Beauty
The Marketing of the American Beauty
Advertisers turned to images of feminine mystique to which consumers could aspire (and hopefully emulate) through the purchase of goods and services. Men were also charmed by these images and magazine publishers used the attraction of pretty faces on their covers to boost impulse buying for their all-important newsstand sales. more »
Relationships: The Tale of a Hairdo
Julia Sneden writes: “Blame my hairdresser.The worse her life gets, the shorter she cuts my hair. She was having husband trouble yet again. She just grew angrier and angrier as she spoke, snip-snip-snip, and by the time she was through with her sorry tale, I was nearly bald." more »
Silver: A State of Mind
"The women interviewed and photographed here possess one of the most distinctive outward signs of aging — silvering hair. This shared badge provides an ideal entry into the topic of aging as dilemmas about gray hair lead to other deeper issues about the kinds of personal challenges we all face." more »
Worth/Mainbocher: Demystifying the Haute Couture
Worth essentially introduced the concept of haute couture as an art form. He considered himself an artist and his garments works of art. Mainbocher's designs built upon Worth's artistic principles, modernizing them to apply to a more practical, American lifestyle. more »