Explore the iconic flapper of the 1920s in this podcast. Topics include the evolution of flapper, rebellion through smoking and driving, flapper fashion, haircuts, and makeup. Also, discover the leisure culture, nightclubs, and their impact on society.
Flappers in the 1920s were bold, independent women who defied societal norms and challenged gender roles.
Flappers embraced a distinct fashion and style that reflected their rebellion against traditional femininity.
Deep dives
The Rise of the Flapper
Flappers emerged as bold, fun-loving, and independent women who embraced the spirit of the 1920s. They defied societal norms and challenged gender roles. Flapper culture was marked by activities such as drinking, smoking, dancing, and attending speakeasies. They reveled in the newfound freedom and opportunities that came after World War I. Flappers embodied a sense of rebellion and liberation, and they became the subject of fascination and criticism.
Flapper Fashion and Style
Flappers embraced a distinct fashion and style that reflected their independent nature. They favored shorter dresses, typically with a dropped waistline, made from light and movable fabrics. Flapper hairstyles featured the iconic bob, and they embraced makeup, especially bold eyeshadow, darkened eyebrows, rouged cheeks, and Cupid's bow lips. Flappers challenged traditional notions of femininity with their attire and self-expression.
Flapper Lifestyle and Entertainment
Flappers were known for their active nightlife and love for entertainment. They frequented cabarets, dance halls, and jazz clubs. Dancing, especially the Charleston, became their favorite form of expression. The speakeasy culture, fueled by prohibition, provided a thriving environment for flappers to socialize and enjoy themselves. The flapper lifestyle epitomized rebellion, pleasure-seeking, and a rejection of old-fashioned social conventions.
Controversy Surrounding Flappers
Flappers faced criticism and judgment from various segments of society. Some saw them as immoral and criticized their choice of clothing, behavior, and open sexuality. Feminists accused flappers of not actively advancing women's rights. However, flappers exemplified a desire for autonomy and choice, defying societal expectations and asserting their own independence.
The flapper is the most iconic lady of the Roaring Twenties. We’ll learn about her signature bobbed hairdo, what makeup she was rocking, and how Coco Chanel inspired the dresses she’d wear. We’ll meet the two most notorious flappers of the age, Zelda Fitzgerald and Lois Long, and how they spent their time drinking, smoking, making out in cars and dancing to jazz in cabarets. We'll talk about how the public perception of the flapper was scandalous, and rebellious – she was immoral and immodest, and some people hated her for it. But she was also fun, beautiful, and daring… the ultimate symbol of sexual liberation and women’s independence. And other people loved her for it, too.
My novel, NIGHTBIRDS, comes out extremely soon! It is a 1920s-tinted YA Fantasy about a world with a Prohibition on magic instead of alcohol, and a group of girls called Nightbirds who will gift you their rare magic with a kiss - for a price. It’s full of flapper-inspired dresses, magical cocktails, illicit speakeasies, nods to women’s history, and of course, a group of girls punching the patriarchy and getting into all sorts of mischief. It comes out February 28, 2023. Find out more about NIGHTBIRDS on my other podcast, Pub Dates, which takes readers behind the scenes on the road to it publication, and at my author website. I can't wait to share it with you.
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