The Roaring Twenties

From the glitz and the glamor to the back woods jazz players, the Roaring Twenties was an era when the rules didn 't stand a chance. Prohibition, a federal law that was passed, prohibiting the consumption of alcohol, was a key factor to paving the way to the defiant behavior of citizens in the twenties. There were parties, and with them, came free spirited women known as the Flappers who abandoned their once “nice girl” reputations and could be seen smoking and drinking the night away at parties and nightclubs every night. Jazz music was all the rage in the twenties and a dance called the Charleston was all the craze, nationwide. In addition to the extravagant parties, ideal innovations such as the automobile and the radio were becoming

There was the material side known to many people as the City Side with its glamorous and fancy lifestyle. With World War I and its post-war depression behind them, people were ready and able to enjoy prosperity as a welcome change. The standard of life rose exceedingly. More money was being made, which helped to stimulate the economy, so many people had currency and time to burn. They spent their cash on automobiles, clothes, new inventions, and many other lavish items that made their lives easier. They also loved spending money on more entertaining things that would occupy their time. To occupy their time they were engaged for many hours going to the movies, nightclubs, and to many different parties. More often than not, people chose to spend their extra dollars on illegal commodities, such as alcohol. Other images are of Americans drinking bathtub gin or hanging out at one of the many speakeasies that sprang up in the United States during what was known as Prohibition (Purdy), a law passed banning the use of alcohol. People found places they could obtain it and would meet with friends at these secret drinking establishments that were known as speakeasies. With these parties came the free-spirited women (Flappers). These women threw tradition to the wind and bobbed their hair, wore lots of makeup, and dressed in knee-length, fringed skirts. They were people who behaved trashy but didn’t bat an eye over what people thought of their choice of attire. The Perfect Flapper (1924) starring Colleen Moore, Associated First National Pictures issued a press book with ties to twelve separate fashion and beauty products (Kte 'pi). Which also meant that the more popularized people, such as celebrities, would have to wear the flapper style because their advertising sponsors used their fame for advertising. The defining music of the decade was jazz, and the 1920s are often referred to as "The Jazz Age," symbolizing not