Is The Untouchables Historically Accurate?

In the time of the 1920s, a group of women decided that they were done being shown around like dolls and given no respect. These women wanted rights and to have independence, and to not constantly have to rely on a man to get the job done. They decided to get and hold onto steady jobs and became single, young, middle class women. These women were called flappers. They were ones who went to jazz clubs, vaudeville shows, and danced the Charleston. You could also find them smoking and drinking just like any other man would. Flappers extinguished any social double standards about women that was out there in that time. The look of that time was one that has stood out in history since it was first worn. Bobbed, shoulder length hair, loads of makeup,

Thanks to Coco Chanel, the iconic flapper image most closely associated with the roaring twenties came about. The flapper and flapper image didn’t actually come to be until around 1926 and even then was only in style for about three years. Typical flappers were women who appeared to have a bold attitude and were independent women who didn’t adhere to the previously innocent housewife image. A flapper usually had a bob haircut, a shorter than average dress, a flat chest, wore tons of make-up, drank illegal alcohol, smoked with a long cigarette holder, exposed her limbs and danced the Charleston. This was a drastic change from the typical American housewife to the reckless rebel. The flapper dresses stressed above the knee hemlines and construed straight, sleek shapes. This was the first time in centuries women’s legs were being seen in a garment. (1920s Fashion 1) Flappers loved to jazz up their costume and even their image. Many flappers’ dresses were adorned with jewels and intricate beading. The main object of the flapper image was to appear almost boyish rather than looking feminine. (1920s clothing 1)

The Great Depression caused woman to want to save money and not spend much on clothing. All over people were struggling to keep money in their pockets, so no one would spend big bucks on designer outfits. Women tended to make their own new clothes from other clothes they already had. “The life motto of many was to ‘Repair, reuse, make do, and don’t waste anything’; therefore, any creativity was apparently confined to those boundaries.(The Vintage News, 2016)” During this time no one wanted to out shine others so they dressed very conservative. Shoulder pads and butterfly sleeves were coming into trend.

Women in the 1930’s were expected to dress in a certain way and style. For females in the 1930’s it was unusual for them to be seen in any other piece of clothing besides a dress. “ You should be in a dress and camisole, young lady! You’ll grow up waiting

They weren't as nice as the clothes before, but still had a large quantity of detail in them. Wealthy men, aristocrats and politicians used to mainly wear wigs before this time. They eventually stopped shaving their heads and let their hair grow out to where they were able to take off the wig and started to style their hair to resemble a wig with a poof in the front and a ponytail the back. Womens style varied on where you where. In the more rural or smaller towns , women dressed plainly and used homemade fabrics, to save money for their men out at war.

Fashion changed the mentality of Americans in many ways as well. The most common type of girl in the 1920s was flappers. The term “flapper” first appeared in Great Britain after World War I, it was a word used to describe young girls (Rotenberg). It then began popular in the 1920s. Flappers were northern, urban, single, young middle class women, many held steady jobs (“Flappers”). Flappers engaged in active city night life. Speakeasies were common destination for the flappers (“Flappers”). It was a place where they could completely be themselves. The flapper movement began when young women decided that they were not willing to waste away their young lives waiting idly for spinsterhood; they were going to enjoy life (Rosenberg). Many people disliked flappers. The flapper attitude was characterized by stork, truthfulness, fast living, and sexual behavior (Rosenberg). Flappers were usually younger women. The flappers were viewed disdainfully by an older generation as wild (“1920s dress fashion rise and fall”). The flappers’ style was very rare and

Depending on their job, wealth, and other factors, clothing people wore may have varied. But it was not uncommon for women to wear dresses(Some more high end than others ) or cotton print shirts and skirts. It was common to see a man in a bit more casual clothes rather than suits almost all around like previous decades.

The look of the flapper was drastically different from that of the earlier generations of women in the United States. Their hair was cut into a short “bob” and they wore much more make-up than previous women. The hem line of the flapper’s dresses rose to the knee and they began “bounding” their chests and wearing high heels. Along with the rise of the hem line, nude colored stockings were favored over the former black; the flapper also bared her arms; this gave off a much more “naked” look than any previous generations. They did away with the corset and instead adopted the girdle, which simply flattened the abdomen rather than emphasizing the waist. The infamous Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel’s clothing designs became the epitome of 1920’s style.1

During this era, the society trends were changing. The women were wearing dresses with strapped-in girdles and pads underneath, while the men experienced a change in suits and daily wear. Men usually wore knickers to just below their knees, while women wore elaborate designs and hooped skirts.

The 1920 fashions were mainly about rebellion. For the women flapper dresses. It was a sack-like form that was either very short or very long. It was made for dancing in. Women wore their hair in a pageboy style hair cut. Coats were very popular only because the women could hide many illegal bottles inside of them. In the beginning of the 1920s the wore knickers. Then in the later 1920s they started wearing sleek

At this point in time women opted for a more feminine and practical image than in the days of the flapper. Skirt length fell well below the knee, busts and waists reappeared, and hair styles became softer and more graceful (Reeves 118). Women often smoked cigarettes, drank, and gambled with men in public. Women, for the first time, wore slacks, revealed bathing suits, and participated in sports such as softball, roller skating, and bicycling (Reeves 115-116). These

The untouchables is a movie based on the true events that occurred when the eighteenth amendment was passed. The eighteenth amendment established the prohibition of production, transport, and sale of alcohol. The Federal Agent Eliot Ness wants to stop Al Capone, who is the top of organized crime. It was a hard job for Eliot Ness because Al Capone with his money bought many policemen, politicians, and other important people, therefore Eliot Ness could trust anyone. Eliot Ness had to choose no more than twelve men to form his squad. The Untouchables were formed by Eliot Ness, and another nine men he picked, they were called the Untouchables because they never accepted any bribes. Al Capone One of Al Capone’s men offered Eliot Ness $2,000 to stop interfering with the organization and an additional $2,000 if he continued to cooperate. Eliot Ness’s plan was to make an impact in the income of the gangsters, so they couldn’t pay for protection. (Biography.com)

The 1920s was a period of change and reform in many things ranging from entertainment, consumerism, and fashion. Fashion, one of the greatest changes in the 1920s was influenced by designers such as Coco Chanel, Jean Patou, Clara Bow, also known as the “It Girl” all influenced fashion for both women and men in the 20s. Previously, women had to behave polite and modestly and had to wear long dresses down to the ankles. But some women started to go past those social boundaries that were set by society. These women would go to speakeasies and smokes in public. The women who did these things are referred to as flappers. Men and some women saw flappers as a disgrace and were disgusted by their way of living. Slowly, as the years began to pass, women such as Coco Chanel, Jean Patou, and Clara Bow came into the fashion and entertainment industry changing the fashion and women’s ideas.

The 1920’s, also called the roaring 20’s, was a time of change. During this time period the fashion for both men and women was changing immensely. The aftermath of WWI caused America to enter a vigorous era. As a result of the role of women during the war, many customs and morals were changing. The Stock Market started booming, many new dances and music came about, and women got the right to vote and enter the workforce. There was an uprise in almost every activity, and fashion was definitely one (Tirocchi, Anna and Laura). Although fashion varied throughout the decade, one could notice a drastic change from the prior fashion.

Most dresses fell below the knees and were patterned in floral prints and clean hemlines. The maids were shown wearing their uniforms for the majority of the movie, which also displayed modest hemlines and were a pale grey color. The men of Jackson, Mississippi- the few that were shown, at least- were shown wearing clean-lined suits and cuffed trousers. These middle class people who dressed to impress successfully created an air of cleanliness and uniformity.