With the end of the First World War, young people once again wanted to celebrate being alive. The United States' economy roared back to life as the country expanded and spending returned to pre-war levels. New materials such as rayon and elastics allowed for the creation of new clothes, while the music scene and the silver screen influenced how people dressed and what was deemed fashionable. For women, slim and boyish was popular in the early 20s, while men relaxed their appearance away from the more formal Edwardian-style made-to-order to baggy trousers and off the rack clothes purchases.
Movements such as the jazz age as represented in the Great Gatsby and Art Deco had strong influences on colors and patterns, while the practice of sports became more popular, creating new fashion. The nude look of bare arms, neck, and legs for women was a small revolution in what was previously considered shocking. The Great Depression suddenly ended the excesses of the 1920s, but gangsters continued to ply their deadly trade, and their popularity in movies and in popular culture meant that their look also trickled down into the fashion of the era.
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