Vintage Clothing: The 1920s Flapper Dress

A Modern 1920s Style Flapper Dress

Marked by it's tight fit, it's knee-high length, and straight lines, the flapper dress was emblematic of the entire Jazz Age. A woman showing the skin of her legs in public would have been cause for scandal in the prior decades, but in the 1920s it became expected.

The dresses flappers wore gave them a narrow, straight adolescent look.

However the origin of the term "Flapper" is open to debate. Some folks say it was used to describe a young woman (bird) just learning to fly, others used the term to describe a young prostitute.

I'll leave it open to your opinion.

Recently, there has been a revival of the 1920s flapper dress.

Every celebrity seems to be wearing one.

I've attended several fashion shows where the styles were unmistakably based on vintage flapper designs. The flapper dress is recognizable by most people, why do you think it became so famous?

Through my search I've found several vintage 20's flapper dresses for sale in consignment shops and online. Before you make the investment of buying one, there are a few things you need to know about taking care of these dresses.

While these styles were often simple in design, they often had complex embroideries, beads, fringe, and panels of fabric.

The Model Jule Andre:
Vanity Fair Magazine 1927

Richly Detailed Clothing Needs Special Care

Beads are heavy, and after 90 years fabric gets weak. So don't hang your 1920s flapper dress on a hanger. Hanging will put major stress on the shoulder straps and the threads that attach the beads.

Make sure to keep your dress in an "acid free" box and folded with tissue paper.

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