The Roaring Twenties, The Wild Decade Between War and Depression
There are decades in history that feel like they moved at normal speed, and then there are decades that seem like someone grabbed the steering wheel and shoved it to the floor. The Roaring Twenties were one of those decades.
America had just come out of World War I. The nation was changing, growing, and trying to figure out what life looked like after years of sacrifice and hardship. People wanted to have fun again. And they did not just dip a toe into the water — they cannonballed into it.
Jazz poured out of clubs and dance halls. Cities grew larger. Automobiles rolled through streets in increasing numbers. Hollywood was beginning to create celebrities. New fashions shocked older generations. Rules that had been accepted for years suddenly felt open for debate.
Few symbols define the Roaring Twenties more than the flapper.
To many people at the time, flappers looked like a rebellion walking down the street.
Young women cut their hair shorter into bob styles. Dresses became shorter. Dancing became louder and more energetic. Smoking and drinking in public became more common. They listened to jazz and often cared less about following old expectations.
To many parents, it probably looked like civilization had taken a hard left turn.
The funny thing is that by today's standards, much of it seems fairly tame. But in the 1920s, these were cultural earthquakes.
Every generation thinks the next one is changing too much.
The flappers just happened to do it while dancing the Charleston.
While flappers filled dance floors, grand stage productions were creating another world entirely.
Theater revues and elaborate nightclub shows featured dazzling costumes, huge feathered headpieces, music, dancers, and enough lights and spectacle to make audiences forget the outside world for a while.
The famous Ziegfeld Follies helped turn this style of entertainment into a sensation. Audiences came to see glamour, beauty, music, comedy, and fantasy all wrapped into one performance.
For a few hours people could leave behind work, bills, and everyday life.
