Follies of the Mad Men #10

[From Good Housekeeping for December 1958]

Here's part of the reason why we're a nation of fatties today. "Lose weight the hard way? No thanks! I'll just compress my flab and strap it in with manmade materials!"

And why is it that the only women ever shown in girdle ads are already so trim and underweight that they aren't the real customers?

Who We Are
Alex Boese Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes. Paul Di Filippo Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over forty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. Contact Us

Comments

Big Gary--every now and then, I get lucky with a flash of "Category Wit."

Posted by Paul on 08/11/08 at 11:38 AM

Nici--maybe the gals in the famous Dove ads will lead the way to more realistic depictions.....

http://www.dove.us/#/cfrb/

Posted by Paul on 08/11/08 at 12:20 PM

I think it's a longshot that one company's campaign for more realistic standards of beauty will have an impact on a fashion world dominated by anorexia and diet madness, but I applaud them for trying.

Posted by BikerPuppy on 08/11/08 at 12:47 PM

BikerPuppy--I like variety in my beautiful female ad icons!

Posted by Paul on 08/11/08 at 12:49 PM

Having had two babies...I can say that regardless of how silly or strange they may be...I'm grateful for them.

Posted by Maegan on 08/11/08 at 01:36 PM

I especially like the one where they show how the model (who's actually quite average-looking when she walks in) is "altered" by stylists and then further modified by computer into a "stunning" (though unrealistic) "beauty." You can see it at http://www.dove.us/#/features/videos/videogallery.aspx/ -- it's the one called evolution. Very interesting (and very sad).

Posted by BikerPuppy on 08/11/08 at 02:06 PM

Maegan--prosthetics of any sort are a helpful adjunct of civilization.

Posted by Paul on 08/11/08 at 02:53 PM

BikerPuppy--that was extremely creepy!

Posted by Paul on 08/11/08 at 02:54 PM

Pynchonoid--and don't forget Homer Simpson on the beaches of Brazil!

Posted by Paul on 08/12/08 at 10:19 AM

Nici--as RuPaul says, "We're all born naked, and everything afterwards is drag."

Posted by Paul on 08/12/08 at 12:54 PM

Commenting is not available in this channel entry.