Fashion trends are a marker of time. While low-rise jeans scream the early 2000s and aviator jackets exemplify the ‘80s, few fashion trends are as synonymous with a decade as the flapper dress.
The glamorous flapper dress played a significant role in the evolution of women’s fashion and has come to represent freedom and equality.
Carey Mulligan wearing a flapper dress with Leonardo DiCaprio and Joel Edgerton on the set of the 2013 historical romantic drama movie The Great Gatsby (Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures)
Anyone who has read ‘The Great Gatsby’ – or watched the 2013 movie with Leonardo DiCaprio – has probably been googling “where can I buy a flapper dress?”.
While this sparkly dress is a go-to for cocktail parties and Halloween, the history of the flapper dress will give you a whole new appreciation for this iconic silhouette. We’re sharing everything you need to know about flapper dresses and where you can find a Great Gatsby dress.
The Iconic Flapper Dress: A Glimpse into the 1920s
A flapper dress is a classic silhouette for the 1920s that reflected the new societal position of women after World War One. These dresses marked a drastic break away from modest fashion with shorter hemlines that showed off the leg and ankles.
A reflection of women’s new societal position after WWI, flapper dresses allowed women to showcase their legs, which was a radical departure from modest fashion
The flapper dress was designed to be more flexible than the silhouettes worn in the late 19th century, allowing women to move freely while dancing to the Charleston. This dress had a slim silhouette with a straight cut.
You can think of the flapper dress as the OG ‘it girl’ look. The 1920s were a time when women first joined in with consumer culture, purchasing flapper dresses to explore their newfound freedoms. Flappers broke some of the first glass ceilings for women.
A Short History of the Flapper Dress
When we think of fashion trends from only a decade ago, we can notice subtle differences. They’re a natural evolution of silhouette and women’s lifestyle changes.
While this typically happens gradually, the 1920s marked a sharp turn for women’s fashion – reflecting their changing societal position.
Women in the 1920s showed off their newfound freedom by wearing short hair and flapper dresses (Credit: Ironika / Shutterstock)
Nothing showcased the newfound freedom of women in the 1920s more than a short haircut and a flapper dress. The first women in the United States earned the right to vote with the 19th Amendment, and the post-WW1 decade ushered in a time of consumerism and prosperity.
The flapper dress was an evening look typically worn to jazz bars and parties by women who got to experience nightlife for the first time.
While it’s synonymous with the advancement of women’s rights in America, flapper dresses became a widespread fashion trend as Coco Chanel began to evolve womenswear silhouettes in Europe.
1920s women, who were experiencing nightlife for the first time, frequently wore the flapper dress to jazz clubs and parties (Credit: Catalin Grigoriu / Shutterstock)
Zelda Fitzgerald, the wife of Great Gatsby author, F. Scott Fitzgerald, is considered the most popular flapper. The press nicknamed her the “first American flapper.”
While the partying and prosperity of the 1920s drastically changed after the Depression of the 1930s, the flapper spirit lives on today. It’s become a symbol of women’s liberation, social change, and the prosperity of the 1920s.
Zelda Fitzgerald, the wife of Great Gatsby author F. Scott Fitzgerald, was nicknamed the first American flapper (Credit: Biblio)
Identifying a Flapper Dress
Flapper dresses are easy to identify with their straight, slip-dress silhouette. Most flapper dresses are sleeveless with a hemline that skirts above the knee. Many incorporate fringe, sequins, and embellishments.
Flapper dresses are loose-fitting and made without a corset, allowing women to move freely while dancing. The endless possibilities of potential embellishing meant the simple silhouette could be glamorized to suit every personality.
Boardwalk Empire’s Meg Chambers Steedle wearing a sleeveless flapper dress with a straight, slip silhouette and fringe and crystal embellishments (Credit: HBO)
Shows and movies like The Great Gatsby, Downton Abbey, Boardwalk Empire, Cable Girls, and Peaky Blinders all showcase examples of flapper dresses.
Where to Buy a Flapper Dress
You’ll find flapper dresses everywhere, from Halloween shops to thrift stores and designer boutiques.
Many contemporary brands offer their own take on the flapper dress, evolving the straight-line silhouette for a more seductive look.
Ro Rox Great Gatsby 1920s Flapper Dress, $35.20 – $44; Ro Rox Gloria Flapper Dress, $40 – $44; Ro Rox Great Gatsby 1920s Tassel Flapper Dress, $36; Ro Rox Art Deco Flapper Dress, $33.60 – $44; Ro Rox 1920s Fringe Prom Art Deco Flapper Dress, $39 – $44
Ro Rox, a popular brand on Amazon, offers a range of budget-friendly flapper dresses for fancy dress parties.
You’ll find one of the most extensive – and size-inclusive – ranges of flapper dresses from Unique Vintage. The American brand faithfully recreates the classic flapper silhouette with most styles under $120.
Unique Vintage Black and Silver Sequin Sleeveless Fringe Flapper Dress; Unique Vintage 1920s Champagne Sequin and Pearl Flapper Dress; Unique Vintage 1920s Black Sequin Sleeved Laure Flapper Dress; Unique Vintage 1920s Burgundy and Gold Sequin Lina Fringe Flapper Dress
Vintage vs. Recreation Flapper Dress
Should you buy a vintage flapper dress or a recreation? Typically, vintage reproduction brands recreate the flapper silhouette to look as close to the original as possible.
Genuine vintage flapper dresses can be difficult to find, often running a three-figure price tag. You can find most flapper dresses available online for under $100, whether you’re wearing them for a costume party or a black-tie function.
Frequently Asked Questions About Flapper Dressers
Flapper dresses aren’t something you’ll find in every store. They’re typically reserved for special occasions, with their vintage silhouettes making them timeless pieces.
We’re answering the most frequently asked questions about flapper dresses to help you decide if this piece of fashion history deserves a spot in your closet.
1. Why are they called flapper dresses?
Women in the 1920s cut their hair short, explored their newfound freedom, and (typically!) visited jazz bars and became known as “flappers.”
The knee-length dress silhouette became synonymous with these women, earning the name “flapper dress.” However, the origin of the word “flapper” is not completely known, but it appears to have originated before WWI when it was used to describe young teenage girls.
Flapper dresses were synonymous with the 1920s women who explored their newfound freedom, cut their hair short, and visited jazz bars (Credit: Denis OREA / Shutterstock)
2. Why were flapper dresses popular?
Flapper dresses became popular as a night-time outfit for women attending jazz bars, parties, and outdoor functions.
The sleeveless, loose-fitting dress was designed to allow women to dance freely and move without the constraints of a corset.
Flapper dresses were considered a popular night-time outfit at jazz bars and parties as the loose-fitting silhouette allowed women to dance freely
3. What did the flapper symbolize?
The flapper symbolized the societal change of women during the 1920s as some women earned the right to vote for the first time, with many also joining the workforce. The flapper dress reflects the prosperity, growing consumerism, and urbanism of the 1920s.
4. What type of makeup did flappers wear?
Women in the 1920s typically wore mascara, eyeliner, bright blush, and red lipstick with their flapper dresses.
1920s flappers wore heavy makeup with mascara, eyeliner, and bold red lip color (Credit: Denis OREA / Shutterstock)
5. What kind of shoes did flappers wear?
Flapper dresses were worn with pump shoes that had a low heel, usually made of leather with an ankle or t-strap.
Flapper dresses were usually worn with pumps that have a low heel and an ankle strap or a T-strap
6. What do I wear to a 1920s party?
Wear a flapper dress and feather headband to channel your inner Daisy Buchanan for a 1920s party.
You can wear flapper dresses with a feather headband and gloves for a 1920s party look
A ‘20s flapper dress is an iconic piece of women’s fashion history. Its elegant silhouette and intricate embellishments make it a guaranteed showstopper. Want to give the flapper dress a contemporary twist? Shop for sequin fringe dresses that capture the spirit of the roaring ‘20s.