Abstract
Many American newspaper women’s pages had beauty columns in the post-World War II years. These sections included stories about new products, cosmetic trends and skin problems in the 1950s and 1960s. At the time, a top journalism industry organization recommended that women cover beauty as a topic at newspapers: “As in fashions, writing on beauty is a woman’s job.” It was also warned that the beauty columns were covered carefully: “beauty columns, irresponsibly handled, are dynamite.” Editors were advised to avoid puffery and greet each new product or process with the skepticism of a competent reporter. Often the columnists answered readers’ questions – including some that addressed significant issues such as a letter writer who asked how to cover bruises after her husband hit her. One of the top fashion and beauty editors was Eleanor Nagle. She started the column “Thru the Looking Glass” at the Chicago Tribune. It ended up running for three decades and the column often attracted more than 1,000 questions in a single week. This is the story of the columns that were important to the women in their communities.
Presenters
Kimberly VossProfessor, Journalism, University of Central Florida, Florida, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Theme
KEYWORDS
Journalism, History, Newspapers, Women, Soft News
