Flapper

Definition

A flapper was a young woman in the 1920s who embraced a more modern, liberated, and rebellious lifestyle, characterized by short skirts, bobbed hair, and a carefree attitude. Flappers were a symbol of the cultural and social changes that swept through the United States during the Roaring Twenties.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Flappers challenged traditional gender roles by adopting a more androgynous appearance, wearing shorter skirts and dresses, and embracing a more active and independent lifestyle.
2. The flapper style was influenced by the growing popularity of jazz music, which celebrated a more vibrant and energetic culture, and the rise of the automobile, which gave young women more freedom and mobility.
3. Flappers were often associated with the consumption of alcohol, particularly in speakeasies, which were illegal establishments that served as gathering places for the young and rebellious during Prohibition.
4. The flapper movement was a reflection of the growing influence of youth culture and the desire for social and cultural change in the aftermath of World War I, as young people sought to distance themselves from the more conservative values of the past.
5. Flappers were also known for their involvement in the women's suffrage movement, which had achieved the right to vote with the ratification of the 19th Amendment in 1920, further empowering young women to assert their independence and challenge traditional gender norms.

Review Questions

• Describe how the flapper lifestyle and fashion choices challenged traditional gender norms in the 1920s.
  • The flapper lifestyle and fashion choices, such as wearing shorter skirts, adopting a more androgynous appearance, and embracing a more active and independent lifestyle, challenged traditional gender norms in the 1920s. Flappers rejected the more conservative and restrictive roles that had been expected of women in the past, and their embrace of a more liberated and rebellious attitude was a reflection of the growing influence of youth culture and the desire for social and cultural change in the aftermath of World War I.
• Explain the connection between the flapper movement and the growing popularity of jazz music and the rise of the automobile during the 1920s.
  • The flapper movement was closely tied to the growing popularity of jazz music and the rise of the automobile during the 1920s. Jazz music, with its vibrant and energetic style, became a symbol of the more liberated and rebellious culture that flappers embraced. Similarly, the rise of the automobile gave young women more freedom and mobility, allowing them to explore the new social and cultural spaces that were emerging, such as speakeasies and other gathering places for the young and rebellious. These technological and cultural changes helped to fuel the flapper movement and its challenge to traditional gender norms.
• Analyze the role of flappers in the women's suffrage movement and their broader impact on the social and cultural landscape of the 1920s.
  • Flappers played a significant role in the women's suffrage movement, as their embrace of a more independent and empowered lifestyle was a reflection of the growing desire for political and social change. The ratification of the 19th Amendment in 1920, which granted women the right to vote, further empowered young women to assert their independence and challenge traditional gender norms. Beyond their involvement in the suffrage movement, flappers had a broader impact on the social and cultural landscape of the 1920s, as their rejection of traditional values and their embrace of a more vibrant and energetic culture helped to usher in a new era of social and cultural change. The flapper movement was a powerful symbol of the transformative forces that were shaping American society in the aftermath of World War I.

Related terms

Bobbed Hair: The short, stylish haircut that was a defining feature of the flapper look, often seen as a rejection of traditional feminine norms.

Charleston: A lively, energetic dance that became popular among flappers, reflecting their desire for more freedom and self-expression.

Speakeasies: Illicit drinking establishments that flourished during Prohibition, which became hubs of flapper culture and the Jazz Age.