The 1920s liberated women's fashion. Hemlines rose to the knee, corsets were abandoned, and a new boyish silhouette - flat chested, drop-waisted, and free-moving - defined the Jazz Age.
Defining Looks
- The flapper dress - straight, knee-length shifts with fringe, beads, and Art Deco geometry, made for dancing the Charleston.
- Cloche hats - close-fitting bell-shaped hats worn low over bobbed hair.
- Oxford bags - wide-legged trousers for men, alongside plus-fours and Argyle sweaters.
- Costume jewelry - long pearl strands, Bakelite bangles, and bold cocktail rings.
Why It Mattered
Coco Chanel's little black dress (1926), the rise of ready-to-wear, and women's suffrage all converged: fashion became simpler, faster, and more democratic. The 1920s invented the modern idea of fashion as self-expression rather than status display.