The Flapper, June 1922 Helen Farr Sloan Library & Archives, Delaware Art Museum
The Flapper, with the cheeky admonishment on its masthead of “Not for Old Fogies,” debuted in May 1922. Calling itself the “Official Organ of the National Flappers’ Flock,” the magazine included stories and items on fashion, relationships, behavior, health, jokes, poetry, news, and advice.
The origins of the magazine are somewhat murky: it's unclear whether it was created by a group of young women who called themselves the Royal Order of Flappers or by a Chicago newspaperman aiming to profit from the flapper craze. The confusion is further compounded by the fact that the flappers featured in the newspaper announcement about the magazine (above) also appear on the cover of the June 1922 issue (left), which includes an article titled "Royal Order of Flappers Tool of Commercialism" (see this article for more on the magazine's obscure beginnings).
While the magazine's tone is playful and reflects the flapper's irreverent spirit, some articles shed light on the double standards that modern women faced.
In an article called “We Are for Knickers” the author lays out the practicalities of knickers as a “necessary adjunct of the flapper apparel.” In addition to knickers being more convenient, cost-effective, and easier to keep clean, they are more modest, as they “stifle any desire on the part of the incorrigible male to see beyond the bare knees beneath the short skirt. There are no embarrassing moments when entering a street car, or while indulging in violent exercise.” The author suggests that any man who condemns knickers should be made to wear a skirt as a “fitting—or rather misfitting—punishment.”
The article ends with this declaration:
You can always tell old fogies of either sex—they can’t stand for anything new. New ideas in politics they call radical—in science sacrilegious—in dress immodest. They don’t even take the trouble to investigate—it’s wrong because it’s new. So it’s just as well not to pay too much attention to them. Just consider the source. Sensible fashions are bound to stay. Flappers’ styles will persist, because the flapper has more sense than her critics—give her credit for.
Photographs of flappers from across the country, submitted by readers for “The Flapper Beauty Contest," highlight both the popularity of the movement and the many variations of flapper types. In announcing the contest, the June 1922 issue asks—and answers—the question of what a flapper looks like:
What does a flapper look like? Well, that’s hard to tell. A Chicago newspaper recently listed her characteristics somewhat as follows: Bobbed hair; powder and rouge on the face; use of lip stick; “plucked” eyebrows; low-cut, sleeveless bodice; absence of corset; little under-clothing, often only a “teddy-bear;” high skirts; and “roll-your-own” stockings. Now don’t imagine that we’re recommending any of the above, before you pose for your picture. Personally, we think that a flapper is a flapper whether in street dress, bathing suit or “knickers.” It’s a sort of intangible vivacity about her that identifies the flapper from everybody else.
In addition to this “intangible vivacity,” the editors emphasized the importance of a healthy, energetic lifestyle as a key component to being a flapper by including articles that celebrated female athletes, championed physical fitness, and promoted modern health and wellness trends.
The Flapper, September 1922 Helen Farr Sloan Library & Archives, Delaware Art Museum
In a letter to the editor Irene Stanton from Milwaukee writes, “In my opinion you have the quaintest magazine on the market today, and one which should always be dear to the hearts of those who love the girls of America. The American flapper has arrived and she is here to stay. Without her this would be a monotonous world. [. . .] You have started something—now keep it up. We’re all with you to the finish.”
Unfortunately, the finish was only a few months away, as The Flapper ended its brief run after just seven issues.
Click on the image to view the entire issue.
The Flapper, October 1922 Helen Farr Sloan Library & Archives, Delaware Art Museum
Click on the image to view the entire issue.
Itsa Wow: The Magazine of Modern Youth, January 1931 Helen Farr Sloan Library & Archives, Delaware Art Museum
Despite claiming to be magazine for modern youth, Itsa Wow was geared towards college-aged men and lacks the substance and charm of The Flapper.
