Flapper

The term "flapper", which became common slang in the 1920s, referred to a "new breed" of young women who wore short skirts, bobbed their hair and flaunted their disdain for what was then considered "decent" behavior. The typical flapper was unafraid to wear cosmetics or to be seen smoking or drinking alcoholic beverages in public.

Origins

Flappers had their origins in the Gibson girls of the 1890s. Named for the drawings of Charles Dana Gibson, these women maintained their femininity despite participating in what were then considered traditionally male activities such as sports or higher education. World War I forced women to enter the workforce to replace the large numbers of men fighting overseas. By war's end, women were expected to return to their traditional roles as housewives and mothers. The men returned from a raucous life abroad where facing death each day had not left them eager to take on a traditional lifestyle, either. More importantly, vast numbers of men did not return from the war, leaving a significant gap between the numbers of single women and men. These factors prompted many post-war women to forget about tradition. These women were dubbed "flappers" in Britain, based on a perceived similarity to young birds vainly trying to leave the nest. While many in the United States assumed at the time that the term "flapper" derived from a fashion of wearing galoshes unbuttoned so that they flapped as the wearer walks, the term was already documented as in use in the United Kingdom as early as 1912.

Related Topics:
Gibson girl - 1890s - Charles Dana Gibson - Femininity - Sports - Higher education - World War I - Tradition - Britain - United States - 1912

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Writers and artists in the United States such as F. Scott Fitzgerald, John Held Jr., and Anita Loos popularized the flapper look and lifestyle through their works, and flappers came to be seen as attractive young women despite their independence.

Related Topics:
F. Scott Fitzgerald - John Held Jr. - Anita Loos

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