In the late 1960s Seventeen Magazine published The Seventeen Book of Fashion and Beauty, a helpful guide that was meant to help young women make the “right” fashion choices.
Written by the magazine editors, the book took an incredibly harsh and critical point of view toward fashion trends that seem laughable by the standards of today.
Take a trip down memory lane with these helpful tips from the 1960s. Do you think any of these still apply today?
1. Don’t use, show, or say “too much” — “Too much skin, too much leg, too much perfume, too much makeup labels you a girl to be whistled at rather than loved.”
2. When in doubt, keep things tight — “Never underestimate the importance of your girdle.”
3. Be bold, but not too bold — “You may be tempted by boldly colored glasses frames… Think about it overnight.”
4. Dress for dinner, not the circus — “Some girls can use nothing but eyeliner, blusher and lipstick and still end up looking like a lady clown.”
5. It’s called a swimsuit for a reason — “Swimsuits belong at waterside, not in the street. There’s no excuse for placing oneself on display.”
6. Just like real estate, it’s location, location, location — “You would be right to wear Bermuda shorts shopping in Bermuda, and wrong, wrong, wrong to wear them shopping in New York.”
7. Boys don’t like girls with big bags — “Date bags should always be small and dainty; you wouldn’t want the boy you’re with to think there’s something in the depths that bites if disturbed.”
8. Keep your garters in check — “Nothing is more disenchanting than the sight of a girl frantically yanking at her hem in a futile effort to hide her garters from the public while she sits.”
9. Know what your hair needs before it needs it — “When should you shampoo your hair? The day before it looks like it needs it.”
10. Too much pink will affect how they think — “If hot pink on you makes people want to say: ‘Pink, where are you going with that girl?’ use it for a scarf or shirt rather than a whole dress.”
What do you think, do these fashion tips still hold up today?
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