ARTICLE: 1920s: The Daring Decade (exhibit)

>The Daring Decade: Women in the 1920s
>
>Through October 24, 2004
>
>The 1920s were a decade of rapid change when an emphasis on youth and
>adventure overcame the traditional social and moral restrictions
placed on
>women. The Daring Decade: Women in the 1920s opens on May 1 through
October
>24, and will showcase 40 costumes from the Society’s collection, plus
>decorative arts and library archives to address this dramatic
transition in
>the societal role of the American woman.
>
>Women had flooded the workforce during World War I and assumed
economic
>roles that had been previously inhabited only by men. Working
everywhere
>from factories to banks, they were reluctant to abandon these
positions of
>independence when the war ended. Armed with financial freedom and the
right
>to vote, they chose to assert their equality in a number of ways, and
>adopted modes of dress and behavior that were previously regarded as
>masculine. The working woman’s suit was elevated to a fashion
essential
>when couturier Gabrielle Coco Chanel recognized its menswear materials
and
>styling as both functional and chic.
>
>The wearing of pants was also championed by Mademoiselle Chanel and
her
>contemporaries, and came into general use in dressing for sports and
>sunbathing. A woolen shirt and jodhpurs, or riding pants, made by
>Abercrombie and Fitch and a rare sweatsuit made by Cleveland Sport
Goods
>will show how the wearing of pants allowed women the physical freedom
to
>enjoy athletics and leisure activities to the fullest extent. Beach
pajamas
>became fashionable for lounging in the sun, and knitted tank-style
bathing
>suits by Jantzen allowed women to swim and tan their revealed skin.
>
>The desire for physical freedom was not limited to sports, as many
women in
>the 1920s were obsessed with the latest dance trends: the Charleston
and
>Fox Trot. Evening dresses became less constrictive and were
embellished in
>beads, fringes and tassels that emphasized movement, as exemplified by
the
>flapper style of 1925-1927. One example in the display includes an
evening
>dress made of silk, satin, lace and glass beads made by Chanel. The
look
>was completed with bobbed hair, red lipstick and varnished fingernails
for
>the young woman seeking adventure.
>
>The Daring Decade: Women in the 1920s will be complemented with 1920s
>displays throughout the East Boulevard facility. The Library’s Sports
>Archives will have a display in the Reinberger lobby highlighting the
1920
>Cleveland Indians World Champion baseball team. The Cleveland Indians
won
>the pennant, then defeated the Brooklyn Dodgers to win the World
Series.
>The Indians were led by player-manager Tris Speaker and pitching great
Stan
>Covaleski. The exhibit will feature the original photos of sports
>photographers Louis Van Oeyen and Andy Kraffert. An audio tape of an
>interview with outfielder and broadcaster Jack Graney will describe
the
>highlights of the action, including the first ever unassisted triple
play
>in a World Series by Indians second baseman Bill Wamby. Cleveland
>newspapers will illustrate the excitement in town as the Cleveland
ballclub
>competed for its first ever World Championship.
>
>In the Crawford Museum our collection of 1920s cars will be displayed
>including Cleveland-made cars. Many people do not realize that
Cleveland
>was a hub for car manufacturing in the 1920s including companies such
as
>White Motors, Jordan, and Winton. The Crawford collection boasts 21
cars
>from the 1920s and one aircraft from the year 1921. Visitors will get
to
>see the 1920 Mercer Raceabout sports car; 1921 Lincoln, the world's
oldest
>Lincoln; 1922 Dodge; 1928 Franklin Airman sedan and the 1929 Pierce
Arrow,
>just to name a few.
>
>Various programs and events will be scheduled during the run of the
>exhibition. Check out the WRHS website at www.wrhs.org for more
information
>on upcoming programs. Support provided by National City Bank, the Ohio
>Humanities Council, a state affiliate of the National Endowment for
the
>Humanities and 107.3 FM The Wave.

 

This exhibit just concluded (actually ending today) Does anyone know anyone who was able to attend?