The "modern women" and the flappers
The lifestyle we are living now, is the most prosperous lifestyle that we have lived, especially for our new and modern women. Women have finally gained suffrage and can stop the the fight, this will be marked in history forever, the 1920’s are off to a good start. Our modern women, or flappers are in battle with traditionalist, both women and men. Flappers are often looked down upon by traditionalist for wearing such short pieces of clothing, drinking, treating sex as a normal manner, driving, smoking and wearing excessive amounts of makeup. Wearing such heavy and dark makeup has been long associated with prostitution and actresses, but flappers see cosmetics as glamorous and classy to wear such types of makeup. Flappers also think the new fashion is glamorous and classy to wear with their makeup and fine jewels. The new fashion for women nowadays provides freedom for women to decide what they would like to wear. Traditionalist look down on these flappers and their new fashions choices because it shows that they have loose morals. Traditionalist fear that the new mortality of this era in women is threatening family values and the role of women in our society and in homes.
Despite what traditionalist these days think, our new and modern women show much more confidence nowadays. Though most women nowadays are just pretty housewives, alot more women work now, and make respectable amounts of money as factory workers, secretaries, sales clerks, and telephone operators. Since World War 1, the number of women working has increased by 25%. The percent of women going to college is also beginning to increase. Overall our women are becoming more successful, and living a prosperous life. A major factor of the new rise in both modern women and the confidence of these modern women is the rise in consumerism. The rise in consumerism is of course affecting the way our country lives, but it is affecting the women more because they have a new standard of living, and representing themselves. They measure their class level by their prosperity, women are beginning to dress more goddy through their clothing, jewels, and makeup. For example, Coco Chanel. The french designer has many clothing line styles, jewels and perfume that many young women love, they lover her designs because she takes her aspects from a mans suit and adds feminine flavor to it. This is something very new at this time.
- Tajah Guilaume
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