Bring back the flappers

I believe the style of dress that should make a return is the "flapper". This frock was straight in style, light in fabric, and came with a bonus. There was no need to wear a corset with this fashion statement and that made it much easier to do dances such as the tango and the Charleston. I enjoy the old movies where a row of dancing girls is wearing flapper dresses, a feather in their hats, long bead, and are doing the Charleston. It looks like so much fun. The flapper dress is just right for women who enjoy being feminine and accessorizing.

These women could bend and turn and kick up their heels without restrictions. This was a moment of freedom and liberation for women who during the Victorian era, wore uncomfortable corsets, had looks on their faces that were serious and devoid of any fun. The appeal of the flapper for me is because it is a fashion that all women can wear no matter their size.

Please note the woman in the cover photo is plus size and she looks as comfortable and secure in her flapper dress as the women in the following photos who are smaller in stature. Flapper dresses fit just right by complementing the female form yet are loose enough to leave room to move. This is a wonderful style for women of all ages and body sizes. Clothing should be comfortable and not so tight that what you are wearing restricts your movements or causes acid reflux.

This brings to mind images of Mammy in GONE WITH THE WIND as she was trying to tighten the corset worn by Scarlett O'Hara who was determined to get her waist size back to 19 inches. There was a lot of heave ho and holding of breath but eventually, Miss Scarlett was tightened up and I wondered how she could breathe. The flapper dress was introduced in 1920 and it is believed that the love of dancing is why the more comfortable style came into being.

During this era both hair and hemlines were clipped as women seemed to take on an air of defiance at the previous norms. Females bobbed their hair, showed more of their legs in their dresses, threw away the tight fitting corsets, and began wearing bras and underclothing instead. With loose fitting clothing women loosened their morals decided to have fun. Jazz music and the Charleston dance became all the rage and thus, the roaring 20s were upon us.

The term "flapper" was said to be a British slang word for “prostitute”. “Flapper” was also a term used in the olden days for a young bird whose wings weren’t yet developed enough to fly. The baby birds would flap their wings but never get off the ground. By the time of the 20th century, flapper began to reference teenage girls who had trouble putting their hair up the same way the baby birds could not fly.

Flapper culture became big business during the 1920s for Hollywood where actresses including Olive Thomas, Dorothy Gish, and Clarine Seymour, were described as flappers in the movies because they wore this style of dress. Prior to the era of flapper dresses, only ladies of the evening wore makeup. This changed and women who wore flapper dresses began wearing bright red lipstick and using blush which was a boon for the cosmetics industry.

This is another reason why I would like to see this style return. In addition to the comfort and is a dress that can be worn by women of all sizes, flappers inspire one to dress up. This is not every female's cup of tea but for those who enjoy fixing their hair, donning a hat and jewelry,a pair of heels, and perhaps some pasntyhose the flapper dress is just what will give you that air of sophistication and a desire to go out on the town.