I've most liked dressing up as a flapper. I've been flappered twice. But I care not only about the clothes they wore but what they stood for. It's early-liberated, earning money, having the vote, their potential husband probably died in the war, that kind of independence.

Lucy Worsley’s quote reflects her fascination with the flapper style, which was popular in the 1920s, and the broader cultural significance it holds. She mentions how she has dressed up as a flapper twice, but her interest goes beyond just the clothes they wore. Worsley is drawn to what the flappers represented—an early-liberated generation of women who challenged traditional gender roles. For her, the flapper symbolizes the emergence of women's independence and the shifting societal norms of the time.

The origin of this interest lies in the context of the 1920s, when women in many parts of the world, including the United States and the UK, were gaining more freedoms and rights. The flapper was a symbol of this new era: women who earned money, had gained the vote, and rejected the previous constraints of femininity. Worsley highlights that many of these women also experienced personal loss, as their husbands or potential partners may have been lost in World War I, leading them to embrace a new form of independence.

The quote emphasizes how flappers embodied a new form of independence, characterized not only by their fashion choices but also by their social and political freedoms. Their liberation was marked by their ability to live life on their own terms, be financially independent, and make decisions that had previously been reserved for men. This sense of independence was revolutionary at the time, particularly as women had only just won the right to vote and were stepping into public spaces that had been dominated by men.

Ultimately, Worsley’s quote reflects a deeper appreciation for the cultural and historical significance of the flapper beyond their outward appearance. For her, flappers represent a generation of women who embraced freedom, fought for their rights, and redefined what it meant to be independent during a time of societal upheaval.