Core Response: Femininity and the Fifties

After reading Brown’s words on female celebrities in the fifties and how their name is associated with their own brand, I found Brown’s analysis of stardom being an “event” interesting. This article only highlights female celebrities being an “event” and never men. After reading further, it outlines and explains why that it is the case now and in the fifties. With Audrey Hepburn being the first celebrity to embrace fashion from abroad, she was the first to associate her name with consumerism and tourism. 

Her name was not only associated with her gorgeous looks but also what she wore and what fashion designers she surrounded herself with. Because her look was so “ambiguous”  she identified as both a European and an American giving a more appealing look to the Europeans to identify with. After her name became such a novelty, people an America then sought out the looks of ambiguously mixed individuals with interesting features. 

What I find most interesting about this point is that Hepburn’s look is still sought out in fashion today. The fashion industry looks for acute and interestingly ornate features with small frames. Models are never easily recognized from one single origin. Another interesting point that the article brought up was that the males never identified as being racially diverse or ambiguous, they were always American. After Hepburn, female celebrities began to follow in her wake. I find that in one way, horrible that men were cast with the American look to dominate over the “European” faced female as a commentary on both the political and social climate within society. But in another way, I find it interesting that the female celebrity almost had an advantage over the male because of the fact that her image brought her so much attention for having a European style face, that her image brought about an “event” and branding of her own personal name. 

I also enjoy the fact that Hepburn refused to be molded by Hollywood and in return, was reflected as such on screen. Later, by cutting her star status short to pursuer a real life, plays into her stardom more. I love the fact that although a woman in the fifties is still identified by her looks and image can still stand in her own power by rebelling against the prescribed expectations by showing the perfection of imperfection.