Category: Modern Woman Mondays

Modern Woman Monday: About Those Smiles…

The November 1964 cover of ‘Teen is covered in America’s Smile Queen contestants. Can you guess the winner? Nope, me neither. But I am intrigued…

I also want to know more about Why Boys Lose Interest In Girls. We may never know — unless we can get a copy of the vintage magazine to read. Is it due to poor smiles? Or do they mean this is a more significant way, as in the loss of interest in girls combined with the increase of interest in boys?

Modern Woman Mondays: Gelatin Edition

After WWII and continuing through the 1960s, an emphasis on kitschy culinary arts kept little women busy in their places: the kitchen. How else do you explain the Joys Of Jell-O?

Perhaps the best thing about the miracle of gelatin based foods was the fact that, other than boiling water, one didn’t ruin their makeup in the heat. No, I don’t think the best thing was food stuff themselves… So bright, yet so wrong. Vegetables? Waldorf Salad? Shrimp?! Even the photos of the desserts make my teeth hurt. …Although that Jell-O and ice cream gum-drop number might be worth it. For more on the miracle of gelatin foods, check out Retro Mimi (my interview with her here) and my Things Your Grandmother Knew blog.

Modern Woman Mondays: Bored Housewife Edition

Estell and Patsy were ahead of their house cleaning – and ahead of their time, for certainly they ought to have had their own television show.

Photo via Lynnstudios.

Modern Woman Monday: The Airplane Exercise

A purely gratuitous photo of three women doing the airplane exercise pose in. Just too classic to ignore.

(Found in 1962’s Royal Canadian Air Force Exercise Plans for Physical Fitness; more images there.)

Modern Woman Monday: Beauty Is My Business

That must be why “charming cover girl” Pat Curran is hunching to appear shorter than her (insecure & hatted) male companion in this vintage ad for SweetHeart Soap (which also promotes a “SweetHeart Cover-Girl Facial”).

Ad from 1952.