On Blondes
Condition: SECONDHAND
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In art and literature, in history and popular culture, blonde has never been a mere colour. For 2500 years, it has been a blazing signal in code, signifying beauty, power and status. To feed this obsession industries have developed, influential trends set. From Greek prostitutes mimicking the golden haired Aphrodite, to the Californian beach babe; from pigeon dung and saffron dyes to L'Oreal - because you're worth it; we see the lengths to which women will go to become blonde. The power and duality of the blonde as either erotic symbol or saintly virgin waxes and wanes but never disappears. By looking at the world through the prism of what it is to be blonde, or make oneself blonde, we are drawn into an intriguing portrait of the world. Why is it that blondes rose to prominence in Hollywood and Nazi Germany at the same time? Why do young japanese women want to be blonde? Weaving a story rich in anecdote, history and intrigue, this text combines the authors wealth of knowledge with a clearsighted view of the power of the blonde throughout the ages.
Author: Joanna Pitman
Format: Hardback, 304 pages, 129mm x 198mm, 479 g
Published: 2003, Bloomsbury Publishing PLC, United Kingdom
Genre: Popular Culture & Media: General Interest
Description
In art and literature, in history and popular culture, blonde has never been a mere colour. For 2500 years, it has been a blazing signal in code, signifying beauty, power and status. To feed this obsession industries have developed, influential trends set. From Greek prostitutes mimicking the golden haired Aphrodite, to the Californian beach babe; from pigeon dung and saffron dyes to L'Oreal - because you're worth it; we see the lengths to which women will go to become blonde. The power and duality of the blonde as either erotic symbol or saintly virgin waxes and wanes but never disappears. By looking at the world through the prism of what it is to be blonde, or make oneself blonde, we are drawn into an intriguing portrait of the world. Why is it that blondes rose to prominence in Hollywood and Nazi Germany at the same time? Why do young japanese women want to be blonde? Weaving a story rich in anecdote, history and intrigue, this text combines the authors wealth of knowledge with a clearsighted view of the power of the blonde throughout the ages.
On Blondes