This is an ad for Calvin Klein Underwear.

Sex Role Perspective 

This woman is standing in front of a white wall wearing undergarments with tights and heels. She has her feet spread apart and her head tilted back and to the side. Her eyes are closed and has her hands on her hips. She has wet hair with oil on her skin.

This ad caught my attention, because in my opinion it mixes stereotypical feminine and masculine traits together.

Feminine:

    • her hands are delicately touching her hips
    • her head is tilted back with her eyes closed, opening her body up for viewers to look at her

Masculine:

    • Her feet are spread wider, which creates a more firm and powerful stance
    • her arms are angled in such a way that is seen as more masculine
      • the angle is more sharp and firm
    • she is opening her body up more, which is stereotypically a masculine trait
      • she takes up more space in the room to insinuate power and control of her body

Gaze Theory

This advertisement caught my eye, because it shows aspects that lean towards both the female and male gaze. The fact that she has baby oil on her skin and wet hair mixed with her stance insinuates that the ad is supposed to be sexy. Usually, that means that it is leaning towards the male gaze, as a woman who is wearing undergarments in the manner she is is usually pleasurable for a stereotypical male to look at. She is looking away from the audience to invite the male gaze in.

However, the fact that she uses a more “masculine” stance leads me to believe that this ad is attempting to show women (lean to the female gaze) that if they wear Calvin Klein Underwear, they could be more powerful and confident in their body. This is insinuated by her masculine posture and appearing to be confident in her body by opening herself up to let people look at her.

Shared by: Megan Jasen
Image Credit: https://www.teenvogue.com/gallery/calvin-klein-ads-iconic-justin-bieber-kendall-jenner-kate-moss