"Smartness" From 1923

Many things still hold true today that were true long ago.  I’ve noticed this in several contexts, such as the bible,(and, just for Dan) that’s a VERY old book, the way that men are constantly trying to figure out new ways to rule the world (or gain power,) and women are consistently concerned with… well, too many things to keep track of.  Many of us women read magazines, whether they be on “100 one minute quick makeup tricks!” or “5 minute healthy recipes for a flat tummy” or even “What does your guy really want?” Though, I think if you are actually looking for answers in a magazine rather than just asking him, we have bigger issues to deal with. 

Women’s magazines for the most part have stayed fairly the same over time, except for being polluted with articles about sex, sex, and more sex since the sexual revolution that began in the 1960s.  They could make entire magazines about that alone and keep it out of my entertainment reading. But over all, women’s magazines concern themselves with the nature of a woman: how to be captivating, and of course all of the advertisements that will tell you what you need to buy in order to be just that.  This ranges from makeup, clothing, shoes, and cooking to inspirational articles such as “What’s more important than that last 5 pounds” and “How I survived ______.”      And of course, fashion at the core of most.

Let’s take a look at just one magazine. Vogue is a long time running fashion and lifestyle magazine that was founded in 1892 as a weekly publication.  Much has changed since; as of now it runs as a monthly publication and has changed hands of editors many times, as well as surviving WWII and the great depression.  I went to the library, (yeah, can you believe it?  Isn’t the internet supposed to have it all? Hint: it doesn’t) and cracked open a dusty binding containing a September edition of a 1923 Vogue. I was excited.  But, to be honest, what I found didn’t keep me on the edge of my seat, though it was interesting. 

The magazine contained no bright images jumping out to grab my attention (yes, I know, 1920s) and contained much more text than a magazine today.  Even many of the advertisements contained large amounts of text.  One for Elizabeth Arden had seven persuasive paragraphs under a caption of “How Old Are You?” and preceded to explain that your capillaries will dry up causing the skin to get “sallow and lifeless,” and look aged if you do not use their “Muscle-strapping treatments” that “work their miracles of rejuvenation.”  The language in most of the articles was beautifully written though, and reminded me of past shows I have acted in of the time period.  An advertisement for women’s perfume (on the right) reads, “Like A Corsage of Costly Orchids, Fleurs d’ Amour (Flowers of Love) is a symbol of distinction –The most luxurious perfume in the world.” What an elegantly phrased sales pitch!  Following the well-spoken advertisements, I read a quite wonderful article: “Smartness Versus Prettiness: The Way Of Wearing One’s Clothes Being More Important Than the Clothes One Wears, and One’s General Air and Manner Being the Most Important of All.”  That’s quite a lengthy title, but it definitely gets across what I’m going to be reading about. The article starts off with a simple example that sets up the rest of it up with a clear message (as if the title was overlooked):

"A WOMAN may be as ugly as she pleases (though, to do them justice, few women are) and yet be smart.  This attribute has almost nothing to do with beauty.  We saw a cat the other day which, when examined in detail, had little to recommend it.  A cat of very ordinary cat colour, which limped.  Its tail had been reduced to a stump either by act of God or the King’s enemies; moreover, it was going to have kittens, which did not improve its figure.  Yet that cat had an air of distinction; it was a very Dutchess among cats.  It moved along sedately; aloof, scorning the outside world, holding itself superior to everything it met, human or otherwise; and it compelled admiration.  It was as smart a cat as we ever saw.”

There we have it.  Confidence is the key to beauty.  Even now, magazines will preach this message.  Can I wear bright blue eyeliner?  Sure! IF I have the attitude to go with it.  How refreshing to look back 92 years ago and see that women back then were all about the attitude more so than the clothing, though the affects of “retail therapy” in my mind are still wonderful when funds allow such activities.  The important point the article makes is that “One may have the latest fashioned clothes and be ill-dressed, and one may have clothes of no special fashion and be extremely well-dressed… to carry oneself with a certain confidence is an asset and makes for respectful commendation from on-lookers.”

Though now women’s magazines are as much about the pictures as they are about the text, at least one thing holds true. Fashion is about the style, but is even more about the way you wear it, and that has been preached since the beginning of the magazine era.