Magazine Page, The Modern Priscilla, vol. 35, no. 7; Kleinert’s Gem Dress Shields

The number of women purchasing women’s magazines soared in the first decades of the 20th century. Modern Priscilla was one of many publications specifically targeting women that exploded on the scene at a time when women were increasingly being identified as the major consumer group in American society. These magazines were profit-driven businesses that had to satisfy two key customers: the advertisers who purchased space in the publication and the readers who bought the finished product. Advertisements for beauty products, personal hygiene, and fashion accessories were presented alongside ads for household goods and magazine features on cooking, housekeeping, needlework, home decorating, short stories, and fashion and beauty tips. To be a modern woman and homemaker meant buying these products and following the societal dictates of fashion and grooming. Dress shields helped maintain a clean appearance, preventing perspiration from showing, and protected fabrics from perspiration stains.