Saturday, March 16, 2013

I'm a 1920's Flapper! Jazz ~ Jazz ~ Jazz!

Preparing for this 1920's themed show has been a jazz and blues vocalist's dream come true. Along the way, I've been learning a lot about the music and fashion that shaped the jazz age. It was during this time that the Flapper style emerged, and not just the style- but a whole new type of woman.

The flapper was at the epicenter of the culture war that forever changed the way society views women, and set the tone for the women's suffrage movement.

The "flapper" was a term for a woman who cut her hair in a short bob, wore a good amount of makeup, and wasn't afraid of defying the rigid Victorian social norms that women of the day were expected to adhere to. They were known for listening to jazz and carrying themselves with a unique confidence and independence. Sound like someone you know? I hope so.

The way I see it, the 1920's were the American Woman's teenage years. Boundaries were tested and pushed. Swearing, drinking, carousing were the behavior of a woman who could be seen as "of the times". While I don't fully identify with the characteristic "flapper girl", I admire the spirit that was necessary to counteract the serious discrimination that women endured for so long.

At my show, I'll be proud to represent the women of the 1920's who threw off the shackles of yesterday, and made way for women like me who can perform onstage, kick butt in the office, and make an honest living without being dependent on a man to get by. I'm married and so happy, and part of my biblical view of marriage is that the woman should not a burden, or merely a child-rearer, rather a go-getter, and a financial team-mate in the household, just like it says in Proverbs.

This flapper fad died away with the Great Depression. Like one of life's hard lessons- a death of a friend, a broken heart, the Great Depression became the antidote for a generation experimenting with sometimes unweildy amounts of hedonism. But, they came out the other side with new value systems, which included greater respect and broader definitions for the female's role in society.

I love this white dress that I found with the event organizers at the Missoula Children's Theatre. If you're ever on the hunt for great vintage clothing, make sure to check into your local theatres and playhouses! That's where I find the good stuff for my shows.

What I love best about this dress is that it makes me feel free- the fringe flaps around and is a whole lot of  fun, and still the dress isn't too revealing.

I would love to see you at this show. There's so much more to it than just this dress! With some great local musicians, I've created a line-up of songs that are both reminicient of the 1920's and modern at the same time. I can't wait to sing it for you!

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Jazz on, my friends!

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