Life In The 1920s Essay

The way Americans lived their lives was drastically changed between the years of 1920 and 1940. Many different events and advances in technology happened within the country during this time period. Events such as the stock market crash in 1929, the dust bowl of the 1930’s, and, due to an increase in urbanization, the uprising of major cities. Also advances in technology transpired, such as the invention of the radio and Henry Ford’s assembly line. These events and advances are all illustrated in great detail in the novel, Daily Life in the United States, 1920-1940 by David E. Kyvig. His thesis explains that during the two decades, the American life style was changed in such a

The Roaring Twenties brought many fads and fashion rages. During the 1920's, Americans were given the honor of being called the "best- dressed". Several things contributed to this honor: Affordable pricing, mass production clothing, the birth of the "flapper girl", and rise of fashionable movie stars that Americans wanted to imitate.

The decade of the 1930’s can be characterized in two parts: The Great Depression, and the restoration of the American economy. America had been completely destroyed due to the Stock Market Crash of 1929. It was up to the government and people of the 1930’s to "mend" America’s wounds. One man stood up to this challenge, Franklin Delano Roosevelt. He promised to fix the American economy, provide jobs, and help the needy. During The Great Depression, the crime rate had risen to an all new high. J. Edgar Hoover helped to create the Federal Bureau of Investigation. As America was restored, culture grew quickly. Dance clubs, new music styles, glamour girls, movies and sports were all popular forms of entertainment in the

Thanks to Coco Chanel, the iconic flapper image most closely associated with the roaring twenties came about. The flapper and flapper image didn’t actually come to be until around 1926 and even then was only in style for about three years. Typical flappers were women who appeared to have a bold attitude and were independent women who didn’t adhere to the previously innocent housewife image. A flapper usually had a bob haircut, a shorter than average dress, a flat chest, wore tons of make-up, drank illegal alcohol, smoked with a long cigarette holder, exposed her limbs and danced the Charleston. This was a drastic change from the typical American housewife to the reckless rebel. The flapper dresses stressed above the knee hemlines and construed straight, sleek shapes. This was the first time in centuries women’s legs were being seen in a garment. (1920s Fashion 1) Flappers loved to jazz up their costume and even their image. Many flappers’ dresses were adorned with jewels and intricate beading. The main object of the flapper image was to appear almost boyish rather than looking feminine. (1920s clothing 1)

The 1920s was an age of drastic social and political changes. For the first time in history, more Americans started living in cities rather than on farms. Americans were wealthier than ever before. People from coast to coast bought similar goods, listened to the same music, did the same dances, and even used related slang. Numerous Americans were uncomfortable with this unfamiliar, urban, and occasionally racy “mass culture”. In fact, for a large number of people in the United States, the 1920s brought more conflict than celebration. However, for a minuscule handful of youth in the nation’s larger cities, the 1920s were roaring. Prohibition gave criminals a way to illegally make money; gangsters, young men who worked in criminal gangs, began selling on the black-market alcohol. Young woman emerged during the 1920s with different appearance, attitude, and behavior; with a bobbed haircut and short skirts.

During the 20th century, the people of America had to adjust to new desires, lifestyles, and the new materialistic economy. After entering World War I, the aftermath included false positives that in the end, turned out to be complete negatives. Citizens of America possessed materialistic beliefs that led to disappointments. African Americans were confronted by atrocious social conditions. The frustrations faced by many Americans living in the 1920s, included the desires for materialistic possessions in hopes of contentment, the aspirations for freedom and the dignified need for racial equality, are all elucidated in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s short story, “Winter Dreams”, and both poems, “Democracy” by Langston Hughes and “The White House” by Claude Mckay.

The 1960s was crammed full of many impacting events and important figures. From Hitchcock releasing one of the greatest thrillers of all time, Psycho, to Marilyn Monroe’s untimely death, to the infamous Woodstock festival. This era changed history completely and made the United States think twice about its youth. Events of the 1960s are still impacting our country as we know it today. The sudden pull from the conservative ‘50s changed America’s views on all aspects of life, including fashion, entertainment, and lifestyles.

The Roaring Twenties started in North America and spread to Europe as the effects of World War I diminished. In Europe, the years following the First World War (1919-1923) were marked by a deep recession. Europe spent these years in rebuilding and coming to terms with the vast human cost of the conflict. Unlike in the aftermath of World War II, the United States did little to try to rebuild Europe. Instead, it took an increasingly isolationist stance (Answers, 2006).

disappointment. It was a decade classified as the "roaring twenties." Men returning from World War I had to deal with unemployment, wheat farmers and oil companies were striking it rich, new modern conveniences were being thought up, and fashion was a major issue among the rich.

The 1920’s or the roaring 20’s was an era of substantial cultural development. Cities and culture were growing massively. Big businesses were spreading coast to coast, allowing all Americans to have the same items despite location. A lot of older people were uncomfortable with these changes, but the younger ones were all for it. People had many new opportunities; the economy was booming, people could travel nearly anywhere they wanted to, and women were getting rights. Women finally got the right to vote in 1919, and the freedoms for women increased rapidly during this era. Women also implemented a new style where they cut their hair short and wore more risqué clothes; they called themselves flappers. Because of the growing economy and evolving technology, people had a lot of money and time to spend leisurely. People began buying pre-made clothes, appliances like refrigerators and

The most common styles were the shorter skirts, oxford bags, the fedora, the flapper, horn-rimmed glasses, one piece swimsuit, the robe de style, the cloche hat and much more ( 1920s Fashion: The

In the 1920s, women wore day dresses, in the day, hence it’s called day dresses. For day dresses, the dress were short and loose. It wasn’t until 1925 when the length of the day dresses was around the knees. The waistline for the day dresses were right below the bust line and as time went on, the waistline lowered. So by 1922, the waistline for the day dresses were around the hips. As for the colors of the day dresses, the 1920s was really into floral prints and pastel colors. Besides from day dresses, evening dresses were completely the opposite. Depending on the quality and style of your evening dresses, it would basically show the women’s social status, how much money they would have. Everything on the evening dress was expensive, from the accessories such as beads to its material. There are many different styles of necklines on the formal dresses and it consists of a low square cut, scoop, or a V shape. As for the back of the dresses, it would either be a low scoop or V also. To complete the formal look, women would also add on accessories such as jewelry. There would be long necklaces, which are usually made out of fake pearls/beads, cuff bracelets that would usually go up to the arm or around the biceps, and those were made out of either gold or silver, earrings that we usually long, and chokers. Women could also wear stockings if they liked to, and the colors of stockings were usually black or nude. Women could also put on a cloche hat

Entertainment changed life for every American in the 1920s, whether they liked it or not. An increase in leisure time meant that many Americans now had time to indulge in the various types of entertainment that had previously been ignored. Thus, the industry boomed and became more powerful than ever. However, new entertainment came with new ideas for young American minds, and society changed drastically during this period. During the 1920s, the entertainment industry was significant in the changes to American society. Spectator sports, cinema, and the radio were essential in the “Roaring Twenties”.

After world war I ended in 1919, the united states prospered and experienced a vibrant, celebratory decade. That same year women gained the right to vote. The roaring twenties were all about becoming “someone” - separating yourself from the old and “making a life new.” As the western world celebrated the end of the war clothing styles changed to reflect the enthusiasm of the time. As the war came to a close women received the right to vote from the 19th amendment, giving them more rights and becoming more equal to men. Now being recognized in the nation as voters, women started to separate from traditional lifestyles into new lifestyles. This changes some daily routines and actions from them including how they dressed.

The fashion of the 1900's was very different to those in following years. The fashion in the early 1900's was very sophisticated and elegant. The women commonly wore fitted bodied dresses with petticoats and corsets under them. They usually were ¾ length sleeves and worn with gloves that covered up the bare arm that would have been showing. Lace and ruffles were very much in style and the details were very important. Men had a different sort of fashion as well. The men dressed fairly formal and proper for casual events. They usually wore 3 piece suits with suit jackets with no collar. The fashion in this time were sophisticated, elegant, and chic. Women dressed in all different ways in the 1920's. The women were all about having a new fresh start after the war. They wanted to look sassy and cute as opposed to the dull and boring styles of those leading up to it. Some new styles made a big impact on the parents of the 20's. Girls wanted to cut their hair, which was a very controversial statement at the time were flappers. Being a flapper related to smoking and drinking.