Bathing beach beauty contest, [1920], Eliz. Roache (most beautiful suit)

The beginning of the twentieth century was a period of dramatic change for women in the West. In the late Victorian period women were constricted by a patriarchal social structure. But the early twentieth century saw the creation of the Suffragette movement, the catalyst for the rapid social change that occurred over the rest of the century. With career options other than marriage and motherhood opening up to them, women engaged with politics, served in the two world wars, made an impact on the artistic and literary worlds and experienced social and sexual liberation. Between 1880 and 1910, the number of women employed in the United States increased from 2.6 million to 7.8 million. Women's organizations in towns and cities across the U.S. were working to promote suffrage, better schools, the regulation of child labor, women in unions, and liquor prohibition. By emphasizing traditional traits, female social reformers created new spaces for themselves in local and then national government even before they had the right to vote.

Vintage Glamour Photos.

After the end of World War I and until 1929, the onset of the Great Depression, the victorious countries-the United States, Great Britain, and France-entered an era of economic and political prosperity. A mood of optimism and faith in a prosperous future prevailed. World War I led to radical changes in virtually every sphere of life, including fashion. The most important phenomenon of the period is the emancipation of women, made possible by the long struggle of women for their rights, as well as the heavy demographic impact of the war and the Spanish pandemic. Women were gradually integrated into the economy, gaining political rights and the ability to provide for themselves, as a consequence of which women's fashion underwent radical changes to fit the new way of life. Women's clothing became simpler, more comfortable, and the layering of lingerie and corsets was abandoned. Elements that had previously been considered traditionally masculine, such as pantsuits and sportswear, are entering women's fashion.