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When’s the last time you wore nylons? As dress codes change, the hot, oppressive garments have largely gone the way of the dodo. But in the 1930s, their ancestors, silk stockings, were all but required. As Lawrence B. Glickman writes, the average American woman bought up to 15 pairs a year—until, that is, women boycotted the fabric behind the essential garment.
Japan had not yet invaded Pearl Harbor, but in 1937 a nationwide movement emerged to boycott goods made in Japan. Sympathy for China had grown throughout the 1930s, Glickman writes, in part because of Pearl S. Buck and her bestselling books, which idealized the Chinese experience. When Japan invaded China in an undeclared conflict that would later be named the Sino-Japanese War, newly sensitized American women responded by turning their backs on silk.
It was “one of the most popular consumer campaigns in American history,” Glickman writes—so popular that it was supported by a broad swath of groups. Buying silk was characterized as tantamount to killing babies—a reference to the Rape of Nanking, a six-week-long massacre in which thousands of children were killed.
But not everyone got behind the boycott. As Glickman illustrates, it created some strange bedfellows. Unions that usually fell on the consumer side of the argument held that the boycott was unethical because it pushed consumers to non-silk alternatives that were made by non-union workers in ethically problematic conditions. Those who did boycott countered stereotypes of consumer advocates as stuffy and puritanical. Fashion became central to the cause—and sex became central to the conversation.
At the time, writes Glickman, the female leg was becoming a major sex symbol, and that new aesthetic gave the boycotters “a new visibility and resonance.” Fashion suddenly meant sexual and moral power instead of a frivolous distraction from current events. Both sides of the debate showed plenty of leg, invoking “sexuality, spectacle, fashion and pleasure as political forces.”
Fashion shows, stocking burning parties, and pinup-style photos all became weapons in the silk wars. Over time, Glickman notes, the boycott became the first consumer movement to become part of popular culture instead of running counter to it.
Silk stockings never fully recovered. In 1941, as the United States prepared for war, the U.S. blocked Japanese imports. Meanwhile, the invention of nylon set the stage for new leg fashions. By 1942, writes Glickman, “the act of donning or rejecting silk stockings became irrelevant.” But the idea that consumption could also mean morality didn’t—and questions about the origins of our clothing have persisted ever since.
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By: Lawrence B. Glickman
Journal of Social History, Vol. 38, No. 3 (Spring, 2005), pp. 573-608
Oxford University Press
FAQs
Flappers were young, fast-moving, fast-talking, reckless and unfazed by previous social conventions or taboos. They smoked cigarettes, drank alcohol, rode in and drove cars and kissed and “petted” with different men.
How did the Roaring 20s redefine the role of women? ›
Women found their lives changed in more than appearance, however. Society now accepted that women could be independent and make choices for themselves in education, jobs, marital status, and careers. Women's spheres had broadened to include public as well as home life. The “new woman” was on her way.
What is a flapper dress? ›
A typical flapper chose dresses that were of a straight style, sleeveless, and often low-cut as well as short—about knee-length, which was rather scandalous at the time. She wore stockings, often rolled to below the knee; had a bobbed, or chin-length, hairstyle; and used cosmetics on her face in a bold manner.
What is the definition of flapper in social studies? ›
Flappers were a subculture of young Western women prominent after the First World War and through the 1920s who wore short skirts (knee height was considered short during that period), bobbed their hair, listened to jazz, and flaunted their disdain for prevailing codes of decent behavior.
What was 1920 slang for girl? ›
Doll: 1920s Slang for Woman.
Did flappers wear bras? ›
Flappers wore high heel shoes, threw away their corsets in favor of bras and lingerie, applied rouge, lipstick, mascara and other cosmetics, and favored shorter hairstyles like the bob.
What was the nickname given to fun-loving women during the 1920s? ›
Flappers of the 1920s were young women known for their energetic freedom, embracing a lifestyle viewed by many at the time as outrageous, immoral or downright dangerous.
How were women treated in the 1930s? ›
Women's wages were meagre compared with those of men. The civil service, the education sector and nursing all operated a “marriage bar”, which meant women had to resign when they married. Unmarried women were “spinsters”, a disparaging term. Same-sex relationships were not to be mentioned.
What were women not allowed to do in the 1920s? ›
Some states, such as Michigan, penned loose laws that banned dangerous work for women, while in Ohio, women were prohibited from jobs where men could "negatively influence women's behavior," such as being taxi drivers, pool hall workers, or bowling alley employees.
How did flapper girls wear their hair? ›
In general, women's hairstyles in the 1920s aspired to be exotic and sleek, with hair worn close to the head. If one had long hair, it was pulled back in a small, low chignon. Bobs were cut in tapered layers so that the hair would lie as flat as possible.
The most memorable fashion trend of the Roaring Twenties was undoubtedly "the flapper" look. The flapper dress was functional and flattened the bust line rather than accentuating it. The straight-line chemise topped by the close-fitting cloche hat became the uniform of the day.
What do flapper girls wear on their feet? ›
To perform these popular dance moves - which usually featured women kicking out their feet - Flappers needed heels that would stay in place. That's why shoes with an ankle strap or T-strap became the most popular among fashionable flappers during the Jazz age.
What happened at petting parties? ›
'Petting parties' added some steam to Jazz Age soirees. It was 1931, and the air in Chicago's 57th Street art colony crackled with sexual tension. Couples drank, mingled, and eventually started kissing, moving from partner to partner. What had started as a wild bohemian party was now something more intimate.
What did flappers do at night? ›
By night, flappers engaged in the active city nightlife. They frequented jazz clubs and vaudeville shows. Speakeasies were a common destination, as the new woman of the twenties adopted the same carefree attitude toward prohibition as her male counterpart.
Why were flappers shocking to society? ›
Flappers were seen as brash for wearing excessive makeup, drinking, treating sex in a casual manner, smoking, driving automobiles, and otherwise flouting social and sexual norms. They challenged the previously accepted mores of society in every regard.
What are 5 things that describe flappers? ›
Flappers were seen as brash for wearing excessive makeup, drinking, treating sex in a casual manner, smoking, driving automobiles, and otherwise flouting social and sexual norms.
What best describes a flapper? ›
Flappers of the 1920s were young women known for their energetic freedom, embracing a lifestyle viewed by many at the time as outrageous, immoral or downright dangerous. Now considered the first generation of independent American women, flappers pushed barriers to economic, political and sexual freedom for women.
Which of the following describes flappers? ›
Final answer: Flappers during the 1920s were young women who rebelled against conventions by cutting their hair, wearing short skirts, and drinking illegal alcohol.
What's another word for flapper? ›
Definitions of flapper. a young woman in the 1920s who flaunted her unconventional conduct and dress. type of: fille, girl, miss, missy, young lady, young woman.
