City News City White Analysis

Photographed by John Rawlings, a contributing photographer for mass media empire, Conde Nast, the image pictured is part of an editorial in Vogue magazine released on May 1st, 1950. The single page spread titled “City News, City White” features models wearing dresses and accessories in a monochromatic palette of black and white, depicted in a lobby-like setting with silhouettes of passerby's and onlookers in the background (see also image 2). Known for being a photographer with a simple, and straight forward approach to fashion photography (Yohannan 2001, 1), Rawlings was one of the first editorial photographers who helped change the face of American fashion photography to encompass a truly “all-American look” as described by Holly Price

Alford and Anne Stegemeye in their book Who’s Who in fashion (318). His simple and straight forward aesthetic is evident in this particular image with its lack of opulent props, and metaphors that plagued the editorial and advertising world of the 1950s. His ability to capture such beauty and elegance in his subjects while still being able to keep focus on the dress in such a clear and concise manner, is probably what made him such a significant and sought after fashion photographer in the twentieth century.

Although seemingly simple and unpretentious, the semiotics of the image are quickly uncovered by the viewer as one starts to take apart each element of the image.

In this particular image, a blurred silhouette of a male onlooker with his arms folded hovers in the background. This factor, though undermining the the subject in a subtle way, perhaps captures the intention of the photographer in highlighting societal views of gender roles in the postwar years. During which time, women left the jobs they held during or before the war, and returned to their pre-war roles of caring for the household. Many of these women let go of their dreams at a career and instead were more than happy with their “occupation” of being a housewife. These women were domesticated, often living their lives according to how advertisement and magazine imagery told them to. These often included images of “the American suburban housewife, kissing their husbands goodbye in front of the picture window, depositing their stationwagonsful of children at school, and smiling as they ran the new electric waxer over a spotless kitchen floor.” (Friedan 1963, 18) This was the ideal of “true feminine fulfillment” which was how Betty Friednan described women during the post war years in her book titled The Feminine Mystique

(18).

Though seemingly unintentional, the pose of the subject can be understood as a rebuttal against the man’s disapproving appearance. This is demonstrated by the subject’s seemingly empowering stance with her chin up, hands on hip, and her gaze directed towards the viewer in a subtle way. With her body language as it appears, she seems to be someone who does not abide by societal norms on what a woman should and should not be. Her posture is one that exudes pride and confidence. One that demonstrates she is not to be messed with, that she is in control of things happening around her. This tells the viewer like me that she was one of the rare women during that time, who went out and found a means to make things work in her favor. This included raising a family, while holding down a part time job and earning some money of her own perhaps somewhere in the city as, suggested by the editorial’s title. This was allowed due to a variety of reasons including a shortage of labour in nursing, teaching, and secretarial roles, which in turn gave way to an increase in part time working women in the1950s (Blackwelder 1997, 167). These part time working women were often married with children in school, and held some sort of experience that could be used in their current place of work (Blackwelder 1997, 164). Although there are were disparities, and conflicting messages regarding the roles of men and women at this time, the ability for a woman to go out and earn some money on her own – whether to buy herself a new piece of fashion’s trendiest or to help with the household mortgage, allowed her to be defined by more than just her abilities in the kitchen.

This image, though interpreting the woman as someone who is capable of earning her own keep also demonstrates that she could be someone recognized in society. Someone who perhaps belongs to the upper, or upper middle class. This is emphasized by the pearl jewelry that she wears. Which not only tells me that she is able to afford these luxuries. It also tells me that even though she might be married to a man who brings home enough money to support the family and lead a comfortable, and sometimes luxurious lifestyle, she still insists on a job because she was probably not one who wanted to be confined to her suburban home once the war ended, or once her marital status had been officially changed to “married” (Blackwelder 1997, 168).

In addition to the string of pearls and matching earrings she has on, she also wears a sheath dress designed by American designer Harvey Berin made in the defining New Look silhouette – Which essentially placed emphasis on the wearer’s waist. In a time where many countries were slowly coming out of war time rations, the new look undoubtedly challenged this due to its requirement of copious amounts of fabric (Mendes & de la Haye 2010, 128). The dress pictured however, does not completely embrace the New Look silhouette due to its absence of a full skirt. Instead, it was one of the two silhouettes that were in vogue until the mid 1950s when the H-line and sack came into fashion (Mendes & de la Haye 2010, 131). The two dominating silhouettes in fashion at that time comprised of a “fitted bodice which accentuated and clearly defined the breasts, a natural shoulderline, a tight (often belted) waist, and an immensely full mid calf to ankle length skirt. The second differed only in that the skirt was pencil slim with a long back vent or pleat to permit movement.” (Mendes & de la Haye, 131) The style pictured is described by the latter.

Cut from rayon as described in the image caption, The style of the sheath dress which was described as “the most important single day fashion of 1950” by Daniel Delis Hill in his book as seen in Vogue: A century of American fashion in advertising (Hill 2007, 80)

in favored in the 1950s draws influence from the paris couturier, Christian Dior with its nipped bodice, and pronounced hips. To compliment the minimal and sleek silhouette of the dress, the model also wears accessories in a darker contrasting hue including a wide brimmed hat, long gloves, pearl jewelry, and a broad belt that emphasizes her svelte waist.

A trend that seems to have been revived by the introduction of Christian Dior’s 1947 Spring collection. In an attempt to revive romantic styles from the past, the New Look featured sleek tapered shoulders with soft lines, and often had a full skirt that accentuated a woman’s waist (Mendes & de la Haye 2010, 130).

cultural significance