1920s: Womanhood Redefined - Research Paper Example

Ramakrishna Surampudi 06 May 1920s: Womanhood Redefined Fashion is as old as time itself. It is a piece in the political dis of consent and of revolution. It is a keystone in the shifting architectures of class, sexuality and national identity (Stuart Ewen et al. 81). There are several kinds of factors, social, geographical as well as cultural, that can have an impact on fashion trends in a given period of time. Aspects of life such as contemporary art, architecture, regional and religious traditions and even the modes of transportation, on the surface, appear to be exclusive from fashion but all of them do have a bearing on the latter. The designs, colours and fabrics and the associated accessories used by fashion technologists are not to be seen merely as expressions of random ideas or creativity. They, in fact, are meant to make statements; statements of joy, liberation, individuality, functionality, self-expression and post-war optimism. The fashion trends of the hedonistic 1920s assume importance in this light and the most wonderful thing about those well-coordinated outfits was the enormous freedom they gave women ‘to choose’. Women are the loveliest creation of god and now they were to become even lovelier. The music of 1920s was a trendsetter and so were the new fashion modules of the period, their ‘classical’ nature notwithstanding. They were simple, yet elegant carrying with them timeless and age-defying sex-appeal. Any discussion on women’s fashion in the colorful 1920s has to be centered on close-fitting cloche hats without rims, sleeveless dresses, slipper shoes, sheer stockings, Madeleine Vionnet’s very feminine bias-cuts, pantsuits, canes, body-flattering Coco Chanel silhouettes and Art Deco fashion with its integration of the Oriental culture, not to mention La Garçonne style, handbags, jewellery and such things so much so that any attempt to visualize their appeal by taking a look at black-and-white snapshots of that period does not just work. 1920s, more commonly known the ‘roaring 20s’, as much as 1940s, both being points of time that have witnessed not only the horror of World Wars but also the serenity that the end of hostilities marked, were historically prone to see a sea change in terms of people’s attitude and women’s in particular in terms of the idea of fashion. The first short skirt sounded the death knell of the haute couture era [Skirt length reached its lowest point in 1923 (1920s Fashions for Women)] and ushered in the modern era of fashion which conceived the idea of erotic beauty. The transformation of woman from being an object of beauty to becoming a futurist machine was kick-started. ‘Chic’ became a vogue word. And there was no looking back. So we see the cumbersome Victorian clothing gradually losing ground. Crinolines, rear-enhancing bustles and restrictive corsets passed into oblivion, thankfully causing a steep decline in the incidence of ptosis. Lighter, brighter and daringly shorter dresses, straight-line chemises, nemo-flex brassieres, sleek, masculine or boyish look, flat chests with bandeaus, shingle cut and Bubikopf or the bob cut (popularized by actress Louise Brookes) formed the order of the day. The Basque dress or Robe de Style which clubbed the features of straight silhouette and belled skirt was very popular. Make up, in particular, was another ‘shocking’ development. Rising hemlines of the flappers, who characterized the revolutionary spirit of the typical jazz age woman, made dancing the Charleston, for instance to a tune of Duke Ellington or to the frenetic sounds of Bix Beiderbecke, easier. Light weight undergarments made it easier to play sport and drive automobiles. The Women’s Fashion Institute designed the ‘one hour dress’ in 1926 (Flapper Fashion). For the first time in history, pleats, gathers and slits ruled women’s fashion, liberating women from constricting clothes, though the Great Depression, for a while, brought about a roll-back towards conservative wear (The History of 20th Century Women’s Clothing). The popular curves of the erstwhile generation were given up. Beaded belts, bracelets and necklaces complemented pretty handbags and purses (1920s Fashions for Women). Beads were used extensively in all kinds of accessories. Jewellery designs were inspired by nature and simple geometric shapes. Thanks to Chanel’s nihilist designs, the ‘poor-girl’ look became a new fashion. Fashion thus became classless. Looking grand was not important. What mattered was looking modern. Hollywood actresses like Theda Bara, Gloria Swanson, Mary Pickford and Louise Brooks added new dimensions to modernity. Twenties fashion was not just about wearing clothes, it was about wearing one’s attitude. The traditional standards of morality were challenged by fashion. Smoking and drinking were not any more taboo subjects for women. Nor was exposure of limbs or close body contact during dance an offence. Fashion, now, was not the privilege of the well-to-do alone. Silk garments may be reserved for the elite but flapper clothes were affordable for all other women who wanted to paint the town red, thanks to the Industrial Age automation. All this was a result unwittingly precipitated by socio-economic changes of that time. Their effect towards the cause of women’s freedom was so striking and lasting that it would not be an exaggeration to state that the same could not have been produced even by a large scale world-wide campaign. Even the posture that all women must apply to themselves was defined in clear terms (Brooks Picken 148). The change could be perceived not just in the look but in the outlook as well. The high casualty toll that the wartime experience had left behind gave rise to a new kind of woman – single, independent, forward-thinking, self-contained and bold. It is worthwhile to recall here that it was in the same period that women got the vote. Not that the new trends were approved without any controversy. Conflict was inevitable between generations. The going up of the skirts was regarded as the going down of morals. There was, as it was bound to be, criticism from several quarters, obviously the conservative, about the 1920s fashions being ‘too modern’ and for the rebellious attitude they seemed to display. But the grumbling may be attributed more to a hurt, or rather scared, masculine ego than to any convincing rationale. Incidentally, the media’s obsession with fashion trends in that decade helped them to resist the criticism and last. This apart, relaxation of social customs in the post-war period and a booming Stock Market made their own contribution. Sportswear also had enormous influence on fashion. The new trends of fashion had an economic dimension with more and more women turning to design and millinery courses offered by institutes like the Woman’s Institute of Scranton. They provided prospective income generating avenues on the one hand and ensured greater participation of women in the workforce on the other. Women were able to create new designs at home with the help of paper templates. Many women found a favorite pastime in making beaded items. It may also be pointed out at this juncture that the women with their new-found economic freedom by way of their vocation were left with less time and energy to spend on being fashionable, thus necessitating further simplification of fashion trends. There seems to be a close correlation between fashion trends and the evolution in women’s roles in the course of time, especially in the twentieth century. Today’s woman is weight-conscious, hygiene-conscious and does not mind crash diets. Not only that, she has grown strong in the mind, so the conventional melodramatic image of woman is not valid any more. Ever since the twenties, comfort, rather than style, has become the key factor in making fashion choices. No wonder we hear the phrase ‘inspired by the 1920s’ even to this day. We watch celebrities at the Academy Awards continuing to don and take pride in twenties style attire. We are still mesmerized by designs combining comfort and luxury adapted from those of that period. Few would dispute the statement that Vionnet and Chanel continue to influence the world of fashion as ever. Hand-made beaded articles fascinate changing generations and collectors alike. The flapper fashion, as such, may have lasted only for a few years but in public consciousness it lives on for ever. All the same, it still manifests in the forms of tubular style and long shorts paired with tennis-type sweaters. For that matter the androgynous look of pants and jeans is very much in tune with the twenties style. Kate Moss’s attire with beaded capelets and boleros at the Glastonbury Festival was considered an indication of vintage revival (Braukamper). Diane Kruger at Cannes 2008 and Drew Barrymore in an Alberta Ferretti gown at the premiere of ‘Grey Gardens’ followed suit. Very recently, Katy Perry, pop star, drew the world’s attention with her flapper style dress at the Coachella music festival. Even in the 40s and 50s, designers continued to draw on the classical silhouette. It is followed in lingerie, formal wear and bridal gowns. It was part of the 1996 Givenchy collections (Cunningham 222). In 1946, new designs of hats for short hair were featured in Life magazine (18 February 1946 Page 82). In the 1980s and 1990s, the classic style of princess line was revived. Mother Hubbard style is another classic which is known for its comfort. It manifests in today’s nightgowns, bathrobes, maternity clothing and housecoats. In the recent times, the impact made by the new American period drama ‘Boardwalk Empire’, a true classic by any standard, on domestic wardrobes has been widely acknowledged. Its costume designer John Dunn remarks that the 1920s is a recurring fashion trend due to its reflection of the changing status of women (1920s Makes a Serious Comeback). Melissa Whitworth of the Daily Telegraph, predicts that the 20s are going to make a huge impact on our wardrobes. ‘Boardwalk Empire’ did to the twenties what ‘Mad Men’ did to the fifties: resurrection. Today there are very few who go for expensive designer clothes. The majority vote for comfortable clothing at affordable price range. All this goes on to substantiate that a revival is under way. That is why we can be sure that every time a red carpet is rolled out, a modern-day flapper celebrity walks past it. There are people who wish they were born in the 20s. It does not leave much to be surprised about if the cocktail dresses of the roaring twenties come roaring back. Casual elegance and classical style are bound to make a deadly combination, aren’t they? Works Cited 1920s Fashions for Women. © 2011. Accessed 03/05/2011. Squidoo LLC. Braukamper, Tania. 1920s Flapper Fashion Returns. http://www.fashionising.com/trends/b--1920s-flapper-fashion-returns-839.html 1920s Makes a Serious Comeback. © 2011. Accessed 03/05/2011. TLG Brands Ltd. Brooks Picken, Mary. The Secrets of Distinctive Dress: Harmonious, Becoming and Beautiful Dress, Its Value and How to Achieve It. Scranton PA: International Textbook Press, 1918. Cunningham A, Patricia. Politics, Health and Art Reforming Women’s Fashion 1850 – 1920. Kent: The Kent State University Press, 2003. Ewen, Stuart and Ewen, Elizabeth. Channels of Desire: Mass Images and the Shaping of American Consciousness (Second Edition). Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2000. Flapper Fashion. © 2008. Accessed 03/05/2011. Christine Pascoe. “Short Hair: A 1920 Style Starts to Come Back”. Life 18 February 1946: 82 – 84. The History of 20th Century Women’s Clothing. © 2007 – 2011. Posted 02/05/2007. Accessed 03/05/2011. Random History. Read More