Fashion 1915-1925

American women were still wearing corsets in 1915 (below left). By the mid 1920s women were wearing slinky dresses and flowing chiffon wraps. They showed a lot of skin, too. They went from domesticated to daring. What happened during those 10 years?

What helped early on was the 1914 patent for the modern bra. It was wildly adopted. By 1917 women began leaving home and working for the WWI effort much the same as they did in WWII. At this time Kotex was born and allowed women sanitary freedom to work outside the home or dress in less bulky clothes. Women were organizing for the right to vote. In 1919, after the war ended women liked working and adapted their hair and clothing to reflect their new status. It was this year, in 1919, that the Women's Rights movement  and the right to vote became law. New groups form — Socialists, Communists and the new Labor union movement were active, and there were many raids, arrests and strikes. In 1920 Prohibition started, American jazz took root, and the League of Women voters was founded in Chicago. In 1921 Radio broadcasting was introduced, and Yankee Stadium opened its doors. In 1925 was the Scopes Monkey Trial erupted in which science and religion came to blows. People were questioning their religion, their politics, their duties, their lives.

Out of the Edwardian microcosm and into the new world, women were never going back.