The Flappers: Fashion and Jazz Collaboration by Angelica Garcia
Do you like going out with your gals for a night on the town? Try wearing a short dress, make up, short curled hair, holding a cigarette in your hand while dancing to jazz. The 1920’s were a hit featuring the lady flappers plus the beginning of jazz. This movement lead to define a different kind of female, a more liberating one from the one society was accustomed too. They would be open to having occasional sex with men without marriage. With the flappers being the spotlight they would be judged by all and were degraded. On the other hand, this movement collaborated with jazz. The new music age came from Black American roots with artists like Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, and much more.
The definition of a 1920’s flapper was a young woman who shows disdain for controversial dress and behavior. Including bobbed hair, excessive make up, had casual sex, didn’t wear a corset and wore short dresses. They would go to clubs and bars to dance to jazz. Jazz soothe the environment to let everyone enjoy themselves, it was very catchy. The book History of 20th Century Fashion states that the typical look was “A 1925 short evening dress with all the elegance of Paris and the contemporary fashionable earnings, slave bangle and ostrich feather fan (Ewing 90).”
Rayon was a big hit creating the fashionable stocking rather than your typical black and white, for example, lisle, silk, and artificial silk. The flappers would use these tights with their short skirts making a fashion statement. The women took it very seriously how they would look. Fashion was changing as the attitudes of the women were. Elizabeth Ewing believed “The ‘flapper’, flighty and gay, but she would soon settle down” (92). The flapper was a stereotype for young promiscuous girls trying to have fun with no commitments. “Flap” was a slang word for a prostitute; you would see why society would judge them.
Aside from the fashion they also participated in women’s rights movement. During this time they were able to get the Nineteenth Amendment passed so females can vote. The red scare was also occurring at the time, the potential rise of communism. It started with the Bolshevik Revolution in the 1917’s when or economy was in recession. Labor strikes were occurring across the nation. Our nation was a crisis there was a few bombing including the one on Wall Street killing 38. The Ku Klux Klan was also trying to make their comeback by holding a parade in front of the U.S. Capitol by William J. Simmons. January 16, 1920 eighteenth amendment began which prohibited, in the words of Kathleen and Patrick, “the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors within, the importation therof into, or the exportation thereof the United States” (13). Which I believe was the lowest point for America.
The saxophone, clarinet, and trumpet were one of many instruments used for jazz. Jazz was born in New Orleans from the roots of blues, folk, march and ragtime. The entire nation was in love with the rhythm of the sound was ranked as the most listened to during the 20’s. As Kathleen and Patrick state in their book “Jazz, was an unwritten, polyphonic music characterized, at least originally, by blues accents and collective improvisation, in which musicians each embellished the melody” (200). Kid Ory’s Original Creole Jazz Band out of New Orleans was the first to make recordings. After that several record companies started recording big hit jazz artists, for example Louis Armstrong, Ray Miller Orchestra, Ella Fitzgerald plus others. At the time the radio was also expanding and helping promote the jazz culture. Some classics from Armstrong are “Heebie Jeebies” (1926), “Potatoe Head Blues” (1927), and “West End Blues” (1928). Aside from just having black jazz musicians there also came along some inspired white folks to play. Although most of the country loved jazz there were a handful of the conservatives that saw it as a threat to our country’s moral.
Jazz today is still around, mainly in its homeland of New Orleans. It’s either traditional, contemporary, or mainstream that is being created today. A famous quote from the poet Hans Christian Anderson “Where words fail, music speaks” this correlates along with the black community. Since the Black Americans have struggled in the past Jazz has helped them find some positive. The quote that Hans said is perfect for the jazz movement in the 20’s because the American conservatives would try to ban this from happening. The first part of the quote to me means that when the government or the type of power ruling over the people can’t seem to be on good terms little things like music can turn that all around. Another controversy that is around is who invented jazz? The whites or blacks. Zola says in her article “Because of the western influences and American band traditions in jazz, some people believe that it does not simply belong to African Americans” (The Social Effects of Jazz). Which on the other hand, the blacks have had jazz in their lives since times of slavery.
In a New York Times article on the 1920’s Flappers which was published may 21 1992 by Dr. Harris from the Methodist board has quite to say about these ladies. The people of this era first did not accept this movement; they were appalled and believed it was unmoral. Dr. Harris is agreeing with this movement because he believes there is nothing wrong with short dresses and painted faces (make up). The people that disagree with this at the time said that the young generation will come to its own destruction. As Dr. Harris says that the new generations only adapt from the previous ones but we are yet to remember something negative we did and only thing with great significance.
In seeing the difference between the flappers and the rest of the people during this era can be told apart by the way they look but not by their morals. The older generation will always have something bad to say about the new generations because as you become older you experience more problems and are wiser in your actions. Dr. Harris was a well educated individual; he was former President of Northwestern University and Chairman of the Chicago Vice Commission. You would think he’d be one of the ones opposing to this movement but yet he’s agreeing with it. In the words of Dr. Harris himself “The after war reaction accounts for this in the flapper, as it does in the business man and other types. In my opinion, it all comes back to the old tendency of each generation to view with profound and self-righteous disapproval the new things ushered in by the new generation (Flappers Upheld by this Minister)”. This was a big controversy for the flappers.
Fashion is always changing as time goes on. I’ve noticed that in the 20thcentury fashion would change every decade till it got to the 21st century. Now I see that were copying the fashion from the previous decades. As the media keeps creating a image to society that’s what the younger generation will follow. It’s not that their dumb but as they grow they will be leaning from their own mistakes. And as for us, we become more conservative as we grow. I love fashion and how the art of it. Everyone has their own way of expressing themselves and they do that through the image they create for themselves. The patterns , textures, colors, are what fashion is really about. While doing my research on the flappers, I feel in love with their style. I thought it was their way of making their statement as that they weren’t going to be prisoners of society but have a say in what they want. As for jazz, I was not fond of it till my golf coach in high school introduced me to it. Jazz is one of the real definitions of music. Its rich and full of life. I have been to the playboy jazz festival at the Hollywood Bowl and it was amazing. Appreciating what life has to offer is great. Everyone should be more aware of the beauty in our lives.
Bibliography
Drowne, Kathleen Morgan., and Patrick Huber. The 1920s. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 2004. Print.
Ewing, Elizabeth, and Alice Mackrell. History of 20th Century Fashion. New York: Costume & Fashion, 2001. Print.
Gioia, Ted. "History of Jazz." History of Jazz. Oxford University Press, 1997. Web. 14 Nov. 2013.
Harris, Dr. "Flappers Upheld By This Minister." Bishop Feehan High School Library. New York Times, 21 May 1922. Web. 5 Nov.2013.
Philipp, Zola. "The Social Effects of Jazz." York College. The City University of New York, 2009. Web. 7 Nov. 2013.
Ewing, Elizabeth, and Alice Mackrell. History of 20th Century Fashion. New York: Costume & Fashion, 2001. Print.
Gioia, Ted. "History of Jazz." History of Jazz. Oxford University Press, 1997. Web. 14 Nov. 2013.
Harris, Dr. "Flappers Upheld By This Minister." Bishop Feehan High School Library. New York Times, 21 May 1922. Web. 5 Nov.2013.
Philipp, Zola. "The Social Effects of Jazz." York College. The City University of New York, 2009. Web. 7 Nov. 2013.
Primary Source: Flappers Upheld By This Minister |
This New York Times article on the 1920’s Flappers which was published may 21 1992 by Dr. Harris from the Methodist board has quite to say about these ladies. The people of this era first did not accept this movement; they were appalled and believed it was unmoral. Dr. Harris is agreeing with this movement because he believes there is nothing wrong with short dresses and painted faces (make up). The people that disagree with this at the time said that the young generation will come to its own destruction. As Dr. Harris says that the new generations only adapt from the previous ones but we are yet to remember something negative we did and only thing with great significance.
In seeing the difference between the flappers and the rest of the people during this era can be told apart by the way they look but not by their morals. The older generation will always have something bad to say about the new generations because as you become older you experience more problems and are wiser in your actions. Dr. Harris was a well educated individual; he was former President of Northwestern University and Chairman of the Chicago Vice Commission. You would think he’d be one of the ones opposing to this movement but yet he’s agreeing with. |
The Style and Sound
Their outfits would always have to be perfect when they were out with the gals!
This video shows the icon of jazz, Louis Armstrong singing his famous " West End Blues ". Jazz was the music of the 1920's.
Here is a picture of the short dress with knee high socks, getting the males attention.
Jazz kept the hearts warm in the 20's. Here is a musician playing the famous saxophone.
The cover of a Life magazine in the 20's portraying a flapper dancing with a man to what we would know, jazz.
The video above is showing the daily life a flapper. She would enjoy it with her gals out in the down having fun as well as flirting with men. Their outfits were typically long dresses, with short bobbed hair, heels and excessive make up.