Analyzing the content of popular fiction, cinema, women’s magazines and several published surveys, Dyhouse tells the story of how English women have embraced - or eschewed - glamour in their daily lives. Along with the usual suspects (feathers and furs, “Cleopatra” eyes, bias-cut gowns, red lipstick), Dyhouse presents the less obvious glamour of second-wave feminism (Germaine Greer, Erica Jong, Gloria Steinem) and high-end grunge. Though frequently dismissed as yet another manifestation of women’s conformity and subjugation to men, glamour can be, according to Dyhouse, a form of assertive femininity, an expression of power, defiance, transgression and aspiration.Īcross this richly illustrated, seven-chapter book, images and embodiments of glamour unfold chronologically from the late nineteenth century to the present. Glamour, and a taste for it, have morphed in the wake of social and cultural trends, economic swings, and increasing financial independence for women. The book explores historical contexts in which glamour served as an expression of desire in women and an assertion of entitlement to the pleasures of affluence, finally arguing that glamour can't simply be dismissed as oppressive, or as male fantasy, but can carry celebratory meanings for women.“What is fashionable is not always glamorous, and glamour has not always been fashionable” says Carol Dyhouse (p.3), in her entertaining and thought-provoking Glamour: Women, History, Feminism. Dyhouse disentangles some of the arguments surrounding femininity, appearance and power, directly addressing feminist concerns. Using a rich variety of sources - from women's magazines and film to social surveys and life histories - Carol Dyhouse examines with wit and insight the history and meaning of costume, cosmetics, perfume and fur. It explores the changing meanings of the word, its relationship to femininity and fashion, and its place in twentieth century social history. How do we understand glamour? Has it empowered women or turned them into objects? Once associated with modernity and the cutting edge, is it entirely bound up with nostalgia and tradition? This unique and fascinating book tells the story of glamour.
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