The Way the Female Image has Been Shaped by Playboy Since the 1950s
by Hailey Y.
Through our readings in class, especially that of Feminine Mystique, we have learned about the stringent guidelines attached to the female identity in the 1950s. According to Friedan’s piece, women were expected to adhere to a certain lifestyle, and many simply accepted their role as active mother and doting wife as the only way to live (Friedan 15). The way a woman was expected to look during this time period was highly reflective of those values, which suggested that if a woman could successfully balance her life, her appearance should mirror such success.
The way women were portrayed in the media correlated directly with such beliefs.
In advertisements, whether intending to sell mouthwash, dishwashers or automobiles, women were portrayed as coifed, manicured, and polished at all times. This, in the 1950s, was the image of a woman— an image that included a certain “preferable” body type, and even hair color—an image directly represented by one of the new and revolutionary magazines of the day: Playboy.
Playboy magazine, the brainchild of Hugh Hefner that snowballed into an empire, showed the 1950s woman as a voluptuous, goddess-like figure with an hourglass shape. The British Medical Association found that women of the time period weighed about eight-and-a-half stone, had a 24-inch waist, and ideal measurements of approximately 37-23-36 (CNN 1). Perhaps the epitome of this body type, Marilyn Monroe helped in inspiring women to embrace their curves, and also to embrace her trademark: blonde hair.
Marilyn Monroe starred in films of the time like “Gentleman Prefer Blondes,” and frequently advertised “blondes have more fun.” Hair color, which experts feel is “an important yet largely ignored aspect of physical appearance,” can be viewed as equally important as body type “because it is a body part that can be readily manipulated by changing its length, color, or style. It also provides an aesthetic frame for the face that can alter social perceptions of facial attractiveness” (Sex Roles 1). Historically, the length or removal of hair has been a sign of status, age appropriateness, and gender distinctiveness, and is greatly represented in major literature as marks of innocence, or sexuality as in Paradise Lost (Sex Roles 2). The proportion of blondes in Playboy already surpassed the amount of blondes in the norm group (blondes in proportion to brunettes), but following technological advances in hair coloring and the emergence of blonde film stars like Jean Harlow, Veronica Lake, Jayne Mansfield, and Marilyn Monroe the proportion of blondes in magazines like Playboy increased (Sex Roles 3).
Playboy magazine, a literal showcase of feminine allure and beauty, perpetuated a certain image of woman that men grew to accept, and in turn women learned to adopt. In this way, Playboy has helped to shape the appearance of 1950s women, and still continues to shape women today.
Sources:
Friedan, Betty. The Feminine Mystique. New York: Norton & Co., 1974.
“Study: Playboy Models Losing Hourglass Figures.” 20 Dec. 2002.
CNN. 15 Oct. 2006
Rich, Melissa K. and Thomas F. Cash. “The American image of beauty: media representations of hair color for four decades.”,/a> Sex Roles: A Journal of Research. 15 Oct. 2006
Through our readings in class, especially that of Feminine Mystique, we have learned about the stringent guidelines attached to the female identity in the 1950s. According to Friedan’s piece, women were expected to adhere to a certain lifestyle, and many simply accepted their role as active mother and doting wife as the only way to live (Friedan 15). The way a woman was expected to look during this time period was highly reflective of those values, which suggested that if a woman could successfully balance her life, her appearance should mirror such success.
The way women were portrayed in the media correlated directly with such beliefs.
In advertisements, whether intending to sell mouthwash, dishwashers or automobiles, women were portrayed as coifed, manicured, and polished at all times. This, in the 1950s, was the image of a woman— an image that included a certain “preferable” body type, and even hair color—an image directly represented by one of the new and revolutionary magazines of the day: Playboy.
Playboy magazine, the brainchild of Hugh Hefner that snowballed into an empire, showed the 1950s woman as a voluptuous, goddess-like figure with an hourglass shape. The British Medical Association found that women of the time period weighed about eight-and-a-half stone, had a 24-inch waist, and ideal measurements of approximately 37-23-36 (CNN 1). Perhaps the epitome of this body type, Marilyn Monroe helped in inspiring women to embrace their curves, and also to embrace her trademark: blonde hair.
Marilyn Monroe starred in films of the time like “Gentleman Prefer Blondes,” and frequently advertised “blondes have more fun.” Hair color, which experts feel is “an important yet largely ignored aspect of physical appearance,” can be viewed as equally important as body type “because it is a body part that can be readily manipulated by changing its length, color, or style. It also provides an aesthetic frame for the face that can alter social perceptions of facial attractiveness” (Sex Roles 1). Historically, the length or removal of hair has been a sign of status, age appropriateness, and gender distinctiveness, and is greatly represented in major literature as marks of innocence, or sexuality as in Paradise Lost (Sex Roles 2). The proportion of blondes in Playboy already surpassed the amount of blondes in the norm group (blondes in proportion to brunettes), but following technological advances in hair coloring and the emergence of blonde film stars like Jean Harlow, Veronica Lake, Jayne Mansfield, and Marilyn Monroe the proportion of blondes in magazines like Playboy increased (Sex Roles 3).
Playboy magazine, a literal showcase of feminine allure and beauty, perpetuated a certain image of woman that men grew to accept, and in turn women learned to adopt. In this way, Playboy has helped to shape the appearance of 1950s women, and still continues to shape women today.
Sources:
Friedan, Betty. The Feminine Mystique. New York: Norton & Co., 1974.
“Study: Playboy Models Losing Hourglass Figures.” 20 Dec. 2002.
CNN. 15 Oct. 2006
Rich, Melissa K. and Thomas F. Cash. “The American image of beauty: media representations of hair color for four decades.”,/a> Sex Roles: A Journal of Research. 15 Oct. 2006
posted by Leslie Madsen-Brooks at 10/22/2006 10:25:00 PM
3 Comments:
I think that Playboy's display of women distorts men's images of women from fantasy into reality. One thing to notice in today's Playboy girls versus Heff's girls of the 1950s, is that the women showcased now are plastic. They have silicone breasts and collagen lips. At least the girls showcased in Playboy during the 1950s were idealized based upon real beauty.--Sarah H.
Whether or not the Playboy girls are plastic or real, I just can't get over the fact that it is mainly men and the media who have come to define what feminine beauty is. It's absolutely appalling. I just don't understand how full voluptuous women at one point in time was considered the epitome of beauty, but a few decades later that is the ultimate fashion faux pas. What is true beauty then? And who says that there is only one definition?
I am torn between two sides. I truly respect Hugh Hefner for being the creative man that he is and depcting the womens body in a way that was never done before. His dream was to create a romantic mens magazine. On the other end, it sadens me to read articles that describe the life of the Playboy bunny. "These women were not allowed to eat or drink while they were working at the mansion. They were also constantly abused by guests that came to shows and paid miserly wages".
Miller, Russell. Bunny: The Real Story of Playboy
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