The flapper revolution: fashion as a manifesto

In times when movements contradict their own stereotypes, we realize that our narrative rarely turns to metanoia, remaining trapped in a repetitive cycle of events and occurrences already lived.

Not different from this environment, in the 1920s, the context did not favor the female voice in any spaces — whether invisible or material. In defiance of this scenario, young women began a countercultural movement, using different aesthetics, symbolism, and discourses to reaffirm their position regarding society — they called themselves Flappers.

Flapper was not just an aesthetic — it was an attitude. In summary, they were young urban women, usually white and middle-class, who decided to break all the feminine standards imposed until then. However, the use of the term “flapper” had existed before the 1920s, but it was specifically during this period that it gained strength, popularizing the search for women who challenged social norms with their provocative style and irreverent behavior. She was not content with the role of obedient wife or daughter. She wanted freedom, fun, and autonomy.

The term flapper is like a synonym for something fashionable, and her look was the dominant trend. But it is a term with a certain history behind it — some believe it originated to describe young ladies who let their galoshes flutter, making them “bang” with each step. Others, on the other hand, traced the origin of the term to a Victorian word used to describe young prostitutes. It took considerable effort to re-signify flapper. In 1917, the magazine Vogue published an article titled “The term ‘Flapper’ carries no stigma.” By 1920, Frances Marion released the film The Flapper, starring Olive Thomas — and the rest is history. Every girl wanted to be a flapper.

The highlight of these women’s clothing was in straight, loose, and short dresses — the length of the skirts generated great shock in society, which was not used to seeing such short and, moreover, form-fitting garments. Still regarding the printed aesthetics, their characteristic hairstyles were short in the bob or “garçonne” style — which we can see as a symbolism for cutting ties with the traditional femininity of the “Gibson Girl,” which in the 19th century was a representation of the ideal woman. And to reaffirm their position, they used makeup in a robust and striking way, with dark lipsticks, eyeliner, and powder — challenging the idea that decent women did not wear makeup. Consequently, if one had to mention one of the most apparent characteristics of them, it was the use of cigarettes with mouthpieces, in addition to drinks and secret bars (the famous speakeasies). During this time, they danced to the sound of jazz and firmly defined their spaces, constantly reaffirming themselves as a strong and precise community.

Still during this time, we can see an even stronger connection between these women and major fashion houses. Coco Chanel, for example, while women were asserting their desires, she did the same with clothing — becoming a reference for the provocative look of this era — as opposed to the old times, where corsets, excess lace and prints, and heavy structures were the norm. Chanel, in place of that, brought lightness to clothing in a practical and sophisticated way with outfits that referred to what flappers needed to feel empowered and free to dance.

Without pretense, or with the best of intentions, the designer dressed the contemporary woman without even understanding the importance of hers at that time. And the result was immediate. Her creations at Chanel became symbols of a new posture: women who owned themselves, choosing how to live and how to dress. Fashion ceased to be a path with rules imposed by the norms of the time and became a tool for modern expression. In this context, Chanel and the flappers were not just personas of fashion — but rather, protagonists of the revolution.

It can be said that the designer and the flappers walked in sync. While one reinvented design, the others reinvented behavior. Together, they transformed the female body into a territory of freedom. And this, even today, echoes on the streets, in the runways, and in the minds of those who understand that style is much more than trend — it is identity, resistance, and attitude.

Also marked as “The Jazz Age,” this genre was notable for reflecting and driving the cultural and behavioral transformations of the 1920s. In this context, the flappers emerged, young women who broke traditional standards of femininity with their short hairstyles, straight dresses, and bold attitudes. They symbolized the freedom and rebellion of a new generation that wanted to dance, experiment, and live outside social constraints.

Jazz was the soundtrack of this revolution. With its vibrant, improvised, and emotion-filled rhythm, it dialogued perfectly with the spirit of the flappers. In nightclubs, jazz beats accompanied dances like the Charleston and created an environment where these women could express their autonomy, challenge gender norms, and assume new roles in society. The connection between the flappers and jazz was more than aesthetic or musical — it was a cultural alliance that symbolized the effervescence, freedom, and modernity of that decade.

Despite their unexpected emergence — this was not random. They arose amidst great upheavals in the political, social, and economic realms. During the period of World War I, a large number of American women entered the workforce to occupy the positions left by men who went to war. They worked in factories, offices, post offices, and even in technical positions. This experience was a turning point: they proved that they were capable of contributing economically to society. When the war ended, these women were not willing to return to the roles they occupied before.

In the 1920s, with the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, women gained the right to vote. It was the institutional recognition that they had a voice — and they did not hesitate to use it. The feminist movement of the time was straightforward: they wanted access to education, control over their own bodies, paid work, and the freedom to express themselves as they wished. The flappers represented this desire for autonomy in a concrete and visual way, transforming freedom into a lifestyle.

The 1920s, known as the Roaring Twenties in the U.S., were marked by explosive economic growth. Accelerated industrialization, mass production, and the electrification of cities transformed daily life. Household appliances such as refrigerators, radios, and vacuum cleaners became part of domestic life. Advertising gained strength, selling not only products but ideals of consumption, style, and status. The radio became one of the main forms of entertainment and communication, and cinema consolidated as the great cultural industry of the time. The emergence of talkies — films with sound — led millions of people to theaters weekly.

Major cities, especially New York and Chicago, became vibrant centers of modernity. Jazz — a vibrant, sensual, and revolutionary rhythm — spread through clubs and dance floors. It was the soundtrack of rebellion. In this scenario, the flappers not only existed but dominated the spaces. They symbolized the speed of modernization and the breaking away from outdated values. The figure of the flapper became an icon: gracing magazines, appearing in films, and inspiring songs. They were undoubtedly the it-girls of the time.

A great popular saying fits into this narrative in that the body of the flapper was a political act. By cutting their hair, wearing looser and shorter clothes, and dancing expressively, these women affirmed their right to be masters of themselves. They challenged not only traditional clothing but the moral control that society exerted over female bodies. In times when virginity and purity were imposed demands, the flapper dared to speak openly about desire, pleasure, and sexual choices. Access — still limited, but growing — to contraceptive methods, such as condoms and birth control clinics, allowed some women to experiment with new ways of relating without the constant fear of pregnancy.

This behavior was seen as scandalous by many, especially by conservative sectors of society. Flappers were accused of being “degenerated,” “lost,” and even a threat to the family structure. But for a restless and urban youth, they were an example of courage and authenticity. The flappers shaped much more than fashion. They reconfigured the idea of femininity. By moving away from the figure of the submissive and restrained woman, they created a new model of woman: independent, active, and bold. This new archetype inspired future generations and opened doors for achievements that would come later, such as second-wave feminism in the 1960s.

They also played an important role in the development of mass culture. They were the first women to dominate the media as symbols of a generation. They were in films, advertisements, and fashion magazines. In a way, they were the precursors to modern influencers — using their image as a tool for expression, provocation, and transformation.

Even with the end of the decade and the arrival of the Great Depression in 1929, the impact of the flappers did not disappear. The economic crisis and the conservatism that followed tried to erase the memory of their revolution, but the damage — in the best sense — had already been done. They had challenged the status quo and shown that feminine freedom was possible, desirable, and, above all, powerful.

The flappers were the purest reflection of a generation that did not accept limits. They lived at the height of jazz, industrialization, city lights, and newly gained freedom. They were contested but also copied. They inspired criticism but also opened doors. They marked a cultural, social, and political turning point that still resonates.

In a world that continues to fight for freedom of expression and autonomy, the flapper attitude still pulses. They proved that wearing a short dress could be as revolutionary as a speech. And that is the kind of boldness that never goes out of style.