Flapper girls — Blog — Stefano Casarola

Native Americans were probably the first to wear garments with fringes, a border of hanging strips made from suede or leather which could have served as a dropping way for rain.

Only in the 1920s fringe became a decorative fashion embellishment thanks to the flapper girls look. These women listened to jazz, danced Charleston and smoked. They wore short dresses or skirts decorated with fringes which gave a bit of more length to that daring style, pearls necklaces, feathers accessories and mid heel ankle strap shoes useful for fast dances.

The use of fringe was then adopted by the hippies in the late 1960s. For this youth movement, which rejected the mainstream values and was interested in civil rights and oppressed minority groups, wearing fringe was a way to demonstrate solidarity to the Native American cause. But is the film Easy Rider which gives the fringe look a fashion statement more than a political one. Unforgettable is the scene where Dennis Hopper is wearing a fringed brown suede jacket while riding his motorcycle on the musical notes of the song Born to be wild.

Todays fringes are on fashion again. Both clothes and accessories are embellish with fringes. For this SS18 also raffia fringes have been used.