1940’s U.S. Beauty Culture

“Personally, I view with admiration and interest, rather than disapproval, the urge of modern girls of early teen age, to be both beautiful and attractive, regardless of nature's endowments. Theirs is the age when Mother Nature has a way of making girls looks-conscious, but not until to- day have they had opportunity to do anything about it. How they take advantage of that opportunity depends on the understanding, interest and cooperation of their mothers…” — A teenaged girl, babysitting a younger sibling in 1943, wears flowers in her hair to add to nature’s endowments. I wonder if her mother approved? 🤔🌼

It's taken just about a quarter of a century for woman to prove that nature can be improved upon. Thanks to the evolution of beauty culture, facial make-up, attractive hair styling and figure control have come into their own. Take a look back to the “Gay Nineties,” which were really not gay in the modern manner. Those were the days of sallow females, stringy or crimped tresses and figures that needed attention.

Personally, I view with admiration and interest, rather than disapproval, the urge of modern girls of early teen age, to be both beautiful and attractive, regardless of nature's endowments. Theirs is the age when Mother Nature has a way of making girls looks-conscious, but not until to-day have they had opportunity to do anything about it. How they take advantage of that opportunity depends on the understanding, interest and cooperation of their mothers.

The young, modern mother, who is going out this week with her junior high school daughter of 14, to purchase the right kind of soap, puff and lotion that are both pleasing and perfect, and becoming face powder, rouge and lipstick of good make is a good example how both nature and mothers can be improved on. — From “The Log of Life” column in the San Pedro News Pilot, 1943

🍽Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J. Graber, of The RSVP Institute of Etiquette, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia