"Many a woman is attractive until she talks. Then a shrill voice or a nasal twang or a deadly drawl may completely spoil the picture." This comes from a great book I just finished reading titled, "Better Than Beauty, A Guide to Charm." Now, let me explain why this book is so great.
It is an entertaining read because it was originally published in 1938 (and republished a few years ago). Though I found this book to be completely humorous, it is supposed to be a serious book, teaching all women in 1938 how to be charming. While most of the information is timeless and still applies today, I found myself laughing out loud a number of times!
Ms. Valentine and Ms. Thompson, the authors of the book, asked some important men about town back in the day what they felt the worst offensive against grooming that women committed and the number one was the runaway bra shoulder strap! That makes me a good grooming violater. For some reason, no matter what size bra I buy, or how tight I make those damn straps, my shoulders were not meant to hold up straps. I can't tell you the number of times I've been caught digging through my shirt like I was digging for buried treasure, trying to recapture a slipped bra strap. I truly apologize to all men out there who have been a witness to this. However, in our defense, you have to admit that the manner in which we can maneuver that strap back onto the shoulder is nothing short of an acrobatic miracle!
The second faux paux that men considered a grooming offense while this book was being written is the peeping slip. I think I own a slip or two but I rarely wear them, and I think they are extremely short, and at 40, I'm not wearing miniskirts so much anymore, so I don't really worry about this one. I have seen women walking ahead of me with hanging slips, and I'll admit, I don't think much about it. Maybe men are more annoyed at this than women. According to Ms. Valentine and Ms. Thompson, "You can't look charming with dangling underware, so watch your slip!"
And, the number three grooming offense (again, according to men in 1938) is the overstuffed purse. Who do they think they are? First, I'll bet there are very few ladies out there who aren't guilty of this little sin. It just happens. Purses are our catch-all if you will. But, how many times has a man asked you to carry something in your purse for him? I know it happens to me! Maybe our purses wouldn't be overstuffed if we didn't have to carry their junk around. Currently though, I am only carrying a very small purse with just the necessities, like my wallet and check book and my cell phone, and one of my cat's collars (I don't know why, don't ask). The authors give us a quote from one of the men they interviewed about overstuffed purses: "No matter how neat a woman looks, a sloppy, over-filled handbag is a dead giveaway. I know her bureau drawers are a mess. And I suspect her mind is, too." I'm not sure if this man was married at the time, but if he was, I am quite certain that he slept out on the fire escape that night, snuggling with a cold blanket a pigeon.
I would love to see some comments from men on what you find to be a woman's worst grooming habit, or from women on other womens' worst grooming habit! Tell me!
--Fortuitous Observer
