Essential Question
How does the Flapper represent the "new woman"? Were the 1920's successful for the women's movement? The Flapper was a representation of the "new woman" due to extreme changes that women underwent upon the the coming of the Roaring 20's. The changing fashion, hairstyles, dancing, and new trends such as smoking and drinking in public being acceptable, closer body contact while dancing, make-up, different styles of dress, and women in the work force. The image of women completely evolved by the 1920's and it came about due to changes after the war, and the independence that came with women being in the workforce while many men were gone. The Flapper came to represent women because of all the new trends that came about. The Flappers embodied Women's Rights, for they were a group of rebels not considered proper by society. The name of the Roaring Twenties was mainly because of the Flappers because they were independent women and didn't do what society or men told them to do. Flappers fashiong started a new era for women everywhere. The 1920's were overall a successful period for women, their drastic measures of protest, whether it be Flappers, or the organizations such as NAWSA for women's suffrage, all helped to claim rights for women during the 1920's. Following the Roaring Twenties, the women achieved more rights than ever previously in time, and they reveled in their new independence everywhere.
Thinking LIke A Historian
Through Their Eyes:
People in the world viewed women not as persons, only men were considered to be persons by federal law previous to the Roaring Twenties. The women weren't viewed as people that could do what men do, such as own property or vote. The women were not regarded as incapable of such actions as those of men, and women strove for centuries to change those notions.
WWI affected the progress of women's rights because when men left for war, which meant many fathers, sons, husbands, the women were left to figure out how to support any children or family and themselves as they were left behind. Many women were forced to join the work force, yet they weren't hiring previous to WWI, during the Progressive Era. The War enabled women to be hired to work, and it showed their capabilities.
People in the world viewed women not as persons, only men were considered to be persons by federal law previous to the Roaring Twenties. The women weren't viewed as people that could do what men do, such as own property or vote. The women were not regarded as incapable of such actions as those of men, and women strove for centuries to change those notions.
WWI affected the progress of women's rights because when men left for war, which meant many fathers, sons, husbands, the women were left to figure out how to support any children or family and themselves as they were left behind. Many women were forced to join the work force, yet they weren't hiring previous to WWI, during the Progressive Era. The War enabled women to be hired to work, and it showed their capabilities.
Flappers and Fashion Fads
The fashion of women following World War I was dramatic, and during the Roaring Twenties after the end of the war, the passing of bustle and corsets gave clothing designers much greater freedom and expression. New and colorful fabrics were introduced and women experienced joy at the new fashions that were developing. The dresses in the 20's were lighter and brighter than ever before, and colors textures, and patterns were played with to create new styles. Hemlines also rose higher and stockings were made in colors of the rainbow, designed to match the coordinated outfits of stylish women. Pantsuits, hats, and canes gave women a sleek look, and the style was named after a novel by Victor Margueritte. In the movement toward practical clothing, corsets became smaller and more flexible and bras were introduced. The term "flapper" first appeared in Great Britain after World War I, and was used to describe young girls who had not yet entered womanhood. The June 1922 edition of the Atlantic Monthly, G. Stanley Hall described looking in a dictionary to discover what the term "flapper" meant: ...by defining the word as a fledgling, yet in the nest, and vainly attempting to fly while its wings have only pinfeathers; and I recognized that the genius of 'slanguage' had made the squab the symbol of budding girlhood. John Held Jr. accentuated the flapper image by drawing young girls wearing unbuckled galoshes that would make a "flapping" noise when walking. The Flappers' image consisted of dramatic and shocking to some changed in women's clothing and hair. FLAPPERS were trendy young women who wore short dresses with a straight loose silhouette, and by 1927 the seams had risen to just below the knee, so that part of the knee could be seen when the women danced. The new trends and especially the new term of Flapper, redefined womanhood. Basically a whole new woman was evolved and it became more and more acceptable for woman to wear certain things and act in certain ways. Smoking and drinking in public became acceptable, closer body contact in dancing, shorter hair, make-up, different styles of dress, and greater participation of women in the work force were all a part of the new woman that was created and evolved in America. Flappers embodied much of the Women's Rights Movement beucase they were a group of rebels and they didn't abide by society's rules. They weren't what society considered a proper woman because they wore dresses that made them look boyish and young and their shorter and shorter haircuts into bobs made them look even more boyish. Their independence was so inevitable, but the 1920's were referred to the Roaring Twenties mainly because of these women. The Flappers believed in living life to the fullest, partying, dancing, and their sense of fashion.
Woman's Movement
The problems with society during the 1920's was the seemingly never ending problem that women faced: consideration the women are the world were considered to be inferior to men. Women were a man's property and they were not considered a person, that they couldn't hold jobs, and they were not allowed to vote. World War I changed the view of women slightly because women had to step up and become an integral part of the workforce, and it was a great contribution while many of the men were gone fighting in the war. Both women and children seemed to be owned by the father and husband, and women earlier on didn't have any property rights. The Women's Rights Movement helped women throughout the country by passing laws stating that women could in fact own part of her husband's estate.
Women in 20's vs. Progressive Era
Women in the Progressive Era (1900- ) in the beginning of the 1900's, a woman was not considered a person. The men were generally the only ones considered. Women's groups had started speaking out but had not gotten progressively far, but women's groups began pressuring the federal government; for example, to appoint a woman to the Senate. The request was declined due to women not being considered persons in federal law. Thus far, women in the Progressive Era before the Roaring 20's weren't having as much luck achieving their rights as the women in the 1920's had. Women had a hard time finding good paying jobs in the early 1900's, women were expected to stay home with the children and do the chores as well as preparing the food. Some woman had no choice but to work, even though the time's didn't permit them to do work. Any women who did find jobs got payed low salaries and got few hours, and the available jobs they could find were as school teachers or in factories.
APPARTS- Cosmopolitan Make up Advertisement
Author: Cosmopolitan- Ross Company 240th West 17th Street, New York, the author is a make up company trying to successfully advertise make up to the growing population of Flapper women
Place and Time: 240th West 17th Street, New York in the 1920's, appealing to the Flappers that came to be in the Roaring Twenties, and advertising also became more bold so they they could appeal and sell to the women of the 20's.
Prior Knowledge: The flapper was a symbol of young women's freedom and independence during the Roaring Twenties, and the image of flappers itself redefined a new generation of women. The style of the flappers was often bold; shortened skirts, bobbed haircuts, discarding of Victorian fashions, slender by dieting or other means, and adhering to new modern beauty standards. In addition to the new style was the development of more make up, with flappers wearing lipstick, rough, and eyeshadow.
Audience: The intended source are Flappers and other women in general, because of the changing times, women wanted different things for different styles and modern beauty necessities, such as make up which the ad is trying to sell. If the audience was different, such as different audience of women, they might not be promoting make up and the ideas that were associated with such material possessions.
Reason: This source was produced at the time it was because Flappers were in the Roaring 20's and advertising also took off in the 20's. Combining the two would produce an ad that is trying to sell to women of the time, and they were successful in selling make up to the increasing number of women that demanded it to uphold the beauty standards of the 20's. The purpose was to sell make up to Flappers and women in general to continue the Flapper image and the continuity of the new modern styles of women.
The Main Idea: The author (advertisement company) key point was that times were changing and women's images were changing and with the changing images women needed new make up and updated styles than the previous times. The main message is sent out to all women that they should be doing what the majority were doing at the time, purchasing rouge for their cheeks to fit the new styles exhibited by Flappers.
Place and Time: 240th West 17th Street, New York in the 1920's, appealing to the Flappers that came to be in the Roaring Twenties, and advertising also became more bold so they they could appeal and sell to the women of the 20's.
Prior Knowledge: The flapper was a symbol of young women's freedom and independence during the Roaring Twenties, and the image of flappers itself redefined a new generation of women. The style of the flappers was often bold; shortened skirts, bobbed haircuts, discarding of Victorian fashions, slender by dieting or other means, and adhering to new modern beauty standards. In addition to the new style was the development of more make up, with flappers wearing lipstick, rough, and eyeshadow.
Audience: The intended source are Flappers and other women in general, because of the changing times, women wanted different things for different styles and modern beauty necessities, such as make up which the ad is trying to sell. If the audience was different, such as different audience of women, they might not be promoting make up and the ideas that were associated with such material possessions.
Reason: This source was produced at the time it was because Flappers were in the Roaring 20's and advertising also took off in the 20's. Combining the two would produce an ad that is trying to sell to women of the time, and they were successful in selling make up to the increasing number of women that demanded it to uphold the beauty standards of the 20's. The purpose was to sell make up to Flappers and women in general to continue the Flapper image and the continuity of the new modern styles of women.
The Main Idea: The author (advertisement company) key point was that times were changing and women's images were changing and with the changing images women needed new make up and updated styles than the previous times. The main message is sent out to all women that they should be doing what the majority were doing at the time, purchasing rouge for their cheeks to fit the new styles exhibited by Flappers.