Was it really the Roaring Twenties?

Was it really the roaring twenties?
Yes it was!
This was the time that women became *gasps* rebellious.
Between dancing the charleston, visiting speakeasies(underground clubs), smoking and being what may would call promiscuous, women were having the time of their life. Women had no time become stay at home moms because they were never at home. And luckily for us this roaring time in history was documented and shared with us threw art.

To the right are two pictures taken from the twenties. To the naked eye one may thing that the women are having a grand OL time but not remembering that 10 or 20 years ago all was not allowed. The first one is a simple club scene. Girls sitting at the bar, guys ordering them drinks, skin tight apparel and a whole lot of body language being exchanged.

The roaring twenties were the roaring twenties because women were roaring into the sexy dresses and new lifestyles that did not involve staying home in oversized clothes.

The other pictured shared would be a couple doing the charleston. The Charleston was a very popular dance, one I've always liked but never caught the hang of. Maybe it's because I feel I have two left feet, but that's besides the point. Look at this photo, more importantly the lady. She looks fabulous. And wait a minuet, is that leg? Oh my, her thighs are showing.

Did Someone Say Music?

Art is not only to pictures and painting but also the capturing of the moments. Here are some links to women doing their "shimmy" and having a good time.
Note* this would have never been allowed in the previous ages, just look at their dress attire, their open social life and how happy they look. And even in present time we still adore their dances.

Life Magazine

Life magazine was started in 1911, and lucky for me ...and you they helped document the changes of the 1920s. Much isn't left of the history because it was bought out in the 1930s but it's still fun to look at the amazing covers. They are vibrantly covered and tell much of the 20's history, or shall I say her-story :) All these covers were made by C. Coles Phillips, Lifes magazine trusted "person" for many years.

This cover to the left, is incredibly pretty yet tells so many stores. The women is a butterfly and that to me, symbolizes the changes that women are taking. No more are the women a catapillar but shes flying away from the cacoon, becoming indepenedent.

The cover to the right,
shows that womens roles are changing. In this cover the message that it is sending out to its readers is that women, can do it all. The picture shows that she can do the sports, golf, tennis, boating while still keeping the feminine side of her going, hence the leg garter, makeup, short dress and shoes.

As the magazine portrays women they portray the change in womens lifestyle and thankfully for this magazine we are experiencing this transformation from the boring stay at home mom to the fun, fancy, spontaneous, dancing machine women.

Its documented in books too!

The Great Gatsby is one of F. Scott Fitzgerald greater works, if not his greatest. The book and covers discuss women. "The Great Gatsby gives us a glimpse into the gender roles of post-WWI America. Gender roles are in part decided by societal roles, as Tom’s upper class masculinity (strength, intimidation, virility) is contrasted with Wilson’s lower class version (hard working nature, naiveté). Unfaithfulness is a trait of both women and men, as we see in the text’s prevalent adultery. Women take physical abuse at the hands of Tom’s overly-macho persona, which seems a right of his gender at the time. His abuse is a form of the control that he exercises over both his mistress and his wife. Even Gatsby, who treats Daisy as if she is the most precious jewel in the world, does not ultimately understand women. He treats his love as a prize, rather than a person. Daisy and Jordan, interestingly, seem to do as they please – but they still define themselves by their ability to attract men." Smhoop University




Women's role changes were not only on the cover magazines and paintings. They were documented in books too. This picture says what Gatsby says in his book and also speaks for the decade. Women were seen as a prized possesion. The many peices of artwork that affilate itself with The Great Gatsby all emphasize the women. The women are seen glamorous and as a prize. They live the high life with pearls and fancy clothes.



This book and movie has had many favorable reviews and i am pleased to let you know, if you dont know already that they are doing a remake of this movie. It should be released in 2012 and I cant wait. Im curious as to how they are going to live up to the womens fashion and stereotypes of the 20's.



Flapper by Joshua Zeitz

This fun filled book is advertising and eye catching. Along with the cover of 4 girls sitting on a car on a hot summer day in very revealing clothes the reader already know that this will be no boring book.
As amazon puts it, "Blithely flinging aside the Victorian manners that kept her disapproving mother corseted, the New Woman of the 1920s puffed cigarettes, snuck gin, hiked her hemlines, danced the Charleston, and necked in roadsters. More important, she earned her own keep, controlled her own destiny, and secured liberties that modern women take for granted. Her newfound freedom heralded a radical change in American culture".

I received this book as a present for my birthday but if one didn't read it you could tell that the women from the 1920s did not live a boring style. These Women have smiles on their face, none of them have wedding rings and they are looking for directions in a map. These women are independent, look at them driving a car with no male at their side. Before in previous ages women were in the passenger seats while their male companions took care of the driving because it was more masculine. These girls as anyone could tell we're exceeding their freedoms.

This painting is called Young Girl In a Green Dress by Tamara De Limpicka. Now besides the stunning green used in this oil painting this is beautiful. This is something I would like to share in my house ones day.


The detail in this picture is simply amazing. The detail to this young girls silhouette is sharp and the attention to her breast and stomach are defined. The belly button is visible as well as her nipples. Limpicka as a artists in the 1920s continued to show her freedom as a female artist in her work. Before her time women were limited to still life and feminely things. But as time progressed we can see that there was more liberty. Women used to have to stay away from nude art but now women were making them. Although this painting doesn't show exactly nude the details to her body frame and features are very distinct. I just love this picture.