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Some of us can only speculate and attempt to envision what life must have been like in the 1920s and how a stylish flapper would have appeared. We've seen pictures and movies, but how accurately do they portray
the era? Well, imagine our modern-day Betty Boop with boyish hips clad in a sack dress and sporting a flat chest, and there you have it!
In the 1920s, it was a time of transformation, with women with large busts resorting to binding themselves until they achieved a flatter silhouette. Can you imagine how the more mature look of the Edwardian era
must have felt amidst the newfound freedom and slender figures of their granddaughters? "I envy you; you have less than me, and I have too much!" It's a stark contrast from today. If you possessed a boyish look
with minimal curves, you'd fit right in.
Many women were adept at sewing, finding it easy to fashion their shift-style dresses at home. Given that World War I had just concluded, only the affluent could afford clothing crafted from luxurious fabrics.
They danced to the Charleston craze, perfectly complemented by short dresses, raccoon skin coats, and the jalopies favored by the college crowd. Hollywood portrays the twenties as an era of speakeasies, prohibition,
moonshine, and gangsters, all of which played a role during that time, alongside the daring hairstyles! Most women wouldn't entertain the thought of cutting their hair, considering it their crowning glory.
The women of this era initially embraced the graceful pageboy hairstyle, which featured curls that swept under, renowned for its femininity and adored by men worldwide. As styles evolved, many women sought a
more daring look, flocking to salons for the simple, straight bob. Whether strolling in town or attending social gatherings, it became apparent that short hair of uniform length was in vogue.
Photo: Olena Zaskochenko/Getty Images via Canva
Enter the "Joan of Arcs" of hairdressing, whose meticulousness evolved into a creative streak, paving the way for a new realm of styling. Before long, women were boldly embracing shingled backs, Marcel waves, and
finger waves. The pièce de résistance emerged with the arrival of the infamous "Eton" style, amusing some and shocking others due to its unapologetic immodesty. Yet, as with everything, "Joan" and her cohorts had
their reasons for embracing such radical cuts.
During this period, the "Cloche" hat reigned supreme in popularity. These hats required a snug fit to the head, often necessitating very short hair. Foreheads were not in vogue at the time (which may have been a
relief for those with shorter foreheads), as the hat's brim rested over the forehead, imparting a distinctly flapper-esque appearance, signaling to all that she was "the woman" of the age. This era may have marked
the nascent stages of the feminist movement. Women even had to learn to keep their heads at a certain level while walking to avoid collisions - a testament to the lengths we'll go for fashion! Oh, the vanity!
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The look of the greasy, brilliantine-dark shine, laden with subterranean waves, would completely outline her skull. Ah, but alas, the cranial reconnaissance was apparently stylish, even if it does sound rather
ghostly to us when we begin to consider the amount of lather upon her head. With this look, they would sometimes wear different arrays and colors of bands admired from Greek culture.
After this daring era of women taking their dauntless stand by cutting most of their hair off, a meltdown of the hearts soon followed when they decided they once again wanted to exhibit more softness in their hair
and began growing their hair into wavy styles. Stylists put their clippers on the shelf to gather dust for a season as hair appeared on their necklines in various shapes and styles, but always to accommodate the
very latest of hats in fashion.
