Chester "Flappers" the good old days!!

A view of the 500 block of Market St. in Chester now Ave. of the States looking south toward the Delaware River. 

Note: Many things changed in the 1920's especially women's clothes. My mother was a teenager then and she told me many funny stories of hiding clothes aka dresses etc. from her mother so she wouldn't she how short things were getting. She also sneaked out and changed at a friends house.

    

CHESTER TIMES 

 September 25, 1922 

WOMEN DOFFING SHORTENED SKIRT 

Wearers Seem Desirous of Appearing Older Than They Really Are

               Although autumn arrived officially Saturday afternoon at 4:00 o’clock, not one woman on Market Street noticed it.  The eyes of all were turned not to the incoming season but to the incoming styles.

               The “flapper” has grown up overnight.  She has done something to her sheared tresses so that they now look like a big girl’s and she has lengthened her skirts to the extent that the ultra-fashionable are not going to be accused of joining the sidewalk-sweeping forces.  If any proof of the demise of the knee-length dress is wanted by the incredulous let it be recorded here that the youthful grandmothers have given up wearing short skirts.

               The fall “flapper” doesn’t “flap.”  She lolls.  She looks consciously blasé.  She has an air of wishing to appear much older than she really is.  Market Street discovered that yesterday.  Not only the skirts of the majority are of extreme length.  Most of them were neither long nor short.

               But just the same, each and every “Colonel’s lady and Judy O’Grady” was looking to see just how long were the skirts of her sister.  “Look at that skirt!” was the remark most often heard in passing.

               Several costumes furnished eyefuls, especially so those draped affairs that somehow resembled in their general effect a statue covered for the summer when the family goes away.  In length they seemed to show a desire to get into contact with the sidewalk.  Panels and points gestured concrete award to such an extent that the shorter-skirted sisterhood registered signs of envy by pretending to be amused.

               The warmth of the day didn’t keep the furs at home.  There they were – blonde furs and brunette furs, some red and others black, many gray and others blue; stoles, chokers, collars and “animal skin” effects.  Many were tossed over the right shoulder with studied jauntiness.  But many of the larger pieces were carried at half-staff in the crook of the elbow, as autumn was but autumn in name and the almanac.

               In addition to the furs, others fall wraps made their appearance in large numbers.  Most were capes or coats cut in such a way that their sleeves were hidden by folds of cloth.  Some were so befringed that they displayed a certain kinship with Carmen’s native land.

               Were there fall hats in the autumn parade?  Of course.  But it must be remembered that a woman puts on her winter bonnet in the latter part of August, so there is little to tell on that score.

               Man played an inconspicuous part in the parade.  One was discovered wearing spats, but they were obviously too much work by him last season.  Another had on a topcoat and yet a third wore white shoes.  But not an off-colored derby could be found.