The 1920s

In the 1920s, "Vogue" magazine was beginning to grow into a larger publication. It was more widely distributed and therefore wound up in the hands of more women. Articles began to instruct women on what to wear and the finest fashions, often hailing from Paris. Other fashion magazines, such as "Harper's Bazaar" and "Vanity Fair" followed the pattern of pushing for styles. Magazines were illustrated and there were no cover girls.
The 1920s, or the "Roaring Twenties", symbolized a new, post-WWI era and this called for a new look. In 1920 a film came out called "The Flapper". It featured a young woman donning a bob, short dresses, and a rebellious attitude. The look began to take over with help from '20s actresses like Clara Bow and Joan Crawford. While more conservative women wore long hemlines and modest petticoats, the flappers were often frowned upon due to their seemingly risque wardrobes.

Top: Clara Bow in traditional flapper garb, Below: A 1927 "Vogue" magazine cover.

Flappers tended to have a more boyish figure while the conservative women were typically plumper. Actresses were very lanky, making that a popular shape for women who were into films. The fashion magazines were geared toward upper class women and tended to be stylish but still modest. Upper class women were usually more conservative and less likely to mingle with men in "speakeasies", underground clubs where people could go to drink alcohol during the age of prohibition. A slight separation existed between the film and magazine industries in terms of their target audience. Because you must be literate to read a magazine, they went out to wealthier women. Films focused on the beauty of imagery, and nearly anyone could access that.

Women's beauty was based on femininity, not size and shape. The '20s marked a revolution for the vivacious and lively women. It was the first time women really started to utilize makeup on a day to day basis. I believe that by having more freedom in their appearance, women began to feel liberated.

The Early 1900s

     In the early 1900s cinema was still silent and Hollywood had yet to produce any of the major female icons that were lusted after in later years. That being said, silent film actresses, such as Pearl White and Sarah Bernhardt, definitely accurately displayed what women aspired to look like in those times. Both wore their hair in curls, their skin pale and powdered, with a slight bit of rouge on their lips. Clothing was modest and movie stars were rarely seen outside of film. The idea of "sex sells" had yet to bloom. Women in advertisements were most commonly drawn, as opposed to photographed. They were also depicted as much more plain and common than the female movie stars.

Above, top: Sarah Bernhardt, bottom: a 1909 advertisement for shredded wheat.

In the photos above, the general 1900s fashion and style is clear. But upon further examination, it is obvious that Sarah Bernhardt's attire is much more fashionable and expensive looking than that of the woman in the advertisement, who is a display of the common woman.

In what was perhaps a more "honest" age of advertising, companies took the approach of producing ads that were informative and straightforward. They did not have to sacrifice creativity for honesty, but the ads were untainted by sexual or provocative connotations.