Twee Magazine

Flappers.

Flappers were among the great twee prototypes. They were the first modern female youth movement, and the disputed origins of the name itself radiates twee: It might have come from the word for a young duck or partridge, presumably because of the amount of flapping they did when they learned to fly. Or it may have come from Northern English slang for a young girl, because she had not yet put her hair up and it flapped as she walked. Or it may have had to do with a style of boots popular among girls before World War I -- high boots are sometimes still called ankle-flappers.

Whatever the case, flappers first made their appearance in the Edwardian era in both England and America, defined by her youth, her flirtatiousness, and her sense of fashion. The flapper quickly became a popular stage character, and by the 1920s it had exploded into an international trend, often represented by fun-loving young women in short haircuts, straight-waisted dresses, close-fitting hat, kohl-rimmed eyes, and almost incomprehensible girlish slang.

It is to the slang we will address ourselves now, although we shall likely return to the flapper again and again. But flappers had a particular affection for cutesy, smart, and often wickedly funny slang phrases, some of which have stuck with us. What follows is an incomplete collection, cobbled together from numerous sources:

A

Airedale: Homely man
All wet: incorrect
Ankling along: taking a walk
Appleknocker: A hick
Applesauce: Flattery or bunk

B

Balled up: confused, messed up
Bank’s Closed: No petting allowed; no kisses
Barney-muggin: Love-making
Bearcat: a hot-blooded or fiery girl
Bee’s Knees: See “Cat’s Pajamas”
Berries: Great
Billboard: Flashy man or woman
Biscuit: A pettable flapper
Blouse: let’s go
Blow: Wild party
Brooksy: Classy dresser
Brush-ape: Anyone from the sticks - a hayshaker
Butt me: Give me a cigarette

C

Cake basket: A limousine
Cake-Eater: A wearer of tight clothes, belted coat with spearlike lapels and one button, sausage trousers, low quick fitting collar, greenish pink shirt; and one of those jazzbo ties that gives you the giggles.
Cancelled Stamp: A wallflower
Cash or check?: Do we kiss now or later?
Cat's Pajamas: Anything that's good
Cat’s Particulars: The acme of perfection; anything that’s good
Cellar Smeller: A young man who always turns up where liquor is to be had without cost
Cheaters: eye glasses
Copacetic: excellent, all in order
Corn-shredder: Young man who dances on lady's feet
Cuddle-cootie: Young man who takes a girl for a ride on a bus

D

Dapper: A flapper's father
Dewdropper: Young man who does not work, and sleeps all day
Di Mi: Goodness
Dimbox: A taxicab
Dog Kennels: Pair of shoes
Dogs: feet
Duck’s Quack: The best thing ever
Ducky: General term of approbation
Dud: A wall flower
Dumb Dora: Stupid girl

E

Edisoned: Being asked a lot of questions
Embalmer: A bootlegger

F

Face Stretcher: Old maid who tries to look younger
Father time: Any man over 30 yrs
Feathers: Small talk
Fig leaf: One piece bathing suit
Fire Extinguisher: A chaperone
Flat Tire: would-be Flapper over 30
Floorflusher: Inveterate dance hound
Flour Lover: Girl who powders too freely
Fluky: Funny, odd, peculiar; different
Frog's eyebrows: Nice, fine

G

Gasper: cigarette
Get a wiggle on: get a move on, get going
Giggle water: booze
Gimlet: A chronic bore
Goat’s Whiskers: See “Cat’s Particulars”
Goof: Flapper's sweetheart
Goofy: To be in love with, or attracted to. Example: “I’m goofy about Jack.”
Green Glorious: Money and checks
Grummy: In the dumps, shades or blue

H

Half cut: Happily intoxicated
Half seas over: drunk; also "half under"
Handcuff: Engagement ring
Hen Coop: A beauty parlor
High hat: a snob
Horse lineament: bootleg liquor
Hush money:  Allowance from father

 I

Iron one’s shoelaces: to go to the restroom
Ish kabibble: a retort meaning "I should care!"

J

Jake: great, i.e. "Everything's Jake."
Johnnie Walker: Guy who never hires a cab

K

Kippy: Neat or nice
Kitten’s Ankles: See “Cat’s Particulars”
Knee Duster: Flapper’s dress

L

Lap: Drink
Lemon Squeezer: An elevator
Low Lid: The opposite of highbrow

M

Mad Money: streetcar money in case of a row with your fellow
Mind your potatoes: mind your own business
Monkey’s Eyebrows: See “Cat’s Particulars”
Mug: To osculate or kiss
Munitions: face powder

N

Noodle-juice: Tea
Nosebaggery: Restaurant
"Now you're on the trolley!": "Now you've got it!"
Nunnally Cowboy: cake eater, lounge lizard
Nut Cracker: Policeman’s nightstick

O

Orchid: Anything that is expensive
Out on Parole: A person who has been divorced

P

Petting Pantry: Movie
Petting party: Social event devoted to hugging
Pillowcase: Young man who is full of feathers; see: feathers
Plastered: A synonym for pie-eyed; oiled; intoxicated
Potato: A young man shy of brains
Princess Mary: girl about to be married

R

Rain pitchforks: a downpour
Ritz: Stuck-up
Ritzy Burg: Not classy
Rug-shaking: shimmying
 

 S

Screaming meemies: the shakes
Seetie: Anybody a flapper hates
She’s gottem: knows the ropes
Show Case: Rich man’s wife with jewels
Smoke-eater: A girl cigarette user
Snugglepupping: spooning, petting
Sod Buster: An undertaker
Static: Conversations that mean nothing
Stilts: Legs
Strike breaker: Young woman who goes with her friend's "steady" while there is a coolness

T

Tell it to Sweeney: tell it to someone who'll believe it
Tomato: Good looking girl with no brains

U

Umbrella: young man any girl can borrow for the evening

W

Whangdoodle: Jazz band
Woofy: in place of nothing else to say; generally meaningless

Y

Young Otis: chap from the country