Fabulous Fashions of the 1920s

The cloche hat also had its own secret code. Pay attention to the styles with ribbons. If there was a bow, it meant the wearer was single

Short hairstyles for women may not seem new to you. But back then, women’s salons did not even know how to cut hair short. So women would go to men’s barbershops. The cut was called a “bob,” probably because it was a word used when cutting a horsetail short. Barbers would “bob” women’s long hair in a similar way.

Women wore their hair long for centuries. But there was a sense of freedom in the air. World War I had ended. Some women had already cut their hair short, starting back in 1915. More and more women would do so in the 1920s, encouraged by role models in society

The cloche hat also had its own secret code. Pay attention to the styles with ribbons. If there was a bow, it meant the wearer was single. A knot meant she was married. An untied ribbon showed that the girl had given her promise of love.

The style in the 1920s was “boyish.” Women’s short hairstyles helped create the look. So did the clothes. Dresses were cut straight, with low waistlines or none at all. The shoulders were broader. The bust was pushed in. Womanly curves disappeared in these new shapeless fashions.

In fact, the average person did not have the money to buy all that he or she wanted. So the concept of credit was introduced. Buying now and paying later was very popular. It was also the beginning of an unstable economy.

The cloche hat also had its own secret code. Pay attention to the styles with ribbons. If there was a bow, it meant the wearer was single. A knot meant she was married. An untied ribbon showed that the girl had given her promise of love.

Ancient Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamen’s tomb was discovered in 1922. People became fascinated with all things Egyptian. There were clothes and shoes with hieroglyphics. Women wore Cleopatra earrings, snake bracelets, and scarab-shaped jewelry. There were even “mummy” powder compacts.

The discovery of King Tutankhamen’s tomb resurrected a style that had been dead for thousands of years. Inspired by King Tut’s gold funerary mask, women enjoyed looking like ancient royalty.

Flappers were known for their fashion. They were also known for some bad behavior. They drank alcohol, smoked cigarettes, and applied makeup on in public instead of going to the ladies’ room.