Tag Archives: vintage ads

Booze, Bras & Husbands: What Women Want According To Vintage Advertising

Tres SugarMarch 5, 2012 //

We love to get nostalgic — from remembering our ’90s girlhood (like N*SYNC and Disney princesses) to learning about the history of corsets to just ogling glamorous pinups of the ’40s and ’50s. And when it comes to the history of our gender, nothing is quite as fascinating and disturbing as the history of advertising as it relates to women. Vintage ads for, about, and featuring the fairer sex range from retro-cute to scarily sexist with their portrayal of women. But we like to look back at these vintage ads for everything from cocktails to underwear to feminine hygiene products to remember how far we’ve come as well as how far we are from where we need to be in the world of advertising. Plus, a lot of these old ads are so backwards and ridiculous, you have to laugh. So take a trip back in time with us to see what ad execs of the past thought women would want! Read more…

Ladies, Meet Your Home Economics Overlord

Julie GersteinMarch 3, 2012 //
Lazy Recipes
5 recipes for lazy chefs. 6 Photos »
Single Gal Recipes
woman cooking photo
Dinner for one? Here's our best random single gal recipes! Read More »
Your Recipes!
Send me your recipes to share with The Frisky readership! Read More »
Recipe: Devil's Chicken
With green bean salad on the side! Read More »

The nice folks over at Vintage Ads compiled a collection of the faces of Betty Crocker throughout the years. It’s nice to see that while the visage may have changed, the commitment to a perfectly curled coif and magenta sweater sets has remained. [Vintage Ads]

Vintage Ad: Blow In Her Face And She’ll Follow You Anywhere

Julie GersteinDecember 3, 2011 //
Retro Douche Ads
The history of douchey vag products. 9 Photos »
Stupid Period Ads
These menstrual product ads are dumb. Period. 9 Photos »
Vintage Hairdos
vintage hairstyle how to
Six old-timey styles you to try today! 7 Photos »
WTF Hair Removal Ads
waxing ad
Hair removal ads leave little to the imagination. 7 Photos »

Really guys, this is all it used to take — blow some smoke in a girl’s face and she’d drop her panties for you like that. Really, the ’60s were such a great time to be a dude. [Bored Panda]

When Skinny Was A Bad Word: 7 Retro Anti-Thin Ads

Julie GersteinDecember 2, 2011 //
vintage weight gain ads
vintage weight gain ads
vintage weight gain ads
vintage weight gain ads
vintage weight gain ads
vintage weight gain ads
View the Gallery / 7 Photos »

Believe it or not, the push to be hyper-thin hasn’t always been present. In the ’50s and ’60s, women were sold the idea that a curvy, bodacious bod was best, and companies like Wate-On advertised that they could turn a skinny girl into a voluptuous vixen through their weight-gaining products. Whether Wate-On worked, it’s refreshing to see a different kind of body type being coveted — one that doesn’t promote a protruding hip or clavicle. Check out these great vintage “anti-skinny” ads. [Daily Mail UK]

10 Retro Ads Targeted At Women

Amelia McDonell-ParryNovember 4, 2011 //
View the Gallery / 10 Photos »

Last night, I fell into a little bit of Flickr k-hole as I discovered and combed through a treasure trove of vintage ads targeted at women. Various household cleansers! Brillo pads! Life-changing appliance materials! A perfume called “Macrame”! And a crocheted toilet paper cover that looks like a poodle? Oh yes. Some of these are positively frame-worthy. And just wait until you see my slideshow of vintage homemaker magazines… Keep reading »

The Smell Of Innocence Is Totally Inappropriate

Amelia McDonell-ParryMarch 11, 2011 //

Ummm, this vintage Love’s Baby Soft ad may be the most disturbing of all time. This was actually in a magazine? Target demographic … pedophiles? Holy advertising fail. [Hug Party] Keep reading »

Do You Want That Sensual No-Bra Look?

Amelia McDonell-ParryMay 12, 2010 //

Want to turn on the headlights and achieve that “cold weather look” even when it’s 80 degrees out, without sacrificing the support of a bra? Back in the ’70s (or is this an ’80s ad? I can’t tell) that dream could be realized in the form of the “nipple bra,” an over-the-shoulder-boulder-holder with built-in hard nips. I don’t believe they sell this anymore, but if anyone finds a modern version, let me know! [via BuzzFeed] Keep reading »

Funky Or Fugly?

Amelia McDonell-ParryDecember 14, 2009 //

I’m not sure which is less attractive — this “funky” bedazzled jean jacket (for dudes!) or the models dirtied face/faux stubble. [Vintage Ads] Keep reading »

Ring! Ring! Ring! It’s The Erotica Phone

Jessica WakemanNovember 18, 2009 //

That’s not just a tacky sculpture of a woman with no nipples—that’s a vintage ad for an actual phone! I love how this redheaded lady is buck naked except for the gold leaves covering up her lady bits to preserve her modesty. To see a full-sized (NSFW) pic, click after the jump… Keep reading »