The Way It Used To Be

A few weeks ago, the new movie, Don’t Worry Darling, came out starring Florence Pugh and Harry Styles as a couple living in a simulation reflecting the 1950s. The film portrays the two as a couple where the husband, Jack (Harry Styles), heads off every day to work, while the wife, Alice (Florence Pugh), stays at home cooking, cleaning, and maintaining her beauty for the sake of her husband. During these times, the woman was regarded as nothing more than a pretty face with nice clothes to accompany the man as he worked hard to support the family. The fashion during this period upheld these ideals and further pushed the idea that women belonged in the home and not as functioning members of society. Today that is obviously not the case, but let’s humor ourselves and take a look back at the way things used to be:

Pictured above, we see a classic house dress worn during this time. When I look at this image, I can’t help but think about the clothing I wear around my house when I’m cleaning up or cooking dinner. News flash— it does not look like this. The idea that women of the time were expected to be done up with a full face of makeup and nice outfit even as they tidied just goes to show how little they were valued outside of the home. Shockingly enough, these dresses were actually considered to be more comfortable than ones from past decades. It was expected that the “house dress provide[d] comfort and roominess when the wearer [was] reaching or stooping in the pursuit of her household duties.” Regardless of whether or not people would see them, the woman was expected to dress nicely— no matter her domestic servant duties.

Similarly to the actual 1950s, in the film, Alice dresses and acts solely to support and uphold the household for her and her and Jack. The fashion here is described as “postwar American idealism when women were glamorous housewives.” While he goes off to work, she cleans, tidies, and cooks to prepare for his return. Without spoiling too much of the movie, I would like to explain that while it may seem as if the movie takes place in the 1950s and it’s just the way things were, it wasn’t. In reality, the characters were living in the modern day, where women had jobs just as much as their husbands. However, the male characters in the film had chosen to go back to the 1950s when times were “simpler” and life had fewer “difficulties”. Luckily this is a movie and untrue, but I, unfortunately, do not doubt that there are some people out there who believe in this narrative, and would quite honestly prefer it.

Taking it back a few decades, women got used to filling the roles of men as they were off fighting in WWII. No longer were women expected to solely uphold the household, but suddenly society as well. As soon as the men returned, they were placed back in their original roles while women were pushed to the back once more, and “America returned back to a man’s world.” There was no greater calling for a woman during this time than to be either a wife or a mother— point blank. Women were even coined “Old Maids” if they were not wed by the age of 25. They were “put on a pedestal, expected to be good,” which is why I think Florence Pugh’s role in this movie is so important. She breaks the narrative that a woman should sit in the background, be silent, and look pretty. She fights for what she believes in and stands up for herself, which was definitely frowned upon at the time.

Even more so, women of color during this decade were not respected or regarded by any means. They were expected to conform to white society and fit into the narrative of being a stereotypically “beautiful” white woman through the advertising of skin lighteners and perms, which would straighten their already curly hair. Regarding their fashion, black women began to show their independence heavily during this time by wearing suits and entering the business world. This was far different than the roles that many white women took at the time, which I feel should be more respected, but unfortunately, during that decade it was not. Many took after Jackie Kennedy and styled themselves similarly to her. In the movie, the character Margaret, played by Kiki Lane, is one of the only people of color in the whole film— which speaks to the period they were trying to portray. She can be seen wearing similar clothes to the other women in the community, as well as having permed, more white-passing hairstyles.

While the movie is not showing an accurate depiction of fashion from today, it is interesting to look back on styles from the past and see how they compare. As a woman myself, I could not be more grateful that we have shifted away from the idea that women belong in the home as mothers and supportive wives. I am hopeful that people will see this movie and appreciate the fashion, albeit understanding that women are much more than pretty clothes and housekeepers. If you’re curious about what a society looks like where you are amounted to how put together you are stepping out of your house every day, take a walk down memory lane and watch this film.

Strike Out,

Haley Wolf

Editor: Anna Albright

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