History Main / SeeminglyWholesome50sGirl

[[quoteright:350:[[Film/Angel1984 https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/angel_movie_3.png]]]]
[[caption-width-right:350:And on weekends, [[TripleShifter she sleeps]].]]

[[quoteright:350:[[Film/Angel1984 https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/angel_movie.png]]]]

She could be seen as a subversion of the ultra wholesomeness stereotypically associated with the Fifties, but it's more likely just an example of TruthInTelevision (more or less). Among adults, there were large differences in premarital sex rates after the pill was introduced in 1961, a moment often held to have heralded the start of the sexual revolution. At the same time, however, the TeenPregnancy rate peaked in 1957 and has, barring a short-lived rebound in the late '80s, [[https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/08/02/why-is-the-teen-birth-rate-falling/ fallen consistently]] ever since. Despite this, by the 1970s, the '50s were often just treated as the present in regard to sexual behavior, except with far more hypocrisy. Perhaps it's just the fact that the whole franchise of Fifties nostalgia films about the sex lives of teens couldn't possibly exist without her. She is a perfect combination of the nostalgic '50s charm and 1970s priorities. It is no coincidence when this trope became popular. And, of course, this type of ersatz "good girl" can still be found (or suspected) in more culturally or religiously conservative environments even in the present day.

* Cindy on ''Series/GoodGirlsRevolt'' is a Seemingly Wholesome Sixties (Later Seventies) Girl who dresses cutely, is married, shy, and sweet. She’s also [[spoiler:an alcoholic and cheating on her husband]], all the while being one of the main actors in the women’s plan to file their complaint.

A variant of NaughtyByNight, and SubTrope of LivingADoubleLife. See HotLibrarian for her more adult (and less intentionally sexy) counterpart. Contrast with the sexy-on-the-outside, innocent-on-the-inside HookerWithAHeartOfGold.

She could be seen as a subversion of the ultra wholesomeness stereotypically associated with the Fifties, but it's more likely just an example of TruthInTelevision (more or less). There were large differences in premarital sex rates after the pill was introduced in 1961, and again from the sexual revolution. Despite this, by the 1970s, the '50s were often just treated as the present in regard to sexual behavior, except with far more hypocrisy. Perhaps it's just the fact that the whole franchise of Fifties nostalgia films about the sex lives of teens couldn't possibly exist without her. She is a perfect combination of the nostalgic '50s charm and 1970s priorities. It is no coincidence when this trope became popular. And, of course, this type of ersatz "good girl" can still be found (or suspected) in more culturally or religiously conservative environments even in the present day.

[[quoteright:350:[[Film/{{Angel}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/angel_movie.png]]]]

%%* ''[[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086896/ Angel]]'': "High School Honor Student by Day. Hollywood Hooker by Night." One wonders how she kept her grades up if you know what we mean. (ZCE please add details)

* Morello in ''Series/OrangeIsTheNewBlack'', whose "entire world view is based on ''Theatre/WestSideStory''," making her a bit of a 1950s girl in the 21st century. She seems very sweet and very devoted to her fiance, but it turns out she's actually kind of racist. ''And'' [[spoiler:she's having a [[SituationalSexuality lesbian affair]]. However, her naivete might be genuine, as it turns out her fiance doesn't visit and she's the only one who still thinks he's waiting for her. In season 2 it's revealed that her "fiance" was actually a guy she was stalking, and she was arrested for putting a car bomb under his ''actual'' fiancee's car.]]

* In the Horacio Altuna story ''Cat'', the protagonist Jessica Hampton-Brooks is a seemingly wholesome girl from an upper society family, but is, in fact, a stellar example of TheVamp and TheSociopath.

* Then there was the aforementioned Mary Hill in Billy Joe Royal's "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5xkaQenW6s Cherry Hill Park]]"[[note]]"Cherry Hill Park" being in Cherry Hill, [[{{Joisey}} New Jersey]], the quintessential Jersey suburb (of UsefulNotes/{{Philadelphia}}, in this case). It's in the area marked "Happy White Families" [[http://i.imgur.com/Pwnf4.jpg here]].[[/note]] Which, because it's a fantastically catchy '60s pop tune that deals with something potentially salacious, could also be a case of "GettingCrapPastTheRadar" if one isn't paying too much attention to the lyrics.

* The plot of ''Film/{{Hairspray}}'' starts when one of the seemingly wholesome girls on the in-universe ''The Corny Collins Show'' leaves for an unstated reason...for nine months.

A variant of NaughtyByNight. See HotLibrarian for her more adult (and less intentionally sexy) counterpart. Contrast with the sexy-on-the-outside, innocent-on-the-inside HookerWithAHeartOfGold.

A SubTrope of LivingADoubleLife.

* ''[[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086896/ Angel]]'': "High School Honor Student by Day. Hollywood Hooker by Night." One wonders how she kept her grades up if you know what I mean.

She seems to be the perfect, wholesome teenage girl of TheFifties. By day, she's a sweet, innocent ultra-virgin who dresses in knee-length skirts and [[SweaterGirl tasteful sweaters]], and repeatedly says things like "that's swell!" and "peachy keen!". She might [[{{Meganekko}} wear glasses]], attend [[CatholicSchoolGirlsRule Catholic school]], or even be a PreachersKid. Her parents and teachers talk about what a "good girl" she is, but all the kids at school (except for the "squares", of course) know about her "reputation". By night, she drinks, smokes, and hangs out with (gasp!) boys. She "parks" with them, while the car radio plays {{Nothing But Hits}}, and may even have experienced sexual intercourse. In other words, she's either something of a Hot {{Hypocrite}} or at the very least something rather different from what she appears to be. After all, she doesn't want to be a "square" and the male hero needs a girlfriend that ''appears'' respectable but isn't a prude. Bonus points if her mother or grandmother was a [[TheFlapper flapper]], teaching their daughters and granddaughters the way of sly rebellion and liberation.

She seems to be the perfect, wholesome teenage girl of TheFifties. By day, she's a sweet, innocent ultra-virgin who dresses in knee-length skirts and [[SweaterGirl tasteful sweaters]], and repeatedly says things like "that's swell!" and "peachy keen!". She might [[{{Meganekko}} wear glasses]], attend [[CatholicSchoolGirlsRule Catholic school]], or even be a PreachersKid. Her parents and teachers talk about what a "good girl" she is, but all the kids at school (except for the "squares", of course) know about her "reputation". By night, she drinks, smokes and hangs out with (gasp!) boys. She "parks" with them, while the car radio plays {{Nothing But Hits}}, and may even have experienced sexual intercourse. In other words, she's either something of a Hot {{Hypocrite}} or at the very least something rather different from what she appears to be. After all, she doesn't want to be a "square" and the male hero needs a girlfriend that ''appears'' respectable but isn't a prude. Bonus points if her mother or grandmother was a [[TheFlapper flapper]], teaching their daughters and granddaughters the way of sly rebellion and liberation.

She could be seen as a subversion of the ultra wholesomeness stereotypically associated with the Fifties, but it's more likely just an example of TruthInTelevision (more or less). There were large differences in premarital sex rates after the pill was introduced in 1961, and again from the sexual revolution. Despite this, by the 1970s the '50s were often just treated as the present in regard to sexual behavior, except with far more hypocrisy. Perhaps it's just the fact that the whole franchise of Fifties nostalgia films about the sex lives of teens couldn't possibly exist without her. She is a perfect combination of the nostalgic 50s charm and 1970s priorities. It is no coincidence when this trope became popular. And, of course, this type of ersatz "good girl" can still be found (or suspected) in more culturally or religiously conservative environments even in the present day.

[[folder:Live Action TV]]

* Cindy on ''Series/GoodGirlsRevolt'' is a Seemingly Wholesome Sixties (Later Seventies) Girl who dresses cutely, is married, shy and sweet. She’s also [[spoiler:an alcoholic and cheating on her husband]], all the while being one of the main actors in the women’s plan to file their complaint.

* Gender inverted with Cry Baby's brother from the self-titled Music/MelanieMartinez ConceptAlbum. He looks like an average, studious young man but is a drug user with implied negative (or at least depressive) character traits. The entire family keeps up a [[StepfordSmiler facade]] [[HappyMarriageCharade of happiness]] but Cry Baby herself is a BrokenBird. She [[SanitySlippage cracks]] over the album.

[[quoteright:348:[[Film/{{Angel}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/1298172841_1298172823.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:348:And on weekends, [[TripleShifter she sleeps]].]]

* ProfessionalWrestling actually brought us one of these in the form of Cherry, a manager for Deuce & Domino, a tag team of [[{{Delinquents}} greasers]]. Unfortunately for Kara Slice, the girl behind the gimmick, it was her only shot at the big time. According to some sources, she was reportedly released for being [[HollywoodPudgy "too fat"]] to be a Diva.

->''"Now in the daytime Mary Hill was a teaser\\

She seems to be the perfect, wholesome teenage girl of TheFifties. By day, she's a sweet, innocent ultra-virgin who dresses in knee-length skirts and [[SweaterGirl tasteful sweaters]], and repeatedly says things like "that's swell!" and "peachy keen!". She might [[{{Meganekko}} wear glasses]], attend [[CatholicSchoolGirlsRule Catholic school]], or even be a PreachersKid. Her parents and teachers talk about what a "good girl" she is, but all the kids at school (except for the "squares", of course) know about her "reputation". By night, she drinks, smokes and hangs out with (gasp!) boys. She "parks" with them, while the car radio plays {{Nothing But Hits}}, and may even have experienced sexual intercourse. In other words, she's either something of a Hot {{Hypocrite}} or at the very least something rather different from what she appears to be. After all, she doesn't want to be a "square" and the male hero needs a girlfriend that ''appears'' respectable, but isn't a prude. Bonus points if her mother or grandmother was a [[TheFlapper flapper]], teaching their daughters and granddaughters the way of sly rebellion and liberation.

* In the Horacio Altuna story ''Cat'', the protagonist Jessica Hampton-Brooks is a seemingly wholesome girl from an upper society family, but is in fact a stellar example of TheVamp and TheSociopath.

* Marty's mother Lorraine in ''Film/BackToTheFuture'' wants to be this, to Marty's understandable alarm. Not only is she Marty's ''mother'', she [[ParentalHypocrisy hypocritically]] berates her children for acting this way in the future (at least until Marty improves history).
* ''[[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086896/ Angel]]'': "High School Honor Student by Day. Hollywood Hooker by Night." One wonders how she kept her grades up, if you know what I mean.

* PlayedForLaughs in ''Film/NotAnotherTeenMovie'', where one bit character who fits the bill also suffers from HollywoodTourettes.

* ''Series/TwinPeaks'',with its very retro-'50s aesthetic, naturally played with this one. Given that essentially every character on the show had a secret of some kind, every female character was at least a borderline example of this trope, but a few really stand out.

She's got the grown up blues\\

* The ''Series/{{Riverdale}}'' take on the ComicBook/ArchieComics character Betty Cooper fits this trope, the show being set in a modern-day '50s RetroUniverse. While Betty's demeanor, style of clothing, and iconic ponytail definitely seem wholesome as can be, she self-admittedly has a "dark side", which may or may not have something to do with whatever mental condition she has that makes her dependent on Adderall. When she leashes out as "Dark Betty", she expresses a lot of anger and a certain degree of sexual repression.

* The ''Series/Riverdale'' take on the charterer of Betty Cooper fits this trope. While Betty's demeanor, style of clothing and iconic ponytail definitely seem wholesome as can be, she self admittedly has a "dark side", that may or may not have something to do with whatever mental condition she has that makes her dependent on Adderall. When she leashes out as "Dark Betty", she expresses a lot of anger and a certain degree of sexual repression.

* The girls in the GarfunkelAndOates song "The Loophole" are a modern example.

** Laura Palmer, the murdered homecoming queen, is gradually revealed to be one of these - a cokehead with several secret boyfriends, many of them much older than her. It's hard to be too judgmental, given [[spoiler: that she was the victim of repeated sexual abuse by her [[DemonicPossession demonically-possessed]] father.]]

** Donna Hayward, by contrast, is initially set up as the [[BettyAndVeronica Betty to Audrey's Veronica]], the conscientious good girl and best friend to Laura. As the series progresses, her attempts at being an AmateurSleuth and finding Laura's killer [[spoiler: become increasingly reprehensible, as unlike Audrey, Donna puts other people in danger, and even accidentally [[DrivenToSuicide drives a man to suicide]], and she uncovers no real information.]]

* ''[[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086896/ Angel]]'': "High School Honor Student by Day. Hollywood Hooker by Night." One wonders [[IncrediblyLamePun how she kept her grades up]], [[LampshadedDoubleEntendre if you know what I mean]].

* "A Sweet Old Fashioned Girl" by Teresa Brewer (a top ten hit on both sides of the Atlantic in 1956) tells both sides of the story in first-person.