In the last couple of months I have revived my love for one specific movie genre – musicals. The last one I watched has been „Cabaret“, starring Liza Minnelli, who won an Oscar for best actress for her performance in 1972.

I’m so amazed by her movie styling – short bob haircut, huge eyelashes and intensive make-up with some amazing outfits. I especially love her „flapper 20s“ styling in „Money“ musical number.

Liza Minelli as Sally Bowles and Joel Grey as Master of Ceremonies in 1972 musical “Cabaret”

Shortly after watching the movie I became a little bit obsessive with flapper fashion and wholesome image. The whole look and lifestyle was rather provocative for its time – flappers were rebels in their own way. They smoked, danced, drove cars, and for the first time voted and started to be equals with men, not like their mothers and grandmothers.

I bought this perfect black flapper dress, ordered a headpiece online, and started my own flapper adventure.

Special thanks goes to Miss Stela for her Photoshop skills – I finally got to meet Leonardo Di Caprio and Charlie Chaplin 🙂 🙂 – in same day !

Black flapper dress bought at “In Fashion” store, Split

In scene from 1974 film version “Great Gatsby”….with Robert Redford as Jay Gatsby 🙂

Hanging with my girls…

Mr. Chaplin and Miss Dee

Leonardo Di Caprio as Jay Gatsby in 2013 film version of “Great Gatsby”

“You don’t stand a chance boys… :)”

Black leather heels bought at “Transport Footwear”, flapper headpiece and cigarette holder bought on E-bay

The term “flapper” first appeared in Great Britain after World War I. It was used to describe young girls who had not yet entered womanhood.

In the 1920s, flappers broke away from the Victorian image of womanhood. They dropped the corset, chopped their hair, dropped layers of clothing to increase ease of movement, wore make-up, created the concept of dating, and became a sexual person.

Authors such as F. Scott Fitzgerald first used the term in the U.S.

The Flappers’ image consisted of drastic changes in women’s clothing and hair. Nearly every article of clothing was trimmed down and lightened in order to make movement easier.

The new, energetic dances required women to be able to move freely. The outer clothing of flappers is even still extremely identifiable. This look, called “garconne” (“little boy”), was instigated by Coco Chanel.

Coco Chanel

To look more like a boy, women tightly wound their chest with strips of cloth in order to flatten it (I don’t have problems with that!). The waists of flapper clothes were dropped to the hipline. Women started to wore stockings.

The short haircut was called the “bob”, which was later replaced by an even shorter haircut, the “Eton” cut. The shingle cut was slicked down and had a curl on each side of the face that covered the woman’s ears.

Famous 20s pair – Actor Rudolph Valentino and ballerina Natasha Zambova

Flappers also started wearing make-up. Rouge, powder, eye-liner, and lipstick became extremely popular, with characteristic “cupid-bow” lips.

Famous and talented “flapper” girl, jazz singer Josephine Baker

The flapper attitude was characterized by truthfulness, fast living, and open sexual behavior. They wanted to be different. So they smoked, something only men had done previously.

Clara Bow – epitome of 20s fashion with her characteristic “cupid – bow” lips

Smoking wasn’t the most outrageous of the flapper’s rebellious actions – they drank alcohol. More than a few adults didn’t like to see tipsy young women.

Original “flapper” girl – Louise Brooks

The 1920s was the Jazz Age and one of the most popular past-times for flappers was dancing. Dances such as the Charleston were considered “wild” by older generations.

Cars were fast and risky – perfect for the flapper attitude. Flappers not only insisted on riding in them; they drove them.

In her “flapper” 20s – beautiful Joan Crawford

Some women cut off their hair and stopped wearing their corsets, but didn’t go to the extreme of flapperhood.

Alice Joyce, star of silent movies

At the end of the 1920s the world was plunged into the Great Depression. Frivolity and recklessness were forced to come to an end. However, much of the flapper’s changes have remained to this day.

Flappers in popular culture and fashion: