After the Flappers of the ROARING TWENTIES

By looking at the clothing styles worn by a group of people, one
can infer a great deal about the prevailing social values of the
time. Whereas at the turn of the twentieth century women encased
themselves in constricting boned corsets in order to produce an exaggerated feminine silhouette beneath frilly and modest long gowns, only twenty years later, the flappers of the "Roaring Twenties," wearing skirts that just skimmed the knee, wore special undergarments that gave them a lean, boyish look. In only a few years, the figure of the ideal, fashionable woman had undergone a complete metamorphosis, reflecting the loosening of conservative values and the birth of a new youth culture that would take the world by storm. Skirt lengths and silhouettes continued to fluctuate according to the whims of the designers until the outbreak of World War II, which brought the British and American governments into the world of fashion. Governmental regulations dictated clothing styles for men and women, and though many believe that the war was a period of stagnation in style, it was actually an impetus leading to a post-war fashion revolution in America and Europe instigated by Christian Dior and his New Look in 1947.