Today I would like to shed some light on Vintage Advertising & Gender Roles in the past.
In the 1950s, the men who were fighting in the war came back home and the women were able to take back their roles as a mother and housewife. Women during World War 2, had been working in factories and took over all the jobs that men would normally do. After the war women wanted to be feminine, they wanted to put on make-up and they wanted to wear feminine clothes that would show off their curves. Back then they used the term “childbearing hips”, which today is not seen as a compliment anymore.
Women in the 1940’s and 1960’s took time to create their everyday beauty routine and it was considered normal to put on your lipstick before your husband comes home. All of that lead to the massive increase in childbirth or also known as the baby-boom. According to statistics, 3.4 million babies, 20% more than in the previous year was born in the year 1946.
Back then Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, Elisabeth Taylor, and the unforgettable Marilyn Monroe were the role models of everyday women.
As companies and advertisers noticed that the women – the housewife – do all the shopping, they started creating advertisements and packaging that would attract women. They would target women even when it came to the purchase of male deodorant and beer, as women were the ones buying it for their husbands.
Towards the end of the 1950s, a new product was launched which helped the women to make their own decisions regarding their career and body: The birth control pill had a huge impact on society and made it possible to decide whether one wants to have children or not. Many young women went to college and did not run straight into the marriage.
In the ’60s the youth finally had disposable income and they spent it on beauty and fashion – just like we do today. Some of the icons of that time were: Twiggy and Birgit Bardot. The ’60s were the years when women started to raise their voices and they were heard. They fought for equality and against the objectification of their bodies.
I hope you liked my little summary. What do you think?
