Essay, Research Paper: 20Th Century

The 1920s in America were times of great change. Coming out of the horror
of the First World War, society exploded in a million different directions.
The Twenties saw women voting, the Harlem Renaissance, and an incredible
burst of affluence for the middle class. With automobiles and appliances
made people's lives easier and gave them more leisure time.
The incredible, rapid change that struck the country is clearly illustrated by
women's fashions of the decade. Woman in the 1900s went from cover-up to
showing parts of their body, in only a short period of twenty years. Women’s
fashions in pre WWI and in the 1920s have many differences and
similarities.
There are many differences in women’s fashions in pre WWI and
1920s. In the first half of this century, every conceivable possibility in
millinery design was explored: from the extravagant hats of the early 1900s,
to the elegant cloche hats of the 1920s. Both day and night, hemlines were
to the floor; eveningwear (and some daywear) was even longer, in the 1900s.
In the 1920s, the salient features of women's day wear clothing are short
skirts and dropped waistlines. Then evening wear became straighter and
shorter, after which daytime wear copied it. It was in evening wear that the
innovations of twenties style first appeared. By 1926, women who grew up in
a world that barely acknowledged knees were nearly wearing their dresses
above them. In the 1900s, women covered up their necks, but women in the
1920s showed their necks. The style of hair in the 1900s was an “up” hair
do. The 1920s time period was "bobbed" hair. First introduced during and
just after World War I and popularized by Irene Castle (amongst others),
bobbed hair created a sensation. The impact of bobbed hair and all it was
felt to represent was enormous. In the 1900s, women wore tallies. The
taille is only waist-length with the hem made to look like a satin belt. The
top fabric defines a V neckline supposed to look as though a lace waistcoat
and undergarment showed in the opening. In fact, the all of it is sewn into
the front parts and closed with patent buttons. The sleeves are tight and
wrist- length. Black fabric is about the worst to get a good look at... To the
right of the opening is the edge of the base bodice, marked by the
interchanging hooks and eyes that close it. Immediately left from it
protrudes the middle lace flap that covers the décolletage, onto which the
collar is sewn. In the 1920s, women wore silhouettes. The silhouettes of
the earlier part of the decade are long and cylindrical, with the skirt falling
7" to 10" below the knee. Despite the relatively simple silhouette, the wide
variety of detail was astonishing. Even inexpensive, ready-made clothing
from catalog and chain stores such as Sears portrayed an imaginative range
of cuts and trims. The silhouette of the early twenties was still rooted in
the shirtwaist and skirt mode of the teens. It was in high fashion that the
long straight silhouette started to get a toe-hold. In the 1900s, women’s’
clothes were light colors and in the 1920s, they were darker and more
outstanding.
There are similarities in women’s fashions in pre WWI and the 1920s.
Women wore hats, hats were always worn, even today. Women wore dresses
all day. Their day wear clothing was always more casual than the evening
wear. Women wore long silhouettes. Fashion was very important to women in
both periods.
In conclusion, postwar disillusionment lead to many social changes
during the 1920s. Women’s fashions is one social change that occurred in
1920s with pre WWI culture. There are many differences and similarities
between women’s fashions in pre WWI and 1920s. The flapper plays a great
role in the changing of women’s fashion. The flapper challenged the past
social roles of women by enjoying the same freedom as men and dressed in a
way their mother and grandmother wouldn’t believe possible.


Word Count: 668