A Whale or a Mermaid?

I found this is the comments page of a blog the other day, and have since found it elsewhere set in different cities - when it comes to things like this, you never really know how real it is, and there’s never an accurate source… but this is so wonderful I wanted to share it.

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Recently, in a large French city, a poster featuring a young, thin and tanned woman appeared in the window of a gym.

It said: “THIS SUMMER DO YOU WANT TO BE A MERMAID OR A WHALE?”

A middle aged woman, whose physical characteristics did not match those of the woman on the poster, responded publicly to the question posed by the gym.

To Whom It May Concern:

Whales are always surrounded by friends (dolphins, sea lions, curious humans). They have an active sex life, they get pregnant and have adorable baby whales. They have a wonderful time with dolphins, stuffing themselves with shrimp. They play and swim in the seas, seeing wonderful places like Patagonia, the Barren Sea and the coral reefs of Polynesia. Whales are wonderful singers and have even recorded CDs. They are incredible creatures and virtually have no predators other than humans. They are loved, protected and admired by almost everyone in the world.

A beluga whale rescues a drowning woman in Harbin, China. 

Mermaids don’t exist. If they did exist, they would be lining up outside the offices of Argentinean psychoanalysts due to identity crisis. Fish or human? They don’t have a sex life because they kill men who get close to them, not to mention how could they have sex? Therefore they don’t have kids either. Not to mention who wants to get close to a girl who smells like a fish store?

Mermaids taking the booty after wrecking a ship

The choice is perfectly clear to me; I want to be a WHALE!

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We are in an age when media puts into our heads the idea that only skinny, and young, people are beautiful. It's hard to ignore but I for one am trying.  I prefer reading vintage magazines - yes the models were still thin, but they were often older, and many ads and stories used illustrations instead of real (photo-shopped and airbrushed) models.   I also prefer to enjoy an ice cream with my kids, a glass of red with my husband and coffee with the girls. What about you?

If you want to help real live whales stay that way, take a look at the Greenpeace website. Or if you are stuck for a Christmas gift, why not Adopt a Blue Whale at WWF.

Deb xx

Vintage Beauty - Moira Shearer

Stunning red haired dancer and actress Moira shearer was born Moira Shearer King in Dunfermline, Scotland on 17 January 1926, the daughter of Harold Charles King. When she was five her family to Northern Rhodesia in 1931, where her father worked as a civil engineer.  It was here that she received her first dancing training.

Dieting, Vintage Style, Diet Rules & Impossible Ideals

I love reading about diets in vintage magazines. Although there were some crazy diets out there, generally they were common sense. In the days before diet soft-drinks, diet yogurts and low-fat milk, you were encouraged to eat real, wholesome food - such as real milk, butter and meat, as well as lots of vegies, and simply cut out bread, cakes and pastries.

Here is a one-day sample menu plan from 1953 -

Not a single low-fat item anywhere.  Strange the way you can't ad milk to your tea though!

In the 50s, 60s and 70s crispbreads were a popular alternative to bread for those wanting to lose weight.

1961

1953 ad for crispbread.

I still love vita-weats, especially the way the butter squishes through the holes! Notice the butter in the ad above - no low fat margarine then!

Ten years later, in 1963, women were still being recommended to drink milk to lose weight.

Also by 1963, many thought that the dieting craze was too extreme, and even the Australian Women's Weekly (30 October 1963) warned that dieting could be harmful - just as harmful as being obese.  "Semi-starvation can lead to exhaustion, weakness, and harm the sex glands, leading to trouble conceiving, as well as tuberculosis, pneumonia and influenza." 

The fashion industry, and designers in particular were given much of the blame......

  

Most men, the article continued, like their women curvy, like Marilyn Monroe , Elizabeth Taylor, Sophia Loren, Gina Lollobrigida  and Lana Turner.  You go girls!

Sophia Loren, 1960s

  The Diet Rules...

 

 

For an article written 50 years ago, it is remarkably modern and sensible, don't you think?
Deb

Trim for Summer 60s Style, and a Hair do

The bikini season is almost here in Australia - and as usual my thoughts turn to shaping up.  Here in north Queensland it is already almost too hot to exercise - but these simple exercises can be done inside in front of the air-conditioner! Some of these are similar to those on the Windsor Pilates DVD I have - but this routine is much faster. Ten minutes and your done - my sort of exercise! Don't you love the 60s illustrations?!

from the October 26 1960 issue of the Australian Women's Weekly.

Now to get me a black leotard and a cool headband....and look what I found on you tube -  a simple video tutorial for a 60s hairstyle with headband.

I'm off to buy more hairspray.....

Sprays for fashion's newest hairdos, 1960

♥ Deb

Eye-Catching Vintage Style Lips & Tips

It's been a busy weekend here, with lots of walks on the beach, my middle daughter Aimee in a drama performance, and actually catching up with friends for dinner (see my instagram!).

So an easy post today - inspired be me wearing my Besame Red Lipstick again instead of the normal 8 hour Revlon. The red colour is just so much better! I still have to remember not to kiss the kids on the forehead.....and remember to blot!

1952

And here's an article from 1940....

So just watch that your 'cupid's bow' is even, if you "don't want an evil expression"!

Deb

Vintage Beauty - Happy Birthday Linda Darnell

Linda Darnell, 1940s

Linda Darnell was only forty one when she died of burns received in a house fire, and by then her Hollywood flame was dwindling.  The gorgeous star reportedly never really wanted to be an actress and was pushed into to it by her mother, although her siblings disagree! It seems Linda was incapable of dealing with the stresses of Hollywood and ended up in a downward spiral of alcoholism, unsuccessful marriages and highly publicized scandalous affairs.  Despite around fifty movies, and being named one of the most 'beautiful people' of the 1940s, she failed to receive recognition from the industry and its critics, and disappeared from the screen in the 1950s. Her choice or not?

Riding Hood Red and Max Factor

The other day I did a post featuring, by all reports, the best selling lipstick of 1953 - 'Riding Hood Red'.  The Weekly did a cover with it (here), and a giveaway for sample, and now I've found linked advertising for it in the next issue of the magazine (7 October 1953).

Firstly a repeat of the cover photo, for a Max Factor Ad (double page spread).

1930s Makeup inspiration

Today some makeup inspiration from the 1930s with colour portraits and illustrations.

Cathleen Sabine Follett (née Mann), 1932

1930s rouge ad

Jean Harlow & 1930s Hair Inspiration

Although I love natural products, there is one thing I have recently decided to do that involves some serious chemicals– go blonde! I was blonde as a child, and well into my 20s, then got mousier and a bit grey.  The last few years I have been using a herbal dye to do brunette.  But the time as come to relive my youth and be blonde again. I may have been slightly inspired by Jean Harlow in the 1930 film "Hell’s Angels".

A young, healthy Jean Harlow

Jean’s almost white platinum blonde hair and caused quite a stir in 1930 – nice girls did not colour their hair! Although Jean claimed her hair colour was natural, it was rumoured that she used peroxide, ammonia, bleach and soap flakes to get that ‘bombshell’ look. Peroxide sometimes caused burning to the scalp, which could result in hair loss.  Alfred Pagano, hairdresser to the stars, once said abut Jean Harlow, "I used to bleach her hair and make it 'platinum blonde, we used peroxide, ammonia, Clorox, and Lux flakes! Can you believe that?" And this process was done weekly. Could this be the reason Jean Harlow died so young, at age 26. Probably not in itself, she reportedly contracted polio, meningitis, and scarlet fever before the age of 16 then had pneumonia, two abortions, an appendectomy, multiple bouts of influenza, and a bad reaction to wisdom teeth extraction. She had  eloped when she was 16 with Charles 'Chuck' McGrew who was 20. Two months after their marriage McGrew turned 21 and received a part of his large inheritance. Jean and Charles moved to Los Angeles in 1928, settled in a house in Beverly Hills, where Jean led the life of a wealthy socialite. Neither worked  and both were thought to drink heavily.

Jean Harlow in 1930

In 1929 the couple divorced and, Harlow made a few movies in which she appeared as an extra, until her break with Hell's Angels in 1930 at age 18.  In 1932 she married MGM executive Paul Bern , but while Jean was busy shooting 'Red Dust', Bern was found shot dead at their home.  Rumours were that it was Jean who murdered him, though Bern's death was officially ruled as suicide. 

Paul Bern and Jean Harlow on their wedding day, July 2, 1932

Her hair did begin to fall out before her death though, and she wore a wig during the filming of China Seas. After this she changed her hair colour.  Jean complained about ill health in May, 1937 while filming Saratoga. Her symptoms were fatigue, nausea  water weight and abdominal pain, but were not taken serious by her doctor who believed she was suffering from a gall bladder infection and the flu. One month later, she was dead, her body double it’s size because of fluid retention. Officially,Jean died of kidney failure, or "nephritis," caused by a build-up of toxins over time because the body can't process waste. Weekly hair bleaching would not have helped.

Jean Harlow, studoi portrait

Actor William Powell had a close relationship with Jean beginning in 1935. They were apparently engaged for two years but were forbidden by Louis Mayer, head of MGM, to marry, as  Jean was now MGM's hottest property, paired with the top leading men of the time including Spencer Tracy and Cary Grant. 

Powell and Harlow in 'Reckless'

It is reported that a single white gardenia with an unsigned note was placed in her hands before she was interred, presumed to have been written by Powell. The note read, "Good night, my dearest darling". He also paid for her final resting place—a $25,000, 9×10-foot private room lined with multi-coloured imported marble located in the "Sanctuary of Benediction" of the Great Mausoleum, Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale. You can read more about Jean Harlow here.

Lilian Harvey, 1933

Safe commercial hair dyes had been around since 1907, when French chemist Eugene Schueller developed synthetic chemical formulation he called Aureole, later renamed L’Oreal, however most blonde tinting was done with the aid of peroxide. In 1903, the New York Times carried the comment 'I hate girls who make up, and most of these blondes are peroxides.'  In 1909 Mr H Rowland apparently stated: 'Men say they hate anything loud about a woman; it must be disgust that makes them  always turn around to stare after a peroxide blonde.'

Thelma Todd, 1933

The blunt cuts of the 1920s gave way to softer more feminine shapes in the 30s, as women started to add waves to their hair. Finger waves were styled with fingers and waving lotions, without the aid of irons or shaping tools, and was affordable for every woman.  Pin curls were made by wrapping hair around the finger and pinning the coil close to the head with a bobby pin. The curls were held securely until the hair dried, then the pin was taken out and the curl would stay in place. Women who could not afford to visit the salon would also bleach their hair at home.

Wynne Gibson, 1932

By 1932, hair was most often parted in the middle, and the longer waves were sometimes pulled back and secured at the neckline. The same year New York chemist Lawrence Gelb developed a hair colour product that penetrated the hair shaft – his product? Clairol.

Francine Larrimore, 1936

The 1930s are back in fashion, as collections from Ralph Lauren and others showed last year, and blonde hair with finger waves and pin curls are back. Click here for a tutorial on finger waves.

Not wanting to risk unnecessary toxic exposure or scalp burning, I went to the salon for my blonde transformation and got foils. Not quite movie star locks, or looks, but I'm happy. I may even spend more than five seconds styling it when the weather is cooler!

Deb xx

Tooth Care 1932

Just one more post with a teeth theme, promise!  I found these three images in my 1932 Ladies Home Journal and had to share. I am loving everything 1930s at present - it seems much more 'me' than 1913.

I know we have electric toothbrushes available today, but these do not look much diffident to chain store toothbrushes I've bought recently as spares for visitors.

Do feel free to copy and share the images, but please credit me if you do as these are original images.

Cheers, Deb xx

Whiter Teeth, Fresher Mouth & Advertising

Another day another visit to the dentist – today the beginning of a crown and an hour in the chair - what fun. And I am back tomorrow.

I now have to use toothpaste for sensitive teeth – apparently it makes a coasting on the teeth to protect them a bit, as well as containing an ingredient which can get into the teeth as a substitute for calcium. As someone who loves natural, (nasty) chemical free products, this is a bit hard for me.

Did you know modern toothpaste contains these ingredients:.

• sodium monofluorophosphate (not to be confused with MSG)
• colour
• flavouring – usually peppermint, spearmint, and wintergreen.
• fluoride
• foaming agents – sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) that terrible stuff
• detergents
• Triclosan, an antibacterial agent
• humectants (prevent the paste from hardening)
• Strontium chloride or potassium nitrate for sensitivity

That's why there are warnings on the tube not to eat the stuff.

Colgate ad, 1959 in Ebony Magazine

Colgate ad, 1949    

                                      Some herbal toothpastes contain:

• peppermint oil
• myrrh
• plant extract (strawberry extract)
• special oils and cleansing agents

These ingredients in herbal, or natural, toothpastes, were also used in the 19th century, although instead of pastes, powders were the norm. Most were homemade, with chalk, pulverized brick, or salt as ingredients.  Strawberry was considered to be a "natural" solution for preventing tartar and giving fresh breath.  Charcoal was also very popular for teeth cleaning, as recommended in the 1866 Home Encyclopaedia.  Clove oil was another ingredient – chewing on cloves is said to eliminate tooth ache.

Calvert Toothpaste, UK (1890)

The first 'toothpaste', Dr. Sheffield's Creme Dentifrice in a collapsible lead tube, was manufactured in London from 1892, the idea springing from painters using paint from tubes. Copying Sheffield, Colgate & Company Dental Cream was packaged in collapsible tubes from 1896.  Fluoride, basically a by product of aluminium smelting and still a debatable inclusion, was first added to toothpastes in the 1890s.

Dr Sheffield,s ad, 1905

Arm & Hammer marketed a baking soda-based toothpowder in the United States until about 2000, and Colgate currently markets toothpowder in India and other countries. I still use bi-carb for teeth cleaning now and again – which is also in some modern toothpastes.  One hundred years ago I may have used this tooth powder which your poured from a tin, rather than in a glass jar.

Jewsbury & Brown's Oriental Tooth Powder ad, 1913

Striped toothpaste was invented in New York by Leonard Lawrence Marraffino in 1955, and the patent was later sold to Unilever (originally Lever Brothers, the makers of Sunlight soap). They marketed it with the imaginative name of ‘Stripe’.

Stripe, 1955

There are now nearly fifty manufactures of toothpaste worldwide, with many different products. Some brands have en around for a long time - like Colgate (1890s), Sozodont (1859, first a powder), Stomatol (Swedish from about 1900), Ipana (US, 1901), Lion (Japan, 1918) and Pepsodent (USA, 1920s).

Ipana ad, 1934

Do you have a favourite toothpaste?

More images on tumblr.

Deb xx

Going to the Dentist

My oven cleaning plans were interrupted today, as I managed to get an appointment at the dentist.

At the dentist 1936

I had put it off, then I was ill, but now I am determined to get all my health issues sorted. I think I am still put off by visits to the dentist as a young girl in the early 70s - my dentist was about 100 and still had his original office set up from about the 1920s. There were big old leather chairs and a really big noisy drill -still have night mares about getting fillings!

Dr Withers, Utah, 1930s

 My dentist now is a lovely Indian lady, who is gentle and unassuming and quite painless.  She reassured me that the one filling I thought I needed I didn't, as my teeth are just getting sensitive because of a slightly receding gum line.  The major issue, the collapse of a tooth over an old root canal , is fixable, and will cost less than $2,000, so I am pretty happy.  I have to go back for two more visits over the next few days, and then in a fortnight for the crown to be fitted when it's back from the lab.

Lavoris Ad, USA (1920)

Now I just have to do as my dentist tells me - FLOSS and only use toothpaste for sensitive teeth.  She's so nice I promised I would.  I really don't want to end up with some of these:

George Washington's false teeth of hippo ivory

Have been to the dentist lately?


Deb xxx

Beautiful Hands Vintage Style

I was looking at my May 1942 Good Housekeeping Magazine this morning and found some more ads for hand care soaps and creams.  Even in the 1940s women used their hands for washing clothes and dishes a lot more than we do today.  Taking care of your hands was a big thing – as was looking pretty for your man.  These ads are all from the one issue.

The magazine also has lots of ads for deodorant and make up, and some lovely articles, which I’ll post another time. And there are lots more images on tumblr.

Stay beautiful!

Deb xx