Also, “chassis” meant the female body, “razz” that meant to make fun of, etc. The way women dressed re-flected their status.The wealthy wore such elegantly ornate dresses and because of the simple pattern of the flapper dress, ordinary women were easily able to copy these dresses for far less money. Flapper dresses were a straight waist so that the women’s curves wwouldn’t show as much and it would give it a boyish look. They even went to the point of flattening their chests and a long string of beads or pearls having down below the chest stressed the flat bodice. Hair-styles we’re also based on style and necessity. They used a lot of hair additives so the hair was slicked back to the head so that it assured that the hair would stay in place and not suddenly begin to fly about in the middle of a dramatic dance move from the 1920’s.

Another popular look for a lady was a mesh dress that was sleeveless so the outfit was able to breathe and keep those active women comfortable but looking stylish with sequins and accessories so it shouted for atten-tion in crowded nightclubs. Flappers were seen as an excuse for wearing excessive makeup, drinking, treating sex in a casual manner, smoking, driving automobiles and most importantly, flouting social and sexual norms. They had phrases that were commonly used in that era like “the beebee’s knees” that meant an extraordinary person, thing or idea.

During this period, many did not have the money to purchase expensive items because they we’re going through the depression. Radio was a very great influ-ence and listening to music was a way for people to get lost in the moment. Most families listened to what mu-sicians referred to as “hot” jazz or swing. This music was considered as a high beat and fast paced that would change constantly. When the 1930’s opened, jazz started declining in popularity and introduced to a wider public the so-called “sweet jazz” while the “hot jazz” of Harlem and Kansas City remained a localized phenomenon. Early swing music influenced and grad-ually leading to the explosion of “new jazz” to the public was considered as a ten to twelve musicians in a band. Since the 1930’s was a decade of recovering from the 1929 Great depression, it was very important to start researching and implementing cheaper means of clothing so many new materials were cheaper to pro-cess and had been created to replace more expensive materials. For example, women’s hose were made of rayon so it was replaced by nylon. Also, many of the dresses that used to be made out of silk were made out of different grades of rayon. Zippers were more widely used but were replaced by buttons during this decade. Historian David Stowe argues that swing has an im-portant cultural force. Swing music and culture never-theless built bridges between black, white and Hispan-ic listeners. The American popular culture is more pralistic, diverse and more tolerant and more dynamic than American legal or political culture. Most specially, swing music influenced the clothing worn in that decade. The splanky dress is a design that combines two different fabrics: one-tone stretchable bottom and colourful bust and sleeves (or just cuffs). This dress is very elegant and comfortable for dancing.

The Dinah is a design also combined with two different fabrics with three decorative buttons in front with a zipper in the back. The cot-tontail is the same idea of combining two different fabrics: colourful sleeves and bottom with a one-tone stretchable body part for maxi-mum freedom of movement. The summertime design is also com-bined of colourful fabric for the bust, sleeves, bottom, etc. this dress can also be made of just one material so the price will depend on the fabric. Although the style of the 1930’s long and sleek a more elegant look, dresses were very much short for those who danced to swing music. Muted colors were popular, as were deep colors. Fabrics with prints in abstract or geometric patterns were also widely used. Eve-ning dresses were backless and the bodices were slightly bloused. Flowers made of fabric and bows could be found on one shoulder or in the center of the waist or neckline. Women wore brimmed hats often worn at an angle to create a style. Turbans and pill box hats gained popularity near the end of the 1930’s. The cloche hats kept their popularity from the 1920’s to 30’s. They usually wore gloves that would match their shows and handbags. Shoes with rounded toes would have wide, thick heels. Like men’s shoes, two-toned spec-tators for women became popular but it was different from the men in being more feminine in the shape and the heel.

CabCalloway