That's Hot: How America's Idea of Sexy Has Evolved from the 1950's

In the 1950's, several male stars found success with their bad boy persona. American girls were enthralled by the rebel images of famous male celebrities. However, oppositely, men at the time looked for a subtle hint of sexiness. They preferred women who were cute, and not overly dangerous. This idea has changed drastically in the year 2011. Today, women are the ones who look for a cute, sensitive man, while men now throw themselves at women who pose seductively in rebellious outfits.


When one thinks of the 1950's, the name Elvis comes to mind. Elvis Presley was the first of his kind in many ways. He was the first white boy who became famous because he could sing like a black boy. Elvis was also the first white boy to pull off raunchy looks reserved for African Americans at the time. His tight leather outfits were accentuated by his hip gyrations. Elvis was a spectacle when he stepped on stage. Young women were captivated by his appearance and voice.
The role reversal of men and women is apparent in the modern day appearance of entertainment sensation, Lady Gaga. Fans look to her scantily clad outfits and unique voice for entertainment. Lady Gaga is a sex symbol of the 21st century, much like Elvis was for his time. Lady Gaga uses the same tactics to capture her audiences attention. Tight leather outfits, insane dance moves, and a mind blowing voice are methods used by both famous celebrities. She too found fame performing in a way that rebelled against conventional ideas of how entertainers should act.



Marlon Brando is considered the greatest actor of all time. However, his acting was just one side of his fame. Young women fell in love with his dangerous image. When he played Stanley Kowalski in A Streetcar Named Desire, females fawned over his bad boy character. Brando became a sex god thanks to his mysterious, rebel charm. Every young lady in America wanted their own bad boy. Today, every young man in America wants his own bad girl. Our era's Brando image can be seen in Megan Fox, television star and model. Fox attracts millions of men with her leather clad, motorcycle straddling body. In her most famous gig, Transformers, Fox portrayed a dangerous, sexy, independent hero. This role caused her image to be the one pinned up in numerous garage's and basement's of men all across America, much like how Brando's picture was found on many a teenage girl's wall in the fifties.



In the 1950's, James Dean was another famous leading man who used his bad boy image to rise to fame. Though only in a few movies before his life was tragically cut short, Dean made his impact on fifties culture. Men wanted to be him, and women simply wanted him. He, like Brando, utilized the leather jacket, white tee, and jeans approach, a look which enamored countless young women. His most famous role in Rebel Without A Cause demonstrated just how much fifties youth embraced someone who fought the establishment. His rebellious image summarized what teenage girls of the time looked for in a sexy man. In 2011, men look for this same image in women. Today's sex icons, such as Rihanna, dress and discuss topics that make them seem rebellious.



The reversal of sexy demonstrates how women have climbed the social ladder since the fifties. Once, a sexy woman was cute, submissive, and capable of keeping her man happy. Now, women are embraced for being independent and dangerous, a struggle for a man to keep entertained. In the fifties, it was completely different. Women liked the idea of taming their man, which is why entertainers like Elvis, Brando, and Dean were so appealing. As women have made steps towards equality, their sex appeal has changed. It was the fifties pioneers of sexy who led the way for female entertainers today to be so widely embraced. One thing can be learned from both the bad boys and bad girls of entertainment: leather is always in fashion.

Pictures
http://songbook1.wordpress.com/pp/fx/0-new-features/1945-standards/youll-never-walk-alone/
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3078932/mediaindex
http://www.famozz.com/actors/marlon-brando
http://s391.photobucket.com/albums/oo357/foomas2009/?action=view&current=megan-fox-motorcycle.jpg&newest=1
http://saberpoint.blogspot.com/2010/09/james-dean-died-55-years-ago-today.html
http://www.fashionfame.com/2010/11/rihanna-long-red-hairstyle/