The Ideal Singapore Girl in the 1960s
By Jacelyn Teng
In this article, we explore the main question of “How newspapers promote dominant ideals of women in 1960?”. In 1960s Singapore, three characteristics - docility, subordination and being socially active homemakers were idealised and promoted through media in the form of newspapers. Specifically, fashion plays a key role in the visualisation of the three ideals by being an inseparable topic when newspapers discuss and discipline women for their bodies, clothing, public selves, and dreams.
Introduction
The 1960s marked the start of the first industrial revolution in Singapore. The main agenda of economic prosperity required the nation to establish a strong and productive workforce, thus creating the ideal where women could balance work and their homemaking duties. To perpetuate these ideas, fashion media in the form of news articles were used to communicate characteristics of this ideal as desirable while traits against it are frowned upon. In this article, we will explore how the dominant ideals of women in the 1960s are communicated through fashion articles by establishing the ideal body, clothing, public selves, and dreams.
Singapore in the 1960s
The 1960s marked the start of the first industrial revolution in Singapore where labour-intensive fields such as the garment industry was industralised. It was also a decade of change when Singapore became a self-governing state in 1965, led by the People’s Action Party (PAP) after its independence from Malaysia. After which, the priority of Singapore shifted to export manufacturing and attracting foreign investments. As such, by the mid-1960s, Singapore experienced economic success evident from the improved standard of living and lowered unemployment rates.
Figure 2. Shake a leg, 5 September 1982 (Taken from: The Straits Times)
Women in 1960s Singapore
Given Singapore’s economic progress, cultures and social structures had to evolve to support the priority of bolstering economic growth and political stability in the 1960s, One of which was the change in identity of women. Before the 1960s, the identity of women was strongly tied to their homes, mainly taking the role of a homemaker, mother and wife.
1960s Background: The Media’s Influence on Social Ideals
Social ideals were often enforced through media, prominently in the form of newspapers. With Singapore’s independence in 1965, nation-building and security were of utmost importance. Since then, the media had built a collaborative relationship with the government, where a pro-establishment vision was shared. With a “mediator role” between the government and its people, the media kept authorities accountable to the masses and communicated information from the government to the public. Thus, given the mediator role of media and its ability to frame what and how people think, the media possessed the power to enforce the social ideals of women that was deemed important for the nation’s economic development agenda.
In the 1960s, there were two main local English broadsheets, The Straits Times and The Singapore Free Press. The Straits Times was established in 1845 under the Federation of Malaya. After the separation of Singapore and Malaysia in 1965, The Straits Times continued serving Singapore while Malaysia started The New Straits Times. For nation-building, Singaporeans were not given easy access to Malaysian news and vice versa. Meanwhile, The Singapore Free Press was Singapore’s second oldest English newspaper, lasting from 1835 to 1962. While Singapore Free Press was acquired by The Straits Times in 1952, it is important to note that each publication was given editorial independence. English was Singapore’s “language of the workplace” for harmony among different races which was deemed crucial for its economic development. Yet, English literacy among locals was low. Fluent speakers in the 1960s were expatriates and elites who went to British schools. They also included youths and young adults who had the privilege to attend local English-medium schools. As such, the audiences of these English broadsheets were most likely expatriates, elites, youths, and young adults.
Establishing the Ideal Woman
Given Singapore’s priority in economic development through industrialisation, characteristics of subordination in women who hold dual roles as a worker and homemaker became the ideal. The nation was able to use fashion media to perpetuate this ideal by making it desirable. This is known as social control where citizens internalise an ideal image as the norm, making it not just attainable but socially necessary to conform to avoid public ostracism. Social control is typically done through hard and soft infrastructures. Examples of hard infrastructures include access and usage of buildings, roads and institutions, while examples of soft infrastructures include healthcare, culture, communication. In this case, the media as a soft infrastructure is used to control women into the ideal.
In 1960s Singapore, fashion played an important role in enforcing these ideals through social control. Fashion can be understood as one of the most “visible forms of consumption” which, when worn in a social environment, communicates information about society. Through fashion, the local media had supported the government’s vision by enforcing these ideals through its papers. As such, studying media through the lens of fashion allowed us to understand what it truly means to be an ideal woman of 1960s Singapore. Local articles revealed four key areas of this ideal - women bodies, fashion, public selves and dreams.
Establishing her ideal body
Fashion media represented the ideal Singapore woman as one who diligently crafts every part of her body. Here are some of the descriptions given. According to columnist Joy Meng and the column Women & Beauty Feature, the face should be evenly powdered to cover any imperfections which include freckles, blotchy skin, and dryness. Moles were seen as attractive and could be further enhanced using eyeliner. Meanwhile, exposed skin such as the neck, shoulders and arms should appear smooth and moisturized so that they “never” look “oily, sluggish or dry”. Additionally, a 21-inch waist was considered standard while a 24-inch is mocked as a “stock”, referring to a tree trunk. Lastly, one’s knees should be smooth and fair without wrinkles.
Establishing her ideal fashion
Subsequently, the image of the ideal woman was strengthened through fashion. For example, the softness of women could be amplified through laces, little to no makeup, pearls, and petticoats. However, this softness had to be appropriately executed. A commentary about ways to break up with men suggested wearing frills, puff sleeves and “short, short skirts” as they were considered “little girls’ clothes” which would greatly reduce one’s feminine appeal. This idea was echoed in the commentary “Irksome Women” which labelled women in such outfits as the “Elaborates” who were unnecessarily flamboyant. Conversely, the derogatory nickname of “Sloppy Joes” was given to women who wore “ill-fitting” trousers and “loose ugly sports shirts'' regardless of the occasion. Disapproved by men for the lack of effort in dressing up, these women are ridiculed as “[sacks] of potatoes''.
Through such writings that detailed the guidelines and boundaries in dressing, fashion media has transformed the ideal women from an abstract idea to an achievable and visualisable construct for the masses. With public understanding and consensus of the ideal, women were then able to practice the behaviours of the ideal woman through their dressing and subconsciously embody the characteristics of docility and surbordination. As a result, the society was able to control the mindset of their women, making them obey the men of leadership roles at work without rebellion and serve their families with nurturing hearts.
Establishing her ideal public self
Additionally, fashion media enforced social control on women by regulating the public behaviour of women through guidelines on acceptable behaviours one could have in public and in the presence of men. Examples of these guidelines include detailed instructions to blink, smile and laugh (Huang, 1960).
Specifically, a commentary wrote about self-grooming in public when dining with men. It shared that the lipstick should be applied with the “slightest movement” and “no funny faces” because a woman’s agape mouth and taut lips were considered “offensive”. Additionally, powder should be applied quickly and placing it beside plates was thought to be “nauseating”. Additionally, when crying or laughing, one should be wary of smudged makeup and wipe the face “gracefully” with a handkerchief. Through these guidelines, women who were exposed to fashion media could be influenced to internalise and regulate her actions to conform to both men and societal standards, further amplifying the subordinal role of women.
Establishing her ideal dream
Finally, the idea of women having dual roles as the rite of passage, being social active participants and homemakers, was promoted through fashion media as the rite of passage. Marriage and maternity were portrayed as “everyone’s secret ambition” and being married was considered a highly attractive status where women could remain beautiful, intelligent, and involved in society even as a mother. The media deemed homemaking as attractive by portraying maternity as the “biggest softening influence”, one of the most desirable attributes of the ideal woman as aforementioned. Furthermore, by advertising events such as the “Beauty and Home” seminar to teach homemakers about etiquette, flower arrangement, makeup and more, the homemaking role of women appeared exciting and supported by a community. Secondly, the media romanticised homemakers of the 1960s as smart, poised, and active citizens who “help men and make the world better”, unlike the 1950s where “women had to stay at home”. By associating socially active homemakers with modernity, women were enticed to take on dual roles. This was supported by a forum where women expressed rejection towards being a homemaker that would sacrifice her identity, interests, and ambitions for the sake of her family. In support of having dual roles, these women believed that working was a way to retain and protect their identities as individuals rather than wives or mothers.
Overall, such commentaries in our national broadsheets strengthened the image of the ideal woman by glorifying the efforts it takes one to be a working homemaker. As these ideas became widespread with the influence of the media, women learnt to internalise these ideas as the norm.
Articles Referenced
Going to have a baby (1962)
https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19620610-1.2.88?ST=1&AT=advanced&K=fashion&KA=fashion&DF=01%2F06%2F1962&DT=30%2F06%2F1962&NPT=&L=English&CTA=Article&SortBy=Oldest&filterS=0&Display=0&QT=fashion&oref=article
Malaya’s casual girls (1962)
https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19621223-1.2.41.2?ST=1&AT=advanced&K=fashion&KA=fashion&DF=01%2F12%2F1962&DT=31%2F12%2F1962&NPT=&L=English&CTA =Article&SortBy=Oldest&filterS=0&Display=0&QT=fashion&oref=article
The selfish mother (1963)
https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19630326-1.2.89.1?ST=1&AT=advanced&K=fashion&KA=fashion&DF=01%2F03%2F1963&DT=31%2F03%2F1963&NPT=&L=English&CTA =Article&SortBy=Oldest&filterS=0&Display=0&QT=fashion&oref=article
Tina knows her own mind at the age of 17 (1963)
https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19630606-1.2.91.1?ST=1&AT=advanced&K=fashion&KA=fashion&DF=01%2F06%2F1963&DT=30%2F06%2F1963&NPT=&L=English&CTA =Article&SortBy=Oldest&filterS=0&Display=0&QT=fashion&oref=article
Friendly voice is a soft voice (1960)
https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/freepress19600225-1.2.58?ST=1&AT=search&k=Friendly%20voice%20is%20a%20soft%20voice&QT=friendly,voice,is,a,soft,voice&oref=article
Natural beauty by itself is not enough for today's modern woman (1960)
https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/freepress19600707-1.2.153.3?ST=1&AT=search&k=Natural%20beauty%20by%20itself%20is%20not%20enough%20for%20today%27s%20modern%20woman&QT=natural,beauty,by,itself,is,not,enough,for,today,modern,woman&oref=article
She says there is beauty in a blink (1960)
https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19600320-1.2.43?ST=1&AT=search&k=She%20says%20there%20is%20beauty%20in%20a%20blink&QT=she,says,there,is,beauty,in,a,blink&oref=article
When your beau turns into a mere boor (1960)
https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19600515-1.2.38?ST=1&AT=search&k=When%20your%20beau%20turns%20into%20a%20mere%20boor&QT=when,your,beau,turns,into,a,mere,boor&oref=article
Beauty often needs quick repairs (1960)
https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19600717-1.2.34.5?ST=1&AT=search&k=Beauty%20often%20needs%20quick%20repairs&QT=beauty,often,needs,quick,repairs&oref=article
Lovely to Look At (1960)
https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/freepress19600112-1.2.59?ST=1&AT=advanced&K=fashion&KA=fashion&DF=01%2F01%2F1960&DT=31%2F12%2F1960&Display=0&NPT=&L=English&CTA=Article%7CIllustration%7CLetter%7CMiscellaneous%7CObituary&QT=fashion&oref=article
Irksome Women (1960)
https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/freepress19600113-1.2.56?ST=1&AT=advanced&DF=01%2f01%2f1960&DT=31%2f12%2f1999&NPT=&L=English&CTA=&SortBy=Oldest&K=fashion &KA=fashion&P=2&Display=0&filterS=0&QT=fashion&oref=article
Warning: You will have to watch your waist again (1962)
https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19630915-1.2.112?ST=1&AT=advanced&K=fashion&KA=fashion&DF=01%2F09%2F1963&DT=30%2F09%2F1963&NPT=&L=English&CTA =Article&SortBy=Oldest&filterS=0&Display=0&QT=fashion&oref=article
How a man's clothes can give his wife away (1963)
https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19630929-1.2.126.2?ST=1&AT=advanced&DF=01%2f09%2f1963&DT=30%2f09%2f1963&NPT=&L=English&CTA=Article&SortBy=Oldest&K=fashion&KA=fashion&P=2&Display=0&filterS=0&QT=fashion&oref=article
It’s art for art’s sake (1962)
https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19620309-1.2.64?ST=1&AT=advanced&K=fashion&KA=fashion&DF=01%2F03%2F1962&DT=31%2F03%2F1962&NPT=freepress%7Cstraitsti mes&L=English&CTA=Article&SortBy=Oldest&filterS=0&Display=0&QT=fashion&oref=article
Men and girls have a word for above-knee skirt: Wow (1960)
https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/freepress19600802-1.2.79.3?ST=1&AT=search&k=Men%20and%20girls%20have%20a%20word%20for%20above-knee%20skirt:&QT=men,and,girls,have,a,word,for,above-knee,skirt&oref=article
Awareness of Bareness (1960).
https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Page/freepress19600707-1.1.9?ST=1&AT=advanced&DF=01%2f07%2f1960&DT=31%2f07%2f1960&NPT=&L=&CTA=&SortBy=Oldest&K=fashion&KA=fa shion&P=2&Display=0&filterS=0&QT=fashion&oref=article
Natural beauty by itself is not enough for today's modern woman (1960)
https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/freepress19600707- 1.2.153.3?ST=1&AT=advanced&DF=01%2f07%2f1960&DT=31%2f07%2f1960&NPT=&L=&CTA=&SortBy=Oldest&K=fashion&K A=fashion&P=2&Display=0&filterS=0&QT=fashion&oref=article
References and Further Reading
Ang, P. H. (2007). Singapore media. Retrieved June, 9, 2012
Barnard, M. (2002). Fashion as Communication. London: Routledge.
Beng-Huat, C. (2000). Postcolonial sites, global flows and fashion codes: a case-study of power cheongsams and other clothing styles in modern
Singapore. Postcolonial Studies: Culture, Politics, Economy, 3(3), 279-292
Economic Development Board. (1991). Singapore Economic Development Board: Thirty years of economic development. Singapore: The Board, pp. 23–24. (Call no.: RSING 338.95957 SIN)
Elson, D., & Pearson, R. (1981). ‘Nimble fingers make cheap workers’: An analysis of women's employment in third world export manufacturing. Feminist review, 7(1), 87-107.
Felea, C. (2006). Beat identity and the media. Studia Universitatis Babes-bolyai Philologia, 51(4), 171-179
Frith, K., Shaw, P., & Cheng, H. (2005). The construction of beauty: A cross‐cultural analysis of women's magazine advertising. Journal of communication, 55(1), 56-70.
Fox, G. L. (1977). " Nice girl": Social control of women through a value construct. Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society, 2(4), 805-817.
Gupta, A. F. (2006). The situation of English in Singapore. World Englishes: Critical concepts in linguistics, 2, 369.
Hua, N. (2008). A critical discourse analysis of representations of bilateral issues concerning Malaysia and Singapore in mainstream newspaper editorials.
Kim, T., Hao, X. & Chen, Y. (1998). The Singapore press as a mediator between the government and the public. Media Asia, 25(4), 204-209.
Pyle, J. L. (1997). Women, the family, and economic restructuring: The Singapore model?. Review of Social Economy, 55(2), 215-223.
Schein, E. H. (1996). Strategic pragmatism: The culture of Singapore’s Economic Development Board.Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press. pp. 46–48. (Call no.: RSING 338.95957 SCH)
Silver, R. E. (2005). The discourse of linguistic capital: Language and economic policy planning in Singapore. Language Policy, 4(1), 47-66.
Veenstra, A., & Kuipers, G. (2013). It is not old‐fashioned, it is vintage, vintage fashion and the complexities of 21st century consumption practices. Sociology Compass, 7(5), 355-365.
Wilkinson, B. (1988). Social engineering in Singapore. Journal of Contemporary Asia, 18(2), 165-188.
