significant women through the decades

fashion through the decades

a look at some of the women who have helped shape our world CHARLOTTE THOMAS ILLUSTRATIONS BY BELLA WATERS

40s

First Ladies are often overlooked as being “just the President’s wife.” However, Eleanor Roosevelt broke this idea in every aspect of her life. After her husband’s term ended in 1945, Roosevelt was appointed as a delegate to the United Nations General Assembly. She was the first Chairperson of the Commission on Human Rights and played an incredibly instrumental role in the forming and production of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Eleanor used her fame, status and credibility amongst both the USA and the USSR to push for the passing of the declaration and its successful completion in 1948. In 1968, Roosevelt was posthumously awarded the United Nations Human Rights Prize. 50s Marilyn Monroe has one of the most recognisable faces in the world. But what lay beneath the surface of the 50’s icon? Marilyn was incredibly concerned with breaking down stereotypical typecasts in films at the time. Hollywood in the 50s often only cast women for roles that they deemed ‘suited’ their looks and physique. Monroe protested against this, as well as protesting against the beauty standards at the time. But perhaps the most influential thing Monroe achieved for the world was her influence on the civil rights movement in America. She was a close friend of African-American Jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald, and when Ella was not allowed to play at the popular Hollywood club Mocambo, because of her race, Marilyn called the company and said that she would sit in the front row if Fitzgerald was allowed to play. Ella Fitzgerald later claimed that she “owed a real debt” to Monroe for her assistance in changing the misogynistic and racist nature of Hollywood.

60s

Barbra Streisand revolutionized the music industry. She wasn’t conventionally beautiful, which meant that many studios and producers wouldn’t hire her. She was told that she was “too ugly to be a star” and that “she would have to get a nose job” if she wanted to succeed. Streisand declined and became one of the first female musicians who won fame for their personality and talent, rather than looks. She paved the way for many musicians to come who didn’t conform to typical male-defined aesthetics. Streisand began directing her films at just 21, which prompted detractors to call her an egomaniac. However, she persevered and became one of the most influential and well-known artists and actresses of the 1960s.

70s

Diana Ross, also known as Lady Diana was the ultimate celebrity of the 70s. She was an African American superstar singer, actress, model, mother and businesswoman in a still heavily prejudiced and racist society. She originated from Detroit and her journey from the streets of the suburbs to the Hollywood stage inspired women globally. She was an advocate for “individual freedom, the Civil Rights movement, the feminist movement, gay rights, and right to privacy” within the performing industry. Diana Ross is one of the few women who has two stars on the Hollywood walk of fame. One for her band the Supremes, and one for her own solo career.

80s

Naomi Campbell was one of the most influential models of the 1980s. Her groundbreaking debut on the cover of Vogue as the first African American model left an impact on the world for decades to come. By overcoming the systematic racism in the modelling industry, Campbell built herself up as one of the most well-known models in history. Naomi said that “At an early age, I understood what it meant to be black. You had to be twice as good.” (Sage Journals). This was all too true for the supermodel powerhouse. Often when she attended photoshoots she was given a lighter foundation to mask her true skin tone. But Naomi protested and brought her own foundation to shoots from then on.

90s

Madeleine Albright is a Czech born American who was the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and the first woman to hold the cabinet post of the U.S. Secretary of State. Having fled Czechoslovakia in 1939 after the Nazi invasion due to her Jewish heritage, Albright gained a reputation in the UN for being tough-minded, and a fierce advocate for American interests. She was a champion of both democracy and human rights and pushed for the involvement of the US and their military prowess to help the less fortunate. Madeleine Albright’s strong ethics and perseverance in politics made her one of America’s most wellknown politicians.

00s

Cathy Freeman was and still is, an icon for Aboriginal pride and reconciliation. She was the first indigenous woman to wave the Aboriginal flag at a sporting event. She was a symbol for the Indigenous community across the nation and upon the then 24-year-old’s shoulders, was the weight of the Australian people’s hopes for racial and cultural equality. Freeman won gold at the 2000 Olympics and paved the way for the many Indigenous women in the world of sport. In the words of Cathy Freeman “You got to try and reach for the stars or try and achieve the unreachable.” (QuoteTab)

10s

Malala Yousafzai became one of the most wellknown names in the world in 2013 and 14 at just 17. Malala was the youngest person ever to achieve a Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts in the education of girls across the globe. Malala was an advocate for women’s rights in her home country of Pakistan, when she was shot in the head on her way home from school in 2012. This was due to her efforts in human rights, and the plight for girls to attend school. Her ability to stand up to the Taliban and to protest for the rights of women is a testament to the way you can change the world, despite your age. And as Malala says: “One child, one teacher, one book and one pen can change the world.”

Of course, these were not the only influential women of the last 80 years. Other influential women that you should definitely investigate further are: Ella Fitzgerald, Eleanor Roosevelt, Rosa Parks, Jane Fonda, Stevie Nicks, Olivia Newton-John, Princess Diana, Dolly Parton, Whoopi Goldberg, Donatella Versace, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Aung San Suu Kyi, Michelle Obama, Greta Thunberg and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez