The 1920s flapper exemplified changing attitudes of young women after World War I. The flapper embraced independence and prosperity rather than focusing on marriage and family like previous generations. Factors like women's suffrage, Prohibition, and working outside the home contributed to young women having more freedom and independence during this era. The flapper adopted styles like short skirts, bobbed hair, and makeup that represented this shift away from the Victorian ideals of previous generations towards a new modern identity.