Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous in the Roaring Twenties free essay sample

New fashion trends and music, infamous and dignified names, and unforgettable scandals are what remain of the extravagant post WWI decade. If you were alive during the decade you knew where to buy alcohol and how to do the Charleston. New automobiles made the years all the better aiding the life of the rich and famous. The rich and famous were the ones who knew this outstanding lifestyle so very well. The privileged men and women who were born in to â€Å"Old Money† or perhaps married for money were the basic roots to the 1920’s. They provided the expensive illegal alcohol at the over the top parties dressed in the latest trends while dancing to the newest and hottest music. The rich and famous life was the picture perfect photo capturing the roaring 20’s. All too soon the outlived dreams ended in 1929 when the stock market crashed begging the Great Depression. F. Scott Fitzgerald published The Great Gatsby in 1925. The novel showed every aspect of the lifestyles of the privileged in the 1920’s. The novel shows readers visualization of the lifestyles. His novel goes into aspects of fashion, music, dance, personality’s, sports, scandals, and romance. He wrote this book shortly after his own experiences in the 1920’s after what he had witnessed and some fictional aspects as well. For the most part Great Gatsby represents the roaring 20’s and the rich and famous with a renowned representation. Many of the characters such as Gatsby and the Buchanan’s are rich and well known. Their lives are written in detail explaining what life was like for the rich and famous through Nick Caraway in the Great Gatsby. Many of the trends from the Roaring Twenties were set or seen at the parties thrown by the rich such as Gatsby did in the novel. Many of the trends were fashion, especially women, music, and dances. Fashion had changed a lot after and during the war. Dress making and custom styles were beginning to break out. New textures and patterns created the 1920’s style. For women many more options were now acceptable. A daring new style of skirts and dresses worn above the knee were popular. 1920s Dresses  were lighter and brighter and shorter than ever before† (1920s Womens Fashion). Jewelry and many other embellishments were added now more than ever. â€Å"An increased sense of freedom was expressed in simple yet elegant designs, with carefully selected fabrics, and an intelligent use of color† (1920s Womens Fashion). Jazz was the sound track to the 1920’s. Another nickname for the 20’s was the Jazz Age. Jazz was a newly popular style introduced through th e Harlem Renaissance when many African Americans were in search of jobs and took up music as an option. Jazz was introduced in the south and quickly traveled all across the eastern coast of the United States. Throughout the jazz age many unforgettable musicians arose in fame composing catchy songs which became the sound track to the 20’s. Many of famous artists were musicians such as Joseph â€Å"King Oliver† Oliver, Bessie Smith, Louis Daniel Armstrong and the Fletcher Henderson Group (1920’s Music) Much of this music also had dances to accompany the music. Popular dances included the Charleston and the Black Bottom. 1920 – Blackbottom and Charleston) Much of the rich community inherited their money from old money; others however invested in stocks and took up jobs on Wall Street. The stock market was booming during the middle of the 1920’s. It was a risky business but you couldn’t have noticed in the 20’s. The stocks floated up and down a few times until they climbed upwards noticeable in 1927. â€Å"The strong bull market (when price s are rising in the stock market) enticed even more people to invest. And by 1928, a stock market boom had begun. Most citizens had intentions to invest, but couldn’t afford it. Wall Street was filled with people lucky enough to earn their way to money or folks from old money. During 1929 there had been â€Å"mini-crashes† in the stock market foreshadowing the crash of 1929 known as Black Tuesday. This was the beginning of the end for the Roaring Twenties. (The Stock Market Crash of 1929) The Roaring Twenties were a decade of nonstop parties for the rich and famous. They lived extravagant lifestyles, never sobering up, or stopping the music. It was a time for celebration after the victory of the Great War and a time to prepare for the unknown upcoming 2nd world war. It was a time of booming stocks and illegal booze. The newly invented cars and planes were the talk of the town and something to show off when you had money. Anything flashy and costly was in style and the rich indulged themselves in the extravagancies in life until the fall of the economy and the Great Depression when the luxurious life came to a quick and harsh end for many people. Works Cited 1920s Blackbottom and Charleston.   Dancetimepublications. com. Dancetime Publications, n. d. Web. 22 May 2013. The 1920s: Lifestyles and Social Trends: Overview.   Encyclopedia. com. N. p. , 2001. Web. 22 May 2013. 1920s Music.   1920s Music. N. p. , n. d. Web. 22 May 2013. Rosenberg, Jenifer. The Stock Market Crash of 1929.   The Stock Market Crash of 1929. About. com, n. d. Web. 22 May 2013. Womens Fashions 1920s.   1920s Womens Fashions. 1920-30. com, n. d. Web. 22 May 2013.