Conformity Of Fashion In The 1950's

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In the 1950’s, women were expected to be perfect little housekeepers who spent their days cooking, cleaning and being the ideal housewife for their husbands. Fashion and beauty was one of the few ways women were granted freedom. At the time, mass production and consumerism were very prominent which made fashion finds and access easier than ever before. Because the 1950’s was a time of conformity to the social norm of consumer driven mass economy, mass production and advertising in the 1950’s redefined the way the American women shopped for clothes and what was considered beautiful. The mass production of apparel permitted women to purchase outfits that would seem high fashion but were actually made of faux material for nearly half the cost. This allowed many middle class women to purchase a number of outfits that appear to duplicate the glamour of vogue fashion. For example, as you can see in this…show more content…
Magazines would attempt to mimic Hollywood drama and fame in their magazine spreads, advocating the new in fashion styles and makeup trends. This presented a mass conformity to the idea of desirable women’s fashion and also to the idea of beauty and body type in the 1950. Magazines such as this 1950’s Vogue cover, defined the woman bodyline in 1950. It was described as tiny waistlines, visible curves, voluptuous hip line and long curvaceous legs. For example, It girls of the fifties consisted of figures like Marylyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, and Sophia Lauren with over emphasized hips, chests and legs. These three women were though to have the ultimate body of femininity and beauty during the 1950’s. These big time Hollywood stars were also advertised to the everyday women through movies, magazines, TV and media in general. The clothing styles advertised in the 1950’s reflected this desirable body image, with sleek bodices, over emphasized hips, a trim corset waist, and knee length

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