Going To The Pictures » Tag: Fashion

Gender roles portrayed in cinema

admin — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 15:59:02 +0000

The way in which gender roles were represented on the screen were often very untrue to life. Men would be represented as the macho type who was generally the lead role with female supporting actresses.

Roles could be quite stereotypical and often would help to reinforce attitudes such as gender and class differences in society at the time.

Women and the Cinema

admin — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 13:10:53 +0000

The female cinema goer from yesteryear would come to what was seen as a safe haven {for women} and a safe place to go without their man – the cinema.

Married women found their escapism by going to the daily matinees. They would spend their allowance watching the latest pictures and follow the fashions and hair styles of the glamorous actresses and their role models on the big silver screen.

The influence that film stars had on society at the time was quite remarkable, with limited media influence unlike today. The cinema was the main source of finding out about new views and fashions and what was deemed as in style and beautiful, the men yearned for the stars and the women tried to copy and emulate what they had seen on the screen.

Fashions such as flared dresses with heavy underskirts became fashionable thanks to the film stars who wore them, film magazines would have articles about how to dress and achieve their style, tips on hair and make up and celebrity endorsement of products began.

Copying film star styles

admin — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 17:09:28 +0000

The role that cinema has played within society cannot be underestimated. The influence of film in helping form opinions and fashions can be seen and demonstrated through the decades from the headscarves and sunglasses of the 1930’s to the cinched waist lines from the stars of 40’s and 50’s Hollywood, to the Tony Curtis hairstyle of the 50’s and 60’s.