Women's magazines, 1940-1960

the long version

This compendium of compelling articles and advertisements from women's magazines of the 1940s and 1950s chronicles the debate over women's domestic and public roles during two decades of enormous social change in America. Organized into six topics - World War II, Women and the Workplace, Marriage and Motherhood, Homemaking, Fashion and Beauty, and Critiques of the Women's Magazines - the selections effectively illustrate how feminine culture has (and has not) changed in the second half of the twentieth century. A general introduction places women's magazines in the context of World War II and postwar America; chapter introductions provide historical background on the themes. Helpful editorial features include headnotes, questions for consideration, a bibliography, and an index.