Construction of Femininity and Consumer Culture in American Women's Magazines: A Qualitative Study about Good Housekeeping

Abstract

Good housekeeping is one of the mainstream American women's magazines. Targeting primarily the middle-class married women, it gives guidance and suggestions on beautifying appearance, latest fashions,housekeeping, cooking, and child-rearing. Using 24 issues of Good Housekeeping published in 2016-2017, this study explores what kind of femininity is constructed in this magazine. The study uses thematic analysis and interpretive textual analysis as the key methodologies. Furthermore, it explores the overlapping relationships between the magazine, femininity, and consumer culture. The article finds that femininity constructed in those two years of Good Housekeeping tends to be conservative, which is idealized and perfected in the magazine.The magazine has maintained its long-established and conservative style. It is established on a commercialized base and advocates that ideal femininity is to be gained through "purchasing." The conservative femininity constructed by the magazine is under the manipulation of modern patriarchy and consumerism.