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.