Gypsy Creams: “beauty” Tag

Ugly Duckling

15th January 2017 / No Comments Yet

Woman / 25 December 1965

Now don’t get the wrong idea. I’m not against makeovers per se, and I’m a great believer in enhancing your best features, but *honestly*, this poor young woman.

Obviously, with this being the 1960s, the ability of this woman to get ‘boys’ to notice her is all-important, and naturally, poor Paulene had to ‘admit’ that her eyebrows were bushy (gasp!), leading Woman to advise her on a plucking method that would give her the least unnecessary pain. We’re also taken through a make-up routine to bring out her ‘latent prettiness’, which raises an interesting question; what does that actually *look* like?

The new hairstyle is quite something, too; a perfectly reasonable bob is turned into something more suited to a member of the Household Cavalry. In fact, I’m reminded of the makeover that poor Kate Middleton was subjected to when she became the Duchess of Cambridge. Still, now she’s getting admiring leers from her male co-workers, she’ll soon be able to bury any ambitions she might have had and get married. Thanks, Woman!

Tags: 1960s, beauty, blatant sexism, dodgy advice, fashion

Double Prom

23rd January 2015 / 2 Comments

Woman's Realm / 15 July 1961

A lovely example of a double-page spread advert, which crop up occasionally in my collection, presumably because they must have been considerably more expensive than a one-page advert. This looks like a new product launch for the home perming application Prom, and we’ve seen later adverts on this site promoting the ‘Pink Rose’ and ‘White Rose’ variants. At least they pretend they like their customers in this one…

Tags: beauty, perms, retail

Oh-oh!

15th July 2014 / 1 Comment

Men Only / September 1951

I presume the woman embarrassing this young man is his wife, and that we have an early dandruff remedy being marketed here. After the many adverts humiliating women that I’ve seen for this site, it’s interesting to see an advert doing the same to a man.

Tags: beauty, dodgy advice, retail, social history

Tralala!

28th February 2012 / No Comments Yet

Woman's Weekly / 23rd April 1965

It’s just as well that I love my job, as being stuck indoors during the sunniest weekend of the year so far was a little dispiriting. I cheered myself up by standing by the door occasionally, sniffing the spring air. And so to this article, which gives advice on how to live up to beauty standards which appear to require you to CHANGE HANDBAGS to match an outfit. To be fair, mixed in with the patriarchal stuff are a few handy practical hints, especially if you’re on your feet all day, which would have been the case for many women, given the lack of choice in career at that time. But do remember to refresh your make-up, otherwise your boss will think you’re a rough old slag, and there won’t be any flowers for you!

Tags: beauty, blatant sexism

Linc-O-Lin

22nd February 2012 / No Comments Yet

Woman's Weekly / 27th June 1969

An advert deconstructing advertising, there, from over 40 years ago.

Tags: beauty

Have You a Beauty Problem?

30th January 2012 / No Comments Yet

Woman's Weekly / 11th July 1969

The old-fashioned phrasing here amuses me, but what is most significant is the explanation of what is a standard item nowadays; sun protection cream. As a very fair-skinned person, I’m amazed the writer managed to get a tan at all! My parents certainly didn’t use sun cream, and it wasn’t until I was burned quite badly in the sun when aged 3 that they realised it was something I needed. The erosion of the ozone layer has caused stronger sun rays, of course, but I suspect greater leisure time and foreign travel has made sun cream so important for my generation.

Tags: beauty, social history

Bad Hair Holiday

19th October 2011 / 8 Comments

Woman's Weekly / 25th June 1965

Here’s another advert insulting older women from Prom. This time, they’re suggesting that it’s even worth cancelling your holiday if you’re not happy with your hair. After all, you wouldn’t want to show your husband up, would you?

Tags: beauty, blatant sexism, emotional blackmail, perms, Prom

A Gaggle of Girdles

21st July 2011 / 4 Comments

Woman's Weekly / 2nd April 1965

Yes, I know, I’m a bit obsessed. I blame Jasper Carrott’s routine about ’18-Hour’ girdles suddenly bursting open at bedtime, letting acres of female flesh loose in bedrooms across the country, and my mother’s threat to me that I would have to wear a pantee girdle someday. Who would have thought that female flesh was so dangerous, eh?

Tags: beauty, blatant sexism, girdles