Mothers! Don't Let Your Daughters Become Flappers!

It starts innocently, first they show ankles. Then they are naked, going to petting parties, smoking & driving cars! You know what comes next. They start having opinions!

Photo: Louise Brooks

Louise Brooks was the epitome of flapper style and attitude. We did an entire post on her you can read and see here:

Flappers were a subculture of young Western women prominent after the First World War and through the 1920s who wore short skirts (knee length was considered short during that period), bobbed their hair, listened to jazz, and flaunted their disdain for prevailing codes of decent behavior. Flappers have been seen as brash for wearing excessive makeup, drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes in public, driving automobiles, treating sex in a casual manner, and otherwise flouting social and sexual norms. As automobiles became more available, flappers gained freedom of movement and privacy.

Flappers are icons of the Roaring Twenties, a period of postwar social and political turbulence and increased transatlantic cultural exchange, as well as of the export of American jazz culture to Europe. More conservative people, who belonged mostly to older generations, reacted with claims that the flappers' dresses were "near nakedness" and that flappers were "flippant", "reckless", and unintelligent.

As far back as the 1890s, French actress Polaire pioneered a look which included short, disheveled hair, emphatic mouth and huge eyes heavily outlined in kohl. The evolving flapper look required "heavy makeup" in comparison to what had previously been acceptable outside of professional usage in the theater. With the invention of the metal lipstick container as well as compact mirrors, bee-stung lips came into vogue. Dark eyes, especially kohl-rimmed, were the style. Blush came into vogue now that it was no longer a messy application process. Women shaped their eyebrows needle-thin and penciled them in dark, emulating such actresses as Clara Bow.

Originally, pale skin was considered most attractive. However, tanned skin became increasingly popular after Coco Chanel showed off a tan after a holiday – it suggested a life of leisure, without the onerous need to work. Women wanted to look fit, sporty, and, above all, healthy.

The Flapper Story - Roaring '20s Documentary:

The first flapper movie: THE FLAPPER: 16-year-old Genevieve 'Ginger' King (Thomas), is growing up in the boring town of Orange Springs, Florida where having a Soft drink with a boy is scandalous. Because of her behavior and yearning for a thrilling life her father decides to send her to a boarding school, Mrs. Paddle's School for Young Ladies, which is run by strict disciplinarian Mrs. Paddles (Marcia Harris) in Lake Placid, New York. Despite the strictness, the girls have fun getting into flapper lifestyle trouble including flirting:

Found 1920s 16mm Home Movie Film - FLAMING YOUTH - Flappers, Partying, Drinking, Skits:

Wine of Youth 1924

This documentary delves into 1920s cultural, social, and economic transformations, highlighting the birth of jazz, the rise of flappers, and the unprecedented prosperity and excess. It examines how the 1920s' spirit of innovation and liberation paved the way for modern fashion, music, and social norms. Through captivating visuals and expert insights, discover why the Roaring 20s remain a symbol of freedom, creativity, and resilience, and what this fascinating period can teach us about our own times:

Behind the paywall: TWINKLETOES w/ Colleen Moore

"Twinkletoes" Minasi wants to be a great dancer like her deceased mother. Twink meets Chuck Lightfoot, a noted prizefighter, who falls in love with her at first sight. She tries to avoid falling in love with Chuck, whose wife, Cissie, is a drunken harridan and more than a little bit spiteful. Meanwhile, Twink has secured a job in a singing-dancing act in a Limehouse theater, under the auspices of Roseleaf, who has more than just a protective interest in the girl....