This series was inspired by flipping through the pages of vintage LIFE magazines and realizing that while stereotypical notions of femininity feel so dated, at the same time they are parallel to the standards by which women continue to measure themselves by today. This led me to use gold leafing on images excised from 1950s beauty advertisements to highlight the hairstyles, bras, nails, lips and cosmetics that were featured so frequently then (and now). I also use gold leafing to isolate and recontextualize advertising messages as a way to highlight that irresistible trifold marketing promise: beauty, youth and perfection.