The Fan It Bag

Is Fashion A Tool For Self-Realization?

The standard clothing of girls and women was for centuries a dress and a skirt with blouse and within these clothing types the designs for special occasions and festive events were created.

The social constraints put on women lost their grip around 1910 in the Western World; women gained more independence and took up careers. Mass production of clothing developed fast and made fashion for women accessible, affordable and more variety was available. Prior to this, fashion was reserved for the rich and wealthy.

Being granted more rights and co-determination in society and public life, women realized the need to reflect their newly adapted role in the clothes they were wearing. Equipped with a growing self-esteem and the desire to dress up in styles that signal their distinct personalities, new fashion styles were needed.

Until 1920 skirts of women reached down to the ankles and in the era of the "Crazy Twenties" a sudden change took place. The first mile stone was reached, when women discovered the beauty of their legs and that these were worthwhile to show off. The result was that the hem of dresses and skirts started to fluctuate between ankles and knees.

Physical constraints such as corselets were removed and replaced with brassieres that flattened the bust. Focus on the waist completely disappeared, instead the hips were garnished with loose sitting belts, creating a curveless style. The "Boyish Look" turned into a female revolution, not only in the history of women's fashion but the general role women played in society.

The first short hair style in women's history, called "the bob", was introduced and enthusiastically embraced by the female gender. For many it was a symbol of liberation from the traditional long hair, for others it was simply the fact that maintaining short hair is more convenient.