I love styles of the 1930’s- 1950’s. From the fashion to the music, these eras have always has always inspired me. It was also a time in western culture where female sexuality was becoming more accepted and celebrated. The roaring 1920’s were coming to and end and women were starting to become liberated. Dr. Alfred Kinsey was researching the sexual lives of Americans and his results shocked many people. Americans were not as sexually moral as many people thought. During WW2 women they entered the workforce and started becoming more empowered. The 1940’s victory rolls hairstyle came from this time, to keep women’s hair away from their face while working in the factories.
Suggestive sexuality started to appear more in mainstream media and icons such as Bettie Page, Elizabeth Taylor, Lana Turner, Mae West and others started to influence the culture. To this day one that remains a popular culture icon and sex symbol of the 1940-50’s is Marilyn Monroe. She was a talented, vulnerable, beautiful, and a carefree spirit. Although societal gender roles and oppression of women were still predominate, overshadowing many of these great revolutions, it was the beginning of empowering females to have more control over their bodies.
This was my inspiration for this photo
