the analysis
My literature review covered the most recent issues of five women's magazines (Flare, Good Housekeeping, Seventeen, Chatelaine, and Cosmopolitan , as well as three novels for young women written in the last decade (see references). My rationale for the discrepancies in publication dates is that magazines are meant to lose their cultural currency more quickly than books.
The five magazines are targeted to different audiences. Flare is meant for an audience of young Canadian women who value high fashion. Good Housekeeping is geared towards women with families, who prioritize the maintenance of the home and family over fashion and beauty. Seventeen is targeted towards teen girls and has a focus on accessible fashion and relationship advice. Chatelaine is a Canadian magazine positioned somewhere between Flare and Good Housekeeping .Cosmopolitan is targeted towards young women who value their careers, an up to the minute appearance, and active physical relationships with men. It is well worth mentioning that the default romantic configuration for all of these publications is heterosexual. Whenever partners are mentioned, the pronoun of choice is “he.”
In analysing these magazines, several qualities of femininity were evident. The major categories are Appearance and Behaviour. However, I have divided these categories further. Within Appearance, subjects addressed by the magazines were Hair, Skin, Eyes, Overall Body, and Clothing. Within Behaviour, the subcategories are Dealing With Men, Jobs/Roles, and Attitudes/Interests. Below is a brief breakdown of qualities in each category that are viewed as important by the magazines.
Hair:
- soft
- glossy
- natural
- non-frizzy
Skin:
- radiant
- glowing
- non-marked
- no pimples or blemishes
- well moisturised
- dewy
- not dry
Eyes:
- Lashes must have volume
- lashes must be long
- eyes should “pop” (Flare)
Body:
- being toned is important (toned does not mean visible muscular definition)
- be slim
- constantly be out to lose weight
- Legs should be hairless
Clothes:
- Emulate runway styles
- use cleavage to advantage when attempting to impress men
Dealing with Men:
- make men feel special
- pay attention to men
- don't correct them
- obsess over and analyse them
- flirt with them, even if only just for practise
- if married, keep husband healthy
- don't nag
Jobs/Roles
- wife
- mother
- single women are justified in moping
- take care of family
Attitudes/Interests
- sensuality and sexuality are important
- beauty should be augmented by brains
- celebrities are vitally important
- weight can always stand to be lost