Under Construction Journal Issue 6.1 UNDER CONSTRUCTION JOURNAL 6.1 | Page 25

with no curves or defined waist. Presley identifies the “corseted Gibson Girl” who adorned the covers of
mass media in Edwardian era (1901-1910); she presented an ‘S-shape’ silhouette. Presley highlights the
loosening of the corset in the 1910s was due to the increasing need for practical garments as the number
of women working outside the home reached 7,500,000 in the USA. The previous stiff, long skirt and
hourglass shape (that was still evident within women’s clothes in the Edwardian era) was a style that was
known to immobilise women and make it difficult to sit down or walk. Contrastingly, the Roaring Twenties
was the era when women’s independence was expressed most notably through dress and social habits.
The 1920s was also the first time women bared their legs in public. Lee adds that women were also
exposing their necks and arms – and that their underwear grew lighter, and bathing suits were revealing
more body exposure than ever during this period.
Figure 2
16