This article was originally published at Lizanest.com

From the 1930s through the 1950s, pin-up models became some of the most widely recognized women in popular culture, their images circulating through magazines, calendars, advertisements, and military camps around the world. These women defined shifting ideals of beauty, desire, and femininity during periods of war, recovery, and prosperity. Some were movie stars, others anonymous faces reproduced by the millions, but all played a role in shaping visual culture. Together, they chart the evolution of pin-up imagery from playful glamour to confident, modern sexuality.
