“Prettier Than They Used to Be”: Femininity, Fashion, and the Recasting of Radcliffe's Reputation, 1900–1950

Brains and beauty? From the pants suit of Wellesley grad Hillary Clinton to the toned arms of Princetonian Michelle Obama, the American public is preoccupied with the physical appearance of highly educated women. This article explores how administrators, publicists, and students at Radcliffe College mounted a half-century-long campaign to convince America that smart girls can be sexy.