Category
Oral - Textual or Investigative
Description
As the United States entered World War II, a call to arms was sounded across the nation to able-bodied men. However, American women were also eager to serve their country in whatever way (capacity?) they were allowed. With more and more men being sent overseas to fight, military service jobs began opening both domestically and abroad, and eventually, women were asked to fill these positions. The United States Marine Corps’ treatment of female recruits was unique. The USMC Women’s Reserve was not given an abbreviated nickname like Army WAACS or Navy WAVES, and the Corps’ commandant, Thomas Holcomb was adamant that members of the Women’s Reserve were called Marines. The unprecedented rise of women in the military meant that the branches had to quickly adapt their uniforms to suit feminine shapes and needs. The USMC Women’s Reserve is most notable for their winter uniforms: dark green coats and skirts, khaki shirts, stockings, and a spruce-green cap wrapped with a single red cord. In the spirit of Marine discipline and uniformity, the USMC began development of a unique shade of red lipstick that would be part of a female Marine’s uniform issue. Working with Elizabeth Arden, the USMC created a signature lip and nail color that matched their uniquely colored winter cap cords. Arden’s new cosmetic line helped connect American women to the military, and it boosted home front morale as women began to serve. The red lips of American servicewomen were an inspiration to the powerful servicemembers and to vulnerable families on the home front as a symbol of liberty and American strength.
Montezuma Red: Red Lipstick in the United States Marine Corps During World War II
Oral - Textual or Investigative
As the United States entered World War II, a call to arms was sounded across the nation to able-bodied men. However, American women were also eager to serve their country in whatever way (capacity?) they were allowed. With more and more men being sent overseas to fight, military service jobs began opening both domestically and abroad, and eventually, women were asked to fill these positions. The United States Marine Corps’ treatment of female recruits was unique. The USMC Women’s Reserve was not given an abbreviated nickname like Army WAACS or Navy WAVES, and the Corps’ commandant, Thomas Holcomb was adamant that members of the Women’s Reserve were called Marines. The unprecedented rise of women in the military meant that the branches had to quickly adapt their uniforms to suit feminine shapes and needs. The USMC Women’s Reserve is most notable for their winter uniforms: dark green coats and skirts, khaki shirts, stockings, and a spruce-green cap wrapped with a single red cord. In the spirit of Marine discipline and uniformity, the USMC began development of a unique shade of red lipstick that would be part of a female Marine’s uniform issue. Working with Elizabeth Arden, the USMC created a signature lip and nail color that matched their uniquely colored winter cap cords. Arden’s new cosmetic line helped connect American women to the military, and it boosted home front morale as women began to serve. The red lips of American servicewomen were an inspiration to the powerful servicemembers and to vulnerable families on the home front as a symbol of liberty and American strength.
Comments
Undergraduate