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1920's Fashion: Flappers and the First World Wide "Counter culture" Fashion Craze. . .
The flapper movement was the first counter-culture to give a big middle finger to the establishment.
Forty years before The Beatles played The Ed Sullivan Show and the hippies professed "Free Love", and long before the punks had a "Personality Crisis," the flapper movement set the world on fire.
If fashion can be considered a political statement, the fashions of the 1920's set the trend.
Next time you watch the Academy Awards listen for the style experts to use that wonderful phrase "inspired by the 1920's".
Usually the experts are referring to the most stunning woman at the show. And of course, that celebrity is wearing a gorgeous 20's inspired dress!
So what's our obsession with Roaring Twenties' styles?
What do modern fashion designers see in the styles of the 1920's that inspires them to continue to reinvent and recycle the lines and shapes of a long gone era?
And, perhaps the most important question of all. . .
"Why Do You Love 1920's Fashion?"
Is it:
- The flowing bias-cuts of Madeleine
Vionnet's designs?
There are
many reasons to be intrigued by the styles of the
1920's. . .
Personally, I love 1920's fashion because it shifted away from the fussy Victorian status quo, and reinvented style.
The Roaring Twenties gave women the freedom of choice. . . they could choose beauty, individuality, and functionality for their wardrobes and express themselves in new creative ways.
1920s fashion also set the rules (we still live by) of classical style.
Think about your own wardrobe. . .
Do you have any clothes that remind you of Roaring Twenties fashions? You probably do.
Maybe you actually have some vintage clothes from the 1920's.
If you are looking to buy some vintage fashion it's really amazing how many quality 1920's dresses are bought everyday in online auctions.
You can usually pick one up for just pennies. . . Click to find out what's on sale!

What Do Woman Want From Fashion?
Women want comfortable quality fabrics, an elegant body-flattering silhouette, a sense of individuality, timeless beauty, and style from their clothes.
With the help of some of the great names in modern fashion design - 1920's women got what they wanted.
And getting the clothes you want - clothes that make you feel and look good - is important to how you feel about yourself - don't you think?
Imagine a young flapper
trying to dance the Charleston while bound in a heavy Victorian dress - it's cruel - think of how sweaty and uncomfortable the fashions of the Victorian era were. . .
Then imagine a beautiful woman in a 1920's style flapper
dress
- the short hem framing her slim yet muscular
legs beautifully - her body, jewelry, hair, and clothes melding
together as she dances to the beat of one of Duke Ellington's famous jazz tunes.
It's a gorgeous site!
Many folks damned 20's fashion for being too "modern" - maybe they were just scared of a woman with a sense of style and individuality.
No self-respecting liberated woman would wear those Victorian clothes. . . the organ-crushing corset? Don't be silly. . .
With the gift of reflection, we can see how the
simple styles of 1920's fashion allowed a woman's beauty and elegance to shine through without the fake curves fabricated by fashion's torture devices - the corset and crinoline.
Finally,
A Woman's Beauty Was Allowed to Speak For Itself
The slimming effect of the modern "high-waisted" dresses gave women added confidence in the shape of their bodies. . . and as a bonus 1920's fashion allowed them to move freely around the
dance floor, and exposed the right amount of skin (in just the right places) to gain the attention of just the right men.
1920's fashion breathed timeless sex appeal, yet tempered it with elegance and class.
Thanks to the decade's beautiful celebrities, the fabulous New York Broadway shows, and the media's
obsession with what was "new", and beautiful, and sexy - America's attention
was firmly focused on acquiring a lifestyle of sexiness, freedom, and individuality.
- Stylish narrow brimmed felt cloche hats
- Colorful high heeled shoes
- Luxurious exotic fur coats
- Feminine and sensual form flattering dresses
Fashions
in the 1920's
dripped with quality and luxury - yet the lines of the
garments always reflected a simplicity of line
and silhouette.
This simplicity translated well to the sportswear Coco Chanel developed during the 1920's - adapting men's clothes into women's fashion because she felt too constricted and
overdressed in the traditional women's styles of the time.
While Chanel's fashions hinted at a distinct "masculine" influence that revolutionized 1920's fashion - Madeline Vionnet's dresses celebrated the female form and
revolutionized modern clothing as well. Both women
designers had profound influences on fashion and continue to
influence contemporary fashion today.
Every time a red carpet is rolled out - at an Academy Awards show, the Grammys, or the Emmys, the fabulous influence of Roaring Twenties fashion is on display.
The next time you see Charlize Theron, Nicole Kidman, Cate Blanchett, or many of the other beautiful modern celebrities walking down the Red Carpet you will see the influence
of 1920's fashion.
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