockings, handbags, dresses and jewelry all came together in harmony to create a unique and elegant style that can only be appreciated when seen in real-life or in color illustrations. The vibrancy is lost in black and white photographs.

Womens fashions experienced dramatic changes in the early 1920's following the end of the first world war in a period often referred to as the "roaring 20's". The passing of bustles and corsets gave clothing designers much greater freedom of expression. New and colorful fabrics echoed the joy felt by a war weary population following the end of hostilities. 1920's Dresses were lighter and brighter and shorter than ever before. Fashion designers played with fabric colors, textures and patterns to create totally new styles of dress. Hemlines rose for most of the decade but dropped slightly toward the end. Shoes and stockings assumed a greater prominence now that they were more visible. Silk stockings in all the colors of the rainbow, often with patterns, were designed to match the coordinated outfits of stylish women. Correspondence schools flourished in the inter-war period. Dressmaking and millinery courses in particular were embraced by women who wanted the new fashions but couldn't afford retail prices. Many women turned to fashion as a vocation in order to support their fatherless families or to earn extra income to spend on the new luxuries. Working women also embraced the relatively inexpensive ready-made clothes as mass production of contemporary clothing became common.

Pantsuits, hats and canes gave women a sleek look without frills and avoiding the fickleness of fashion. The style was named after the novel La garçonne by Victor Margueritte. In Europe, this look featured women with short hair (Bubikopf) for the first time; in the U.S., "the bob" was reintroduced by actress Louise Brooks in the late 1920s. The hairstyles of Hollywood stars were copied by women all over the world and womens magazines carried articles on how to achieve the current look.

Women's underwear changed as a result of this move towards practical clothing, with corsets becoming smaller and more flexible, and bras being introduced. Flappers, as the trendy young women were called in the U.S., wore short dresses with a straight loose silhouette. By 1927 seams had risen to just below the knee, so that part of the knee could be seen when dancing the Charleston.

Thus, the Roaring Twenties redefined womanhood — a new woman evolved; it was more acceptable to smoke and drink in public, closer body contact in dancing, shorter hair, make-up, different styles of dress, and greater participation in the workforce - all contributed to the new woman.