Magazine

For my magazine project I have decided to do a 1960s fashion magazine. I am a big fashion and music from the 1960s. Here is my research.

This magazine's target audience is teens in the 60s. The masthead and name of the magazine says 'teen', it is a magazine from America in 1967. Almost all of the titles are reinforcing stereotypes and ideal standards that come from a misogynistic society, of course in the 60s this ideal was even more normalised than it is now (although misogynistic ideals are still severely common in this day and age.) Lets start with the model on the front cover. She has the desired makeup and hair style of this time period and the titles at the side help to reinforce that this is what you should look like. 

The first title 'heavenly guide to boys', this is suggesting women and teens should focus on how to understand and conform to boys standards of women for them to be liked and accepted and be attractive to boys. Titles like this were still around when I was young as I remember a magazine targeted for 10-12 years olds with list of things boys do and dont like, eek. Under the title it says 'star-signs to help Clads catch em', I think this is suggesting powerful looks and star outfits got get a man, as clad in slang means 'clothes or dolled up'.

The second title 'freakouts, are you ready'. As this magazine is targeted towards teens, this may suggest are you ready for the mood swings that come with being a teen, it also very sterotyped against woman, as, if this was a boys magazine, it would probably not be focused on mood swings, as there is a common stereotype that woman are moody or difficult and of course during puberty. Although girls do experience extremely tough moods and feelings but this feels watered down just to the word 'freakouts' instead of something like 'preparing for whats next'.

The third title 'trouble at "home" mama and papas feud'. This title suggests that home isn't really a home as they've used "". Domestic violence in the home was very common and very normalised in the 60s, this page could be giving advice, but the advice probably wasn't very helpful and may have suggested how to stay out of trouble and develop unhealthy coping mechanisms. This page may have acted as a comfort or helped children feel less alone about what was happening in their home, especially as becoming a teen is such a hard transition, witnessing parental issues only makes this struggle a lot harder to cope with if you dont feel welcome or supported in your own house. Teens used magazines as an escape and to find something to relate to, even a way of trying to find control and validation from others, hence why most magazines are suggesting things that may make you feel more accepted into society. They essentially are preying on teens vulnerability and contributing to the unrealistic cycle of  beauty standards.

Double Vision beauty (look a like makeover) - This title suggests the page will show you how to recreate the look of a popular 1960s icon, once again it isn't done just for fun but with the intention of girls comparing themselves to celebrities and unrealistic standards.

How to be an actress (via broadway)- Another headline that is possibly suggesting and assuming that women want to become actresses. This is because in the 1960s female actresses and movie stars were seen as desirable and people that girls would look up to. It might be because they were portrayed as powerful as women were finally getting 'recognition.'Female actors in the 60s were definitely the stars of the show and deserved all the recognition they got, but, the industry was not as glamorous as it seemed and was still held up by misogynistic men who were usually behind the marketing of films and usually profited from exploiting women and their bodies in the media. This was also common with underage actresses.

This magazine is promoting diets and overconsumption of clothes, this enforces the societal standards of woman always being pretty and pleasing to the eye. This is a common theme in almost all womens magazines. This magazine, vogue, is directed towards early 20s women, but could also catch teenagers eyes. 'Whats conversation?', this, to me, suggests that its teaching women how to speak in a polite and in a way that doesnt threaten men, as we know it was always 'to be seen and not heard'. This whole magazine and narrative is how to please others and conform to what society tells you to be. 'How to diet if you have no character at all?' To me this is suggesting, maybe, that men dont want a woman with no 'character' or maybe looks and so dieting is a subsitute to being 'interesting'. Also, teens who read 'teen magainze' may go on to read vogue, and its still promoting the same things, only worse. Now instead, you must learn how to be a woman.