LOOK Magazine - Representation of women

The representation of women in Look magazine are extremely
stereotypical and traditional views of women. The magazine reinforces the image
of the perfect girl and the ideal look being a woman who is slim, fashionable,
beautiful with flawless skin and long hair. The adverts used to break up the
content show stereotypical norms of femininity, on one page there will be an
image of what is the ideal, the magazine created anxiety of not being beautiful
because you don’t look like that and then magically on the next it will show the
audience that if they purchase certain products then they will be a reflection of
this ideal and achieve this look, which solves your problem. 
Look magazine suggests a template of beauty that women between the age of
18-25 should want to achieve. One article that demonstrates this is from the 2017
9th Jan issue article about Headmasters hair and beauty salon, this article talks
about how you should want your hair to look beautiful and flawless and you can
achieve this if you visit the salon. There are two images would have a girl with
long blonde hair with simple beach waves and another of the same with her hair
in a messy bun suggesting that women should have long hair that should be
styles accordingly. In addition to this the fact that the girl has what they class as a
messy bun shows even when you want to look like you made minimal effort you
know yourself that you did make and effort and it looks good in a messy way.  In
addition to this the article says "fend off hordes of admires" showing if you get
your hair styled you will be a hot topic and people will notice you but if not you will
blend into the crowd and not have male attention. Also suggesting that males
only notice good looking girls with nice hair and who are well put together and
make an effort. "Let amazing hair be your New Years resolution" this shows that
the magazine sees appearance as the most important thing for a female and you
should change yourself for the new year and make it a permanent change. 
Look magazine not only stereotypes the girls within the magazine but also
stereotypes the audience as it assumes that because they are apart of the
mainstream and aspirer audience type they will enjoy this gossip and that the
ideals and images in this magazine are what the audience aspire to be like.
These basic assumptions play apart in the ideological messages of the magazine
and allow the magazine to assume that this is exactly what the audience may
want, such as being a relationship, wearing high street fashion, being confident
etc. 
However in some ways the magazine doesn’t just rely on traditional views of
women, the women in this magazine are not relying on a male companion, it is
more about a woman being self confident and independent. The women in this
magazine work for themselves and do not need a man to make them happy not
do they need a man to purchase things for them. They work hard for what they
want giving an alternative view of a traditional female role.