This book challenges the long-standing feminist stance on dress and personal appearance by scrutinizing its history and revealing fundamental prejudices behind its assumptions. According to Scott, American feminism takes a dim view of beauty, alienating many mature women. Feminist writers have consistently argued that a woman's attempt to cultivate her appearance makes her a dupe of fashion, the plaything of men, and a collaborator in her own oppression. Scott takes issue with these contentions of much contemporary feminism, but is not at all anti-feminist. Fresh Lipstick is sure to be a controversial book similar to, but going against the grain, of The Beauty Myth, No Logo and Backlash.