Women’s Fashion in the 1920’s: Timeless Perfection

I have always loved black and white movies. There seems to be something special about these movies. This is one of the main reasons why I chose to study this for my fashion portfolio. Starting off I had no idea how much of an imprint this fashion made and still continues to make in society. Fashion speaks volumes and has changed history. Women’s fashion in the 1920s is great example of this. The way that women changed their hair and their dress sent shock waves through society. People started to take notice, and women demanded equality. Fashion is what made it all possible in my opinion.

A lot can be said with a person’s hair style. At first I didn’t think a whole lot could be said with a person’s hair style. However the fashion in the 1920s proved me wrong yet again. The “bob” and boy cut look of the 1920s was a statement to society at the time. A statement of yes we are women, and guess what we deserve the same rights as you! That is really my summary of the hair style in the 1920s. It was a drastic change that people were not use to which got people’s attention. However it still in a sense showed that women were different. What I really like about it was that it didn’t detract from a woman being a woman. The curls, the hats, the make-up showed that women were still proud of being a woman. It taught me not to make a judgment about a person’s hair. In a way it has taught me to appreciate the differences that can be found in a person’s hair style.

One movie that comes to mind when I think about women’s jewelry in the 1920s is, Singin In The Rain. I don’t know if it was necessarily depicting the fashion of the 1920s but I believe a scene in the movie “nailed it right on the head.” During one of the songs in the movie it shows a bunch of women dressed up in different fashions. Every time that I watch it I am always amazed at how long the necklaces are. What jewelry in the 1920s taught me is that a way a person looks isn’t just because of the clothes that they have on. It is the way that they accessorize and dress themselves with the clothes that makes the fashion. Fashion is like a piece of art and a shirt is never just a shirt.

I first fell in love with the flapper dress after watching Singin In The Rain. Then after researching the style and look of the dress my appreciation for it grew. It is because the dress was not just a dress even though that is what I use to think fashion was. The dress was a statement and a movement for woman to be treated as equals. It also showed how much fun woman liked to have. Again I learned to not judge a person’s dress after studying the flapper dress. It’s a piece of art/movement that should be appreciated. The way you dress can say a lot and the statement that the flapper dress made changed history.

The most important lesson that I learned from this portfolio is that fashion can be fun. It is fun in the sense that there are no rules. Yes society tries to create rules and guidelines. But just like the women in the 1920s, I am the person who gets to decide my fashion/look. Fashion doesn’t have to be a pain and I don’t have to detest shopping anymore. By looking at it the way the women in the 1920s did, I can enjoy it. In my own ways I can make history for myself. I can do this by dressing professionally to get my dream job. I can add jewelry to create the perfect date outfit. Fashion doesn’t have limits, fashion is limitless.