Girls and Clothes, Parties and Periods
Imagine yourself as a teen-girl in post-World War II America.
What would life look like for you?
What rules would you need to follow?
Once a myth, the “secret life” of teen girls was exposed in social guidance films and popular print media as they were molded into “ideal” American citizens.
Postwar America required the reestablishment of gender divisions. As men returned home from war, adult women who had taken work in factories and enlisted in the Armed forces, were expected to return to their pre-war domestic roles. The trickle-down effect placed stress on teenagers who were expected to adjust to social norms and the prescribed gender roles established by adults in the post-war era.
How did girls adjust and adapt to these roles?
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As American life transitioned postwar, teenage girls came into the spotlight. The 1947 Life Magazine photo-essay “Tulsa Twins” presented the changing styles in fashion and expectations of teen-girl appearance. "Tulsa Twins" showcased the transformation in teen girls by presenting them in trendsetting, “New Look” clothing that made them look more flirty and feminine.
In an up-close-and-personal photo shoot, serving as representatives for all teen girls nationwide, identical twins Barbara and Betty Bounds showed off their fashion style, social life, and domestic tasks. “Tulsa Twins” welcomed you visually into the fashionable social world of middle-class, postwar teen girlhood, where being a lady required domestic responsibility and acceptance to be “one of the crowd.” “Parties with boys are their favorite things in life.”
Guidance for girls often came in film form. Films were used in the classroom not only to teach proper social behavior, but also to help students and teachers deal with difficult topics. Educators were a target audience for the 1946 animated film The Story of Menstruation, which was produced by Walt Disney and sponsored by Kotex. A review of the film appeared in 1947 in the journal Educational Screen under the title "New Biology Film Helps Girls."
The article claimed that the film allowed teachers and students to talk about menstruation in a new manner. It stated, "No more myths and superstitions, instead medically correct information is provided to our youth." The intent of this film was to allow girls to learn about their bodies. It was an animated explanation of the changes that happen to the female body during puberty. This film represented the development in health education for teenage girls.
The 1950 film What Makes a Good Party? explored social behaviors and gender norms teens were expected to follow. The film chronicled the experiences of three teenage girls as they planned the ideal party. The expected values and behaviors for teens at the time were shown through the story of the film. The underlying guideline to throwing a good party focused on social experiences, such as making sure everyone had a good time and that everyone conformed to the group's method of thinking. The film demonstrated the gender norms of the time, as the role of the girls in throwing the party differed from the boys. Anxieties regarding teenage behavior, especially that of teen girls, could be seen reflected throughout this social guidance film as the narrator specified the proper way to throw a party.
Watch What Makes a Good Party? to gain a fascinating perspective into the daily lives of teen girls in post war America.
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Films and photos displayed the ideal, yet intimate lives of teenage girls, and how cultural anxieties trickled down to dictate everyday expectations of them.
The life of a girl was not a secret, but rather an education in gender roles and conformity.
As anxiety increased in America with the spread of Cold War hysteria, social grooming of teenagers guided them to conform and adhere to prescribed gender norms. For the teen girl, domestic duties such as party planning and chores were supposed to make her ready for marriage. The hyper focus on fashion further constructed an “ideal” woman by placing importance on maintaining appearances. Teen boys on the other hand focused on masculine pursuits, such as leadership, sports and collegiate life. Or at least that was what they were supposed to be doing.