The Roaring Twenties

Though not fully, gender roles started to be questioned in the 1920s. Women demanded the right to vote and they also began questioning the fashion they had worn in previous decades. The 1920s saw the rise of early feminism. Many women saw the old fashions as a symbol of female oppression given the history of the corset, crinoline and layers of clothing that made many women uncomfortable. Dresses designed around the modern suit became high in demand. More skin became acceptable in the form of flapper dancers and other skirts that began to recede. Conservatives viewed this new form of fashion as an affront to decency and morality, but the twenties was the post war period and more people were willing to let their hair down and let loose after such a horrific war. It was the first time the world had witnessed such mass warfare which came to change many people’s perception of life and the world around them. The horrors made more people jaded and movements such as the dada movement sought to capture life through the eyes of war and horror. This type of perception carried on into fashion with dresses and dance styles signifying a desire to live in the moment despite what their parents and grandparents had to say. The 1920s saw the old ways being questioned. It was no longer acceptable for rich women to wear lavish gowns and dresses. The 1920s gave rise to the modern world as we know it today which is why many designers and historians began the vintage period with the 1920s with previous decades being labeled as the antique period. From the perspective of a young person living in the 1920s, the old ways and customs were seen in the realm of antiques when it came to fashion and general way of living.