A Day in the Past

Freedom of the Flapper

The roaring '20s brings to mind Prohibition, The Crash of '29 and women in flapper dresses dancing the Charleston. Eighty years have made liquor legal, the stock market somewhat stable and the flapper dress an unwavering favorite for eveningwear. The spirit of the historic flapper dress is girlish and luxurious bedecked with sequins and beads. It's the perfect after-dark opportunity to show a little leg after hiding them under the pervasive floor length skirts of the season.

To achieve the girl-woman form of the 1920's, a short loose corset was worn with brassieres. Of course the form was more achievable for slender women.

There were still corsets, much lighter that the past ones, to help larger women achieve this. There is also the corset and bandeau that was popular during the jazz age. The two garments would produce a roll of fat, so suspenders were added to the bra to help pull down over the top of the corset belt.

The next step was the corselette (an undergarment combining girdle and brassiere).