How the Twenties Changed Everything

My journey to understand the changes of dating led me to the roaring twenties. The twenties were a time of glamour and new money, but it was also a time of love. One of my favorite books, The Great Gatsby, perfectly captures the essence of the twenties. Hearing the love story between Gatsby, Daisy, and Tom always excites me. The twenties have to be one of my favorite eras because women began to find their own identity. Many women started to become known as “flappers”. Flappers are the first thing I picture when I think about the twenties.  I love how they were confident in there short, sequin dress; a cigarette was always in hand. Looking back at the twenties, I can tell that this era was the tip of the iceberg for modern dating. Women began to go to restaurants, parties, and dance halls without the watchful eye of a parent around. The twenties were a time for change and celebration. Coco Chanel did not only change the fashion industry, but she changed the way women felt about themselves. Because of Coco Chanel, women began to wear pants. I am not saying that women literally wore the pants in the relationship, but pants did give women a new found boost of confidence. We were no longer confined to dresses and skirts. Yes, trousers did not become popular in the United States until World War ii, but the women in Europe were feeling liberated. Fashion was also important to a man. Men during this time period would likely be found wearing a suit, vest, tie, button down shirt, pocket square, suspenders, hat, and spectator shoes. Courteous men would tip there hat to a lady. Dance clubs popularity grew throughout the twenties. Dances such as: the foxtrot, tango, and waltz were faster than the dances before their time, and there was more physical interaction between the dance partners. Sexual activity began to increase the 1920s. Necking and petting were terms developed during this time period. Necking was kissing above the neck, and petting was what the modern couple would call “making out”. People were even having petting parties. The only difference between a petting party and an orgy, is that petting parties did not involve sex. Going on multiple dates with multiple people became normal during this time period. There was an expectation of the young to find suitable partners. Beth Bailey, a social historian, once wrote, “More young people from small towns were drawn by the promises of city life and things like dance halls and music halls. Because those places cost money and the young men were the ones who had the money, they often paid. It became a rite of passage that the man would pay. ‘Dating’ was understood by people to be a sort of economic transaction. Money was at the center of dating…” Men did cater to their women and buy them expensive belongings, but it was mainly for show. A man from the roaring twenties wanted to show that he was able to afford to buy his women the finer things in life, and a woman from the roaring twenties wanted to be on the arm of a man that had status. Even this time period was very gaudy, it is my favorite time period thus far.