The data for this article consist of alcohol or alcohol-related advertisements appearing in seven Finnish women’s magazines: Kodin Kuvalehti (1967–2006),Kotiliesi (1967–2006), Kauneus & Terveys (1967–2006), Me Naiset (1976–2006), Gloria (1991–2006), Trend (1991–2006) and Cosmopolitan (1999–2006). We are interested, firstly, in what kind of subject positions these advertisements have contributed to construct for women’s drinking from the 1960s to the present day. Secondly, we analyse the shifts and transformations that have happened in these subject positions with a view to inferring how the cultural position of drinking has changed. Our analysis is grounded in semiotic and phenomenological ways of reading visual materials