Maria Louisa (Sanchez y Ramirez) Ferrara. Courtesy of the Library of Congress

Women’s fashion in the 1920s went through drastic changes. Gone were the tight fitting dresses, petticoats and the corsets that symbolized the repressive Victoria era. While older women continued to wear said dresses, the younger women replaced the corset with looser fitting clothes. Perhaps the most popular image of this social change in the 1920s, is the popular image of the flapper. Flappers were shorter, low-cut, sleeveless. more revealing dresses, short-bobbed hair, heavy make-up.

Not only did flapper’s fashion look different, the women wearing them acted different as well. Flappers’ attitudes toward life were essentially the complete opposite of Victorian era mannerisms. Flappers were extravagant and flirtatious. They valued social activities the most and focused on dancing, drinking, smoking etc. It was no longer uncommon to see young women go out drinking or dancing at a club.

Although the image of the flapper is very well known in this day and age, there were other clothings that were just as popular back in the 1920s.

A Flapper Girl. Courtesy of the Library of Congress