content=Emergence of Modern Feminine Ideal: 20th Century Image of Women:

During the 20th Century similar patterns emerged for depicting women. Again, women were placed into rigid roles through images. The complexity and diversity of women was often overlooked.

Plump Equaled Attractive:
During the Victorian Era of the 1800s the ideal woman was depicted as a plump, fleshy woman. She wore corsets to make her waist smaller and hips and behind larger. The ideal began to change in the turn of last century, when thinness became a female obsession and dieting was invented.

Fashion and Thinness:
By the 1920s the flapper image had emerged during WWI. During this time the automobile became a staple of American way of life. Dating for the first time was moved outside the home. Along with this significant social change, the advent of the fashion industry contributed to women dressing and acting less modestly. The new female ideal that came about was a flapper like Zelda Fitzgerald or Coco Channel. The female ideal was portrayed as slim, lacking any body fat‹body fat (in fact, body fat was seen as self-indulgent.) Furthermore, for women were trivialized and valued only for their beauty, not their intellectual capabilities.

Strength and Domination: Rosie the Riveter
Rosie the Riveter became a popular icon in American culture during World War II. Norman Rockwell, a famous illustrator, created this image of a strong woman, working in the factories and supporting the war effort. Actually the popular image was part of government propaganda to make women feel that they were the backbone not only of their families but also of their country. They could feel proud of working to supporting the war effort, not guilty for leaving their children at home. As a result, in this period women gained independence and affirmation for their achievements. They made great strides to move out of the home until the men returned in the 1960s. Rosie the Riveter fits into this long history of female depictions as virtuous woman, holding up society. During the war, pinup was popularized as well. Men kept Vargası and other artists posters of women with them while at war. With this came the adaptation of the female beauty into a curvaceous beauty. 

Curvaceousness and Marilyn Monroe:
By 1950 female beauty was encompassed by female breasts and by being curvy. Marilyn Monroe became the standard for female beauty. Marilyn Monroe in fact became an icon of a beauty, as highlighted by Warholıs pop art prints of her. She still symbolizes American beauty.

Beauty Equated with Slimness:
By 1960 slenderness was back in fashion with Playboy and Miss America Culture.

The Toned Beauty:
By 1970 a new modern ideal beauty had emerged, one including diet and exercise: the toned looked. And this sort of female icon still exists in the prevalence of Sarah Jessica Parkerıs image in the media.

Altering the Physical Being for Beauty:
But by 1990 a painfully thin woman with large boobs had replace this ideal. Almost a Barbie like look like Pamela Anderson had taken over. This is nearly an impossible ideal. And many women have turned to the cosmetic, diet, and even plastic surgery industry to try to achieve the ideal.

Read more about how modern day advertising plays follows the path of history through depictions of women.