The Business of Fashion

The flashy, short-skirted flapper dresses of the 1920s have come to symbolize the economic prosperity and “New Woman” ideals of the era.  However, many women could not afford to purchase clothing, and instead, made their own.  Making clothing was not just a way for women to keep up with fashion trends; some women turned sewing into their profession.  Many seamstresses were single or widowed women who needed to support themselves financially.  Domestic magazines and pamphlets from the Cornell Cooperative Extension taught local women how to make the latest fashions and provided step-by step instructions for saving money by reworking old clothing.