Week four is all about women in the 1940's. I am a woman and a feminist. This will be my take on the historic time period that is the 1940's. Women were heading to work, the war was in full swing, and rations were a part of everyday life. A majority of women stepped out of their homes into the work place for the first time. Whether or not the women of this era realized it, they were carrying forward feminist ideas and beliefs.

Makeup

Makeup took leaps and bounds during this period. Tan skin was becoming a trend and bright red lipstick was almost as important as the war itself. Arched eye brows were a trend, although women didn't fill them in, it was general practice to have them groomed into an arch. Red lips were all the rage, women were encouraged to over line their lips in order to give the full lip look. Most lipsticks were matte which meant women would typically add Vaseline to their lips to add a gloss-like look. Makeup was designed to be "on the go" because most women were heading to work and still needed to look good but more than likely didn't have time. Liquid stockings were big during this time since nylon was needed for the war effort. Finding real stockings was a difficult mission, so drawling on the line that stocking had on the back of their legs was often what the more wealthy women did. While working class women would use more common kitchen products such as Bovril which is thick meat extract.

Although the typical image people think of when it comes to women in the 1940's is the classic pin up girl look, isn't really an accurate representation of the more simple makeup that women wore during this time. Even with rations becoming a part of American life, women were still encouraged to buy lipstick in order to leave smudged kiss marks on letters to the soldiers because this was believed to boost moral.

At one point makeup was considered a vital resource to the war, and no new makeup products were allowed to be produced. When the restriction was lifted, women were told to buy makeup in bulk just in case. The only new makeup product that was able to be produced was an Elizabeth Arden makeup kit for Marine Corps Women's Reserve.

Feminism

The 1940's were a wonderful time for feminism with women being able to work in similar factory jobs as men. Women were also able to join any branch of the military, which previously wasn't allowed for women. The women who allowed to enter into the military were restricted to non-combat roles such as nurse and similar roles. Yet the playing field was finally being leveled out, women weren't forced to stay at home all day. They could get a job and earn a wage to support themselves and their family.

Rosie the Riveter was also a major factor during this time. Her iconic pin up look and the famous line "We can do it" helped encourage women to work in the factory jobs that the men had left behind during the war. Unfortunately, women were still treated as inferior by their bosses in the work place and were generally paid a lower wage. Yet this lower wage led to women's labor unions which, after the war, transformed into famous organizations set on building women's role in the workplace.

Women during this time were by no means equal to men, but they were making steps in the right direction. Even though some of those steps were cause by the war, some of the movements survived even after the war had ended.

As a woman who wears makeup and is a feminist, I love exploring different time periods to see how things have changed over the years. I think women have a lot more work to do within this country, but we're all working to the common goal of equality.

Until next week, stay curious.