Glamour and Domesticity in the Twentieth Century: Vogue Magazine; 1945 – 1965
Aliona Pitchkar
History 245 Professor Banner December 6, 2007
Undoubtedly the mid-1940’s were a pivotal turning point in the history of the United States. America had just emerged victorious – as well as economically drained – from WW II, and the country was surely on the brink of several changes. Obvious transformations were occurring on the macro-scale of American economics and foreign policy. There were also many changes occurring on the smaller scale of the typical American household and popular culture. Arguably one of the best surveys of common, micro-scale American lifestyle can be found by examining the popular leisurely periodicals of the time – especially fashion. One of the most famous periodicals during this time, and perhaps throughout the entire history of fashion periodicals, has been Vogue magazine. As its name implies, Vogue devotes its pages to the chic and stylish looks, and also the fashionable modes of thought of the day. It is my firm belief that many conclusions can be drawn about a culture by examining its acclaimed glamour magazines. Thus this paper will be a review of the numerous conclusions I was able to draw from my research of Vogue magazine from September of 1945 until September of 1965. My research method of choice has been the random sample survey. I have done this by taking the Fall issues of Vogue magazines which span the relevant time period in 5 year segments (namely 1945, 1950, 1955, 1960, 1965) and carefully analyzing the types of clothing being worn, the types of articles being published, the type of glamour being portrayed, and also the type of advertisements which appear in the magazine. Another important feature to I have paid close attention, has been the type of women which are deemed fit to be models throughout these magazines and also the models which are “vogue” enough to make it on the front page cover. While examining the models I have paid particular attention to the presentation of dress, makeup, and the implied definitions of femininity. There is a very important point I wish to explain before I proceed with my findings. During the time period which I have chosen to study, Vogue magazine had incorporated another popular
magazine called Vanity Fair into its publications. The significance of this union was the change in target audience. The information which I have collected from these issues was geared towards women of the upper-middle and upper class. The magazines were designed to attract wealthy women who were willing to go out often and spend lots of money on being glamorous. The first issue which I examined was dated September 15, 1945 and had a shelf price of 35 cents. The cover showed a young lady in a tight, floor-length, long sleeve, brown button-up dress and black gloves. She was adorned with a mink hat, a thick choker around her neck, and bright red lipstick. The only visible skin was her face and neck. Compared to the revealing flapper and vamp look of the 1920’s and 1930’s, it was clear that WW II had brought in its wake a gender conservatism that had not been seen since the Victorian era.1 The cover also boasted of “Ready to Wear Collections” and “Vogue Designs in Dressmaking.” The latter of the two stories clearly shows that women were still primarily sewing their own garments. Since this issue was published very close to the end of the war I was not surprised to see this trend – even in an elite publication – but I did expect to see this habit change. The major “look” of the season was a suit comprised of a knee-length skirt and a jacket with a grand collar. Buttons were quite fashionable, along with a thin belt to define the waist. Granted that this was the winter fashion issue, it was almost impossible to find a single image where the model did not wear a hat and long gloves. The colors being used were not very bright; they consisted mostly of black, beige, gray, and brown – although red, green, and purple were sometimes seen for evening looks. Since many women were making their clothes by hand, the garments were usually solid colors, sometimes with light embroidery at most. Clearly wool was a new hot commodity in the fashion world because many of the designers boasted of their “new wool collections.” In line with the magazines rich target audience, most models wore expensive fur coats and hats. The models themselves had a very uniformed look – white, young, full-figured (definitely
Lois Banner, "A Conservative Era" in Women in Modern America: A Brief History, 137 (California: Thomson Wadsworth, 2005).
1
much heavier than models are today), and with short dark hair which was usually curled. Makeup was always worn but it was fairly minimal and generally unvarying: light colored powder, pink blush, and red lipstick. As a matter of fact, besides the addition of brooches or jewelry it was quite hard to distinguish the daytime looks from the evening looks. Shoes seemed to receive little attention from the designers and also looked rather uniformed with their low-heeled, pointy style. The shortest skirt reached at least to the knee and pants were only shown as an option for pajamas. The message was clear: conservatism was back and in full swing. The advertisements also offered an interesting interpretation of the popular culture of the day. One ad for Avon Cosmetics reflected postwar sentiment by claiming that its new line of powder was in praise of cadet nurses who were the “hostess to loveliness”.2 As I listed through the pages I came across a stunning model in a long black dress with black gloves and a black hat. Undoubtedly what stood out the most was the only non-black element of the ad: the white cigarette in her hand. On the bottom of the page Marlboro went on to call themselves the only cigarette of distinction and claim that not everything is for the boys anymore.3 This message clearly relayed the WW II trend of women taking on male roles and habits. Besides these, the remaining majority of the ads were evenly divided between those that marketed undergarments or those that marketed hosiery. Although bras were seen too, most underwear ads displayed mostly a wide array of girdles, corsets, and knickers. The abundance of hosiery ads clearly implied that wearing tights under a skirt was an absolute must – another result of a return to Victorian conservatism. The next issue which I observed was from September 15, 1950 and the price had now increased by 15 cents. As this magazine was about to demonstrate, the 1950’s were a period of domesticity and family formation unparalleled in the history of the US.4 The cover showed a young lady crossing the street. She was wearing a dark brown fur coat with a brown knee-length skirt, gold
2 3
Vogue (Inc. Vanity Fair), September 1945, 66. Vogue (Inc. Vanity Fair), September 1945, 43. 4 Banner, “A Conservative Era,” 141.
gloves, and a red hat. In terms of the fashion, when comparing it to the 1945 issue I noticed that it was similar in its appeal to fur, yet different in its newfound appreciation for bright color. The cover stories promised to deliver “News in Accessories” as well as “New Shoes and Stockings.” The shirtand-jacket look was still obviously very fashionable, but there was something quite different about it now. Most of the jackets were either left unbuttoned or plunged very low to reveal an elaborate blouse underneath. According to this issue of Vogue, “a blouse is the vital third of a suit.” Hats and gloves remained extremely trendy but also underwent a few changes. Almost all the hats now possessed some sort of a veil – either it covered the entire face or just the forehead. And gloves were now usually portrayed as the “dash of bold color” of the outfit. It became easier to distinguish the daytime looks from the evening looks because the latter was now more commonly associated with long dresses instead of suits. Wool was downgraded from new and hip to ordinary and practical, and velvet was clearly the chic new fabric. Bags were often seen but only in the hand-held form, and the popular styles resembled a small piece of luggage. Advertising also followed the trend of change along with continuity. The hosiery and underwear ads were still quite prominent, but a greater variety of new ads were also surfacing. Revenescence Skincare Company featured a beautiful model who exclaimed that her husband never dreamed she’d look this young at her age5 – a blatant portrayal of women’s expectancy to conform to male images of youth and beauty in order to assert their femininity. Ads for perfume, timepieces, and tampons were also new forms of marketing being conveyed to women. The tampon ads particularly interested me. They represented a slow but steady step away from the prude Victorian ideals which were originally reaffirmed in the post-WW II era. Most interesting of all, however, were the new articles which I encountered. As anticipated, the page formerly devoted to “Vogue’s Designs for Dressmaking” was now “Vogue’s Buying Guide.” This shift from sewing to shopping clearly
5
Vogue (Inc. Vanity Fair), September 1950, 117.
represents the social encouragement women received to recover from wartime frugality and move on to consumerism. The third issue I observed was from September 15 of 1955. The lady on the front page was only pictured from the neck up. The emphasis was definitely on her makeup and accessories rather than her clothes. She had very dark eye makeup and bright red lipstick which beautifully complimented her bulky ruby earrings. She was also adorned in a very peculiarly shaped bright yellow cone-like hat. The biggest surprise of all, however, was the absence of gloves and the presence of long nails painted with a bright red polish. Although it was just a pair of hands, it symbolized the slow but steady progress away from the conservatism of post-WW II society. The clothes also seemed to be losing the confining attributes they regained in the mid-1940’s. Coats and furs were still very popular but they mostly hung straight down now, instead of defining the waist and bosom like they did before. Many new styles of shoes were introduced; the peep-toe, the sling-back, and the ankle boot were particularly fashionable. Dresses that hugged the body without constraining it replaced most of the 3-piece daytime suits. The emergence of dresses also ushered in a new variety of styles and patterns such as the boat-neck, v-neck, floral, and tweed. Many of the prominent designers such as Coco Chanel, Christian Dior, and Henry Bendel boasted that their dress collections offer “daytime knits” as well as elegant “evening showstoppers.” Another popular new trend was the cashmere turtleneck sweater. The look of the models had taken on a new twist as well. Blonde hair became more fashionable then ever before, especially as cosmetic companies produced more effective home hair dyes.6 And even though all the models remained white women, there was more variety seen in terms of weight and body shape. This frequent new portrayal of blonde models
6
Banner, “A Conservative Era,” 144.
definitely had a major impact on American women because during this time the number of women lightening their hair increased from 7% to over 50%.7 Advertisements also conveyed an interesting look into the evolving cultural fads. Automobile ads became quite common, which was initially a bit surprising considering this was a publication with a predominantly female audience. This was due to families increasingly moving to the suburbs, which did not always have trains and buses nearby; therefore, driving around to take kids to school and pick up groceries became another staple of female housework and domesticity.8 The ads also reflected women’s growing obsession with their appearance. A company called Dietrim used a thin blonde model in a tight red dress to market its “new scientific way to lose weight without losing your looks”.9 This sexualized representation of a woman was a common mode of luring other women into buying the products being advertised. Lingerie ads also took part in this new sexualization of women by often showing models in pointed bras and panties instead of girdles and knickers. Overall, although there was much more female skin in this issue of Vogue, it was being presented in an exploitative way rather than as a newfound liberty. The fourth issue I studied was released on September 15, 1960. The cover girl was adorned in a ¾ length bell-shaped hot pink coat made of wool chinchilla cloth and an igloo-shaped leopard hat. Coats were still very fashionable but now came in a much broader variety; they were short, long, straight, bell-shaped, and even collarless. Flannel dresses were also very stylish, and the accompanying new look was bows (instead of buckles) on waist belts. Plaid and paisley were two very trendy new textures for many coats and dresses. The suit was pretty much an extinct commodity in this issue. The fashion of accessories was also at the brink of a major evolution. Bags were still handheld clutches but they now came with elaborate bows, buckles, and zippers instead of just a snap7 8
Ibid, 146. Ibid, 142. 9 Vogue (Inc. Vanity Fair), September 1955, 92.
button. Hats had clearly lost their practical appeal because they were no longer to be found in the majority of images. The few gloves that were still being worn were now almost exclusively short; they no longer stretched to the elbow as they had in the 1940s and 1950s. Shoes often still adhered to the pointed-toe look of the late 1950s, but the heel had definitely becomes thinner and risen a few inches in height – the “evening stiletto” was born. Makeup had also extended its horizons. Nail polish was now popular not only in red, but also in various shades of pink. Red lipstick became much less fashionable as well. Lips were now typically a natural pink hew so as not to detract attention from the eyes, which were usually done up with elaborate mixes of mascara, colorful eye shadow, and thick eyeliner. The most shocking new fashion revelation of all, however, was the slow but steady emergence of pants. Although they were definitely not very common, this was the first magazine of those which I studied that showed women in pants that were not pajamas. Instead, they were portrayed as an appropriate “at home costume” or a comfortable alternative to daytime dresses. In one article, Helen Harper, a Vogue fashion consultant, even noted that sweaters were the perfect partners for skirts, pants, or Bermuda shorts.10 Advertising also reflected the numerous cultural changes which had occurred over the years. One ad for Handmachers new double-knit jersey dress showed a beautiful woman about to board an airplane and claimed that with their product women could “get somewhere, bag the beau, and land the job.”11 This ad was particularly interesting because it not only reflected the growing acceptance of women in the workforce, but also the advent and popularity of commercial airplanes. The amount of advertisements for hair dyes and perms increased greatly and advocated relief from “stubborn grays.” Clearly women’s obsession with their appearance was still a growing issue. Another ad for the Lady Sunbeam electric shaver showed a woman shaving her legs and underarms. This was the first reference thus far to women shaving their bodies. Lady Sunbeam, along with several Tampax ads,
10 11
Vogue (Inc. Vanity Fair), September 1960, 109. Ibid, 166.
offered a somewhat mounting acceptance of the female body. Nevertheless, along with acceptance came an increase in sexualization and exploitation as well. An ad for bath oils showed a voluptuous blonde wrapped in just a small towel with her long wet hair falling freely onto her shoulders. This was perhaps the most sexualized representation of a woman I had seen thus far. The amount of skin that was shown was far more than what was typically expected of the advertisers; and the whole notion of a beautiful woman standing in nothing but a towel and flowing wet hair, possessed quite an erotic undertone. In fact, it was the only image I had seen so far where a woman’s hair was not short, pulled back, or tucked into a hat. Indeed, the 1960s were bound to be an era of new liberation and sexualization for women. The final issue I examined was from September 15 of 1965. The girl on the cover had dark shoulder-length hair with very light makeup. Unlike most of the other cover girls I had seen, her hair was not pulled back, her makeup was very pale, and she was not wearing a hat. Her outfit consisted of an empire waist tube dress and a baby blue fur boa. This lack of heavy eye make, a hat, and a large fur coat was definitely a very different look than in the preceding issues. The entire fashion of the season, as a matter of fact, had taken a turn in a different direction. Although the evening outfits also attained a slimmer fit, their style still mostly remained long and elegant. The daytime looks, on the other hand, definitely adapted a more casual, liberating, and lively nature. The bell-shaped dresses were replaced by much sleeker-fitting designs. The empire waist, which tightened right below the bust line, and the strapless tube dress were two very popular new styles. Another new dress style was the so-called mini. This was a style of dress that usually ended about 4-5 inches above the knee. This daring new display of women’s legs was definitely evidence of another cultural shift towards sexualization and open-mindedness. The influence of the hippie subculture, which particularly flourished during this era, was very noticeable in the elaborate patterns and designs of many dresses and coats. The oversized polka dot print was especially trendy. Pants had clearly gained acceptance
as well as popularity in the fashion world, for they now appeared very often in the images throughout the magazine. Their style was a tight fitted straight leg and they often came in various tweed prints. The rise of the pants also brought with it the rise of the sweater – especially the turtleneck – which were a very trendy new look when paired together. Just as the image on the cover implied, fur boas were also a very popular new alternative to the fur coat. Shoes, however, were undoubtedly the most reformed of all accessories. As the numerous models throughout the magazine demonstrated, the knee-length boot was the fashionable new must-have of the season. These boots came in various colors and were usually worn either over pants or with stockings and a mini dress. While fashion as a whole was moving in a bold new direction, makeup on the other hand, was toning down. The popular red lipstick trend of the 40s and early 50s was completely extinct. The models usually painted their lips with a very pale pink hue so as to detract attention from the mouth. Instead the emphasis was placed on bright pink blush and light pastel eye shadow. Thick eyeliner was also not very stylish anymore. Even nail polish became predominantly light pink or clear, almost never red anymore. The models themselves were also toning down – literally. The women who were portrayed in this issue of Vogue were significantly thinner than their predecessors. This newfound fascination with weight and slenderness was quite obvious from the growing amount of advertisements dedicated various aspects of weight loss. One advertisement for a RelaxAcizor exercise machine posed the question, what’s a girl got to do if she’s a little…hippy? 12 This doubleended question not only referred to the new obsession with being thin, but also grazed the popular new hippy movement of the 60s. Throughout the twenty year span from 1945 to 1965 which followed WW II, the culture and lifestyle of American society had changed drastically. With 1945 being the closest publication to the end of the war, it clearly showed the coexistence of prewar frugality and postwar conservatism was in
12
Vogue (Inc. Vanity Fair), September 1965, 31.
full swing. Although Vogue magazine was a publication typically geared towards a wealthy female audience, they still referred to women’s dressmaking as a common way of life. The trends of this time period also clearly demonstrated the desired return to conservatism and prudery. In the early 1950s, on the other hand, consumerism was in full swing. The birth of the baby-boomer generation and the emerging importance of the nuclear family was heavily stressed by the numerous images and advertisements in the 1950 issue of Vogue. During 1955 the economic and social success of the country was quite evident in the various new styles and products which flooded the pages of the magazine. There was also a slow but steady shift away from conservatism, again, which was exemplified in the slightly more revealing styles of this season. In 1960 a complete reformation in women’s sexualization and liberation had obviously taken place. The emergence of pants and leaner fitting dresses clearly showed that society was becoming more accepting of women’s rights in a manner which was completely unprecedented. By 1965 this newfound emancipation of women had also given rise to an exploitative form of sexualization of women’s bodies. The advent of mini dresses and tight pants proved that although women were gaining liberties, they were simultaneously being oppressed by their own sexuality. As these various surveys of Vogue magazine have demonstrated, an amplitude of valuable information may be obtained about the mindset of a particular cultural simply by examining the fashionable trends of the day.
Bibliography Banner, Lois. “A Conservative Era: 1945 – 1960." In Women in Modern America: A Brief History. California: Thomson Wadsworth, 2005. Vogue (Incorporating Vanity Fair), September 1945, all pages. Vogue (Incorporating Vanity Fair), September 1950, all pages. Vogue (Incorporating Vanity Fair), September 1955, all pages. Vogue (Incorporating Vanity Fair), September 1960, all pages. Vogue (Incorporating Vanity Fair), September 1965, all pages.
Images
Veiled hats were popular in the 1950s. Suits and fur were the look of the 40s. In the late 1950s a straight coat replaced the waist-defining look of the previous decade.
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Hosiery ads were extremely popular during and 50s.
This lingerie ad from the 1960s shows the wide the 40s array of undergarments that were available to women during this time.