c. 1920s

Flapper Dress

As women began working outside the home, traditional societal roles were challenged. Increasingly, women began challenging old, rigid ideas about roles and embraced consumerism and personal choice. Women's fashion of the 1920s reflected these societal changes and dresses dramatically shifted to more risqué styles as seen in this flapper style dress. Women were no longer corseting their bodies to produce an hourglass figure but moved to a simple shapeless shift dress exposing the lower legs and often the arms as well. Lightweight flowing fabric was all the rage and heavy beading was popular as well. This example is particularly racy with strips of beaded chemise around the skirt that would fly away from the body while the wearer was dancing.