Personal Appearance According To The 1950's

Your appearance says a lot about you, without saying a word.

In this world, image is everything. If you dress in dark clothes and never smile, you can be viewed as unapproachable, while people who dress in lighter clothing, and have a pleasant aura about them are more likely to be seen as good natured people. While this assumption is often misleading(you could just be having a bad day), it’s how our brains work.

It’s hardwired to make judgments, whether ‘momma taught you better’ or not. Judgement protects us, like if we judge that it’s too dangerous to go down a dark alleyway, we don’t use that path. You use judgement to avoid danger, and people can be a scary thing. Take a job interview as an example.

When dressing for a job interview, you dress your best, right? It’s because you want to be seen as someone who’s an ally, not a threat. Someone who can perform complex tasks when needed and be reliable. It’s their first impression of you, and the way you present yourself, that aces the interview. When meeting new people, or reacquainting yourself with old friends, it’s like the interview analogy. You want to put your best foot forward.

Now, we get to the nitty-gritty of appearance, according to Amy Vanderbilt and other style and appearance gurus.

Hygiene:

If you go to the opera with greasy hair, yellow teeth, and an odor, that will be noticed more than your stunning outfit. You could be wearing a floor length ball gown, and diamonds from the tiara on your head, down to the shoes on your feet, but the first thing people will comment on is how unkempt you are.

~Your Smile

The best way to show you’re happy and confident is with a beautiful smile. So brush and floss those pearls of yours, and go to the dentist often, so you can show you’re happy and you know it.

~Unwanted Hair

If you’re one of those ladies that feels powerful when flaunting your tiny trees, more power to you! I’m happy you have that insane courage. If you’re like me, and prefer to be smooth and hair free, consider the following: shaving legs and bikini area weekly, underarms three to four times a week. Laser hair removal or waxing on a schedule, if you’re daring. Don’t forget to moisturize!

~Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes!

I hope this doesn’t have to be said, but I’ll say it anyway: please shower. Once a day, or every other day is ideal to stay nice and squeaky clean. Use a nickel to a quarter size of shampoo, and a quarter size of conditioner for hair, and a silver dollar size for body wash.

~Mani-Pedi Time!

When you shake somebody’s hand, what would you hope not to see or feel? For me, I’d want to see and feel cleanliness. If someone goes to shake your hand, and you see who-knows-what under their fingernails, and grime nestled into the grooves, you’d wish you could dodge their incoming hand. Hence why it’s so important to keep hands in good condition.

My first tip is to wash your hands and keep lotion/sanitizer “handy” (Ha! Get it?). My next tip is to keep nails well manicured, whether you do it at home or a salon. Keep fingernails at a workable length, not so long as they get in the way, but not so short you cut yourself with your clippers.

Nail polish is your friend! Use a subtle polish or manicure, like pinks and maroons, or french tips. Gloves are essential in looking classy while out and about, while also keeping clean during this pandemic. As for feet, follow all hand rules, but include weekly or bi-weekly exfoliating with a pumice stone and a foot scrub, as well as using talcum powder in shoes.

~Makeup

Keep makeup simple and classy. Don’t pile it on or use all bold colors; go for a bold lip or eye, but not both. Use foundation sparingly, and in your shade. Blush should be applied on the cheekbones lightly and in a color that matches your natural lip shade. Brows should match your hair color and be drawn in one line at a time, in the same way the hair grows. For older women, use brown eyeliner and mascara to make you appear younger, while younger women can use blacks in their eye makeup. Lipstick can be a natural pink, coral, or red, for young women. For older women, stick to more natural looks to bring out your youthful glow.

Posture:

Have you ever watched a princess movie and watched as the girl tried to balance a book on her head and thought “If I want good posture, I really have to balance a book on my head?” The answer to that is no. The origin of that “trick” is lost to time, but it never worked to start with.

~Standing Straight

The best way to have good posture is to stand straight, shoulders back, chest out, and eyes forward, ready to meet the world head-on. Imagine wearing heavy earrings, and use that as your guide to how your head should be.

~Sitting Straight

If you sit in an office chair on a regular basis, try stretches to improve posture such as a trunk twist and neck rolls. To sit with good posture, sit with your spine straight and not resting against the back of your chair, with your eyes forward. Rest feet flat on the floor, or crossed at the ankles.

Dress:

Now for the pièce de résistance; the icing on the cake if you will: how to dress.

~Do’s and Don'ts

DO own at least two pairs of jeans. For yard work and dirty housework, jeans are perfect. Own at least two pairs, one with tears and patches for hard labor, and one for basic housework.

DO wear quality fabrics that won’t wrinkle, such as silk, cashmere, and satin.

DO check to make sure all buttons, zippers, and hooks are there and work.

DO wear quality jewelry and watches. Try and buy things that match what you already own and that won’t wear out.

DO wear clothes that flatter your body.

DO practice quality over quantity.

DO wear gloves to formal events and when running errands.

DO wear a statement piece.

DON’T be too busy with your accessories.

DON’T wear curlers out of the house. It’s just not classy.

DON’T wear a hat inside, or in circumstances where it would be considered rude, ie. during prayer or The National Anthem.

DON’T wear clothes that are too big or too small.

DON’T leave the house covered in lint and hair. Run a lint roller over clothing before leaving the house.

DON’T leave the house in stained, wrinkled, or torn clothing.

Always remember, what I say is not law. Follow your heart, or gut, whatever you choose, and enjoy the journey.

~Madi