The Making Of America's Beauty Culture Analysis

In “The Making of America’s Beauty Culture” by Kathy Peiss, and in the anthology of pieces commenting on the modern youth of the 1920s, the authors examine of the substantial cultural shifts taking place in the early twentieth century, hallmarked by the shift from Victorianism to Modernity. The 1920s sparked the mass influence of cosmetics and self-conceptions, and the radical change in sexual ideologies and morals, a revolutionary take on the meaning of freedom. In Peiss’s piece, she address the progressive acceptance of cosmetics, and their psychological, economic, sociological effects over time. The irreparable damage done by the beauty industry to women’s self-esteems through the ages is chronicled in her work, and she does recognize the positive effects of the industry as well mentioning the role of cosmetics in fulfilling fantasies. The anthology of works both criticize and applaud the modern yearning for freedom through the denial of antecedent schools of thought through “radical” sexual behaviors and decorum. Clearly, both these pieces elucidate the importance of the shifting burden of individuality, either in women concerning makeup and self-expression, or in modern youth desperately …show more content…
These customs, although often compared to and looked down upon as prostitution, in fact demonstrated and asserted female autonomy because these girls chose who to date while they received gifts. These girls also felt contented in expressing their secret desires, which had been repressed by society for decades. The youth of this generation, especially the women of this time, asserted their right to have more power and control over their sexuality and freedom than any other generation in American