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Victorian arts of beauty and fascination, c. 1858

post #1 of 3
8/25/09 at 9:06am
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In one small book: how to be beautiful and seductive. For the men, how to attract women, which starts on page 101. The authoress expects "to win the gratitude of the whole masculine gender" for sharing an insider's view on how to become a Victorian "chick-magnet." LOL! (I cannot but be repelled by the recommnedations she has herein for the menfolk: she says nothiing of the cultivation of the man's intellect and matters of the mind. A well-dressed man wearing jewellery and scent is one thing; a well-dressed man wearing jewellery and scent AND talking of things scholarly, aesthetic AND cerebral is yet another...)

BTW, Lola Montez was a notorious dancer/courtesan/adventuress who ended up as the Countess of Landsfeld and the mistress of King Ludwig the Mad...

I like Lola's take on beauty "using artificial means."

Read this for a chuckle:

http://books.google.com/books?id=1DQ...age&q=&f=false
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post #2 of 3
8/25/09 at 9:14am
Quote:
MANY women who can lay no claims to a beautiful face have carried captive the hearts of plenty of men by the beauty of their form. Indeed it may be questioned if a perfect form does not possess a power of captivation beyond any charms that the most beautiful face possesses. You will often hear men say of such and such a girl "to be sure she has not a beautiful face but then she has a most exquisite form," and this they speak with such a peculiar earnestness that it is quite evident they mean what they say.

Oh, there are so many crass slang terms for this sentiment! It's the Victorian version of a Butterface girl! Oh, my.

I actually collect old books on ladies comportment and self-improvement. It's hilarious to see the ebbs and flows of popular opinion. Curiously enough, I would consider the books I have from 1915-1945 to be far more "modern" and feminist than the stuff that came out from 1945-1985. (Contrast 1935s "The Woman you Want to Be," which stresses strength of character and reason with 1967's "Always ask a Man" which makes "The Rules" seem like a NOW manifesto......)
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post #3 of 3
8/25/09 at 9:23am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by YouCanCallMeMo View Post

Oh, there are so many crass slang terms for this sentiment! It's the Victorian version of a Butterface girl! Oh, my.

I actually collect old books on ladies comportment and self-improvement. It's hilarious to see the ebbs and flows of popular opinion. Curiously enough, I would consider the books I have from 1915-1945 to be far more "modern" and feminist than the stuff that came out from 1945-1985. (Contrast 1935s "The Woman you Want to Be," which stresses strength of character and reason with 1967's "Always ask a Man" which makes "The Rules" seem like a NOW manifesto......)

LOL! As both an historian and connoisseuse of masculine beauty and charms, I have seen many of these books. They are still out there on Amazon.

My one bit of advice on how to charm: "be yourself, simply yourself." I recall "The Total Woman," which had me on the floor in stitches! If you can't be yourself and charm someone, they are *not* your type.
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Basenotes › Basenotes Forums › General Discussion › Off topic › Victorian arts of beauty and fascination, c. 1858