Flappers were the "new breed" of young women in the 1920's. They wore short skirts, cut their hair into a bob, listened to new age jazz music, wore excessive makeup, drank, smoked, drove automobiles, sniffed cocaine, had "petting" parties, and were often called "loose".
Flappers were drinking during the Prohibition which made them rebels, some of them would carry around hip-flasks full of whiskey. They loved doing dances like the Charleston, the Black Bottom, and the Shimmy which were considered "wild" by older generations.
Flappers had slang terms that they often used. A 'snugglepup' was a man who frequented petting parties and a 'handcuff' was an engagement or wedding ring. We still use some of their phrases today such as, "big cheese" (an important person) and "baloney" (nonsense).
Flappers' appearance was largely influenced by the emergence of jazz music. They had short hair, flat chests (called "garconne", it was instigated by Coco Chanel, women would wrap their chests with strips of cloth to make their chests appear smaller). They removed the corset from fashion and raised their skirt hemline. Their makeup consisted of dark eyes, dark lips, and blushed cheeks. Pale skin was considered the most attractive during this time, but after Coco Chanel came back from a vacation after spending too much time in the sun, tan skin started to become popular.
A flapper's hair was generally short in length with the 'bob' being the most popular and 'finger waving' being the way to style it. Their jewelry consisted of art deco pieces, especially beaked necklaces. Pins, rings, brooches, and horn-rimmed glasses were popular as well. Their dresses were straight and loose. In 1927, they rose the hemline up to just below the knee which allowed flashes of their knees to be seen when they walked or danced. These knee glances were supposed to be an accidental "Venus-surprised-at-the-bath sort of way. Overall, flappers were characterized by stark truthfulness, fast living, and sexual behavior. They clinged to youth as if it were going to leave an any moment.
LH
http://history1900s.about.com/od/1920s/a/flappers.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flapper
http://english11ib.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/flapper.jpg
http://www.geocities.com/flapper_culture/
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