Some pointers from the flapper era –

Excerpts from The Etiquette of Beauty by Dorothy Cocks 1927

Figure

Fashion silhouette, in the history of sartorial arts, changes even more frequently and more radically than fashion in faces. It is is as if the mold, from which all women are turned out, were recast with every age.When swelling bosoms are the fashion, all women seems to have swelling bosoms. A decade later as it is now decreed in the 1920s when bosoms have been decreed demode, presto! bosoms are no more. When waistlines are wasp-like, as they were not so long ago, wasp-like waists were everywhere.

Seasons

The changes of season and weather have always demanded that your wardrobe be varied. A few frocks may wear the year round. But not many. Summer dresses, besides being cool, are gaudy, airy, light in feeling. They are figured silks, that look out of place in the winter. They are high colors that are necessary against the backdrop of green lawns, blue oceans, yellow beaches. But in winter, except in the tropics, those colors are garish and all the colors of your clothing drop to more neutral tones.

Make-up is not always for the face

For evening and formal occasions – a little rouge on your finger tips will seem to shorten long fingers. Pink palms are attractive, if you do not make them too pink. Rouge along the sides of the fingers and down the outside of the hands tends to reduce fat hands. And finally powder. Liquid powder id more tenacious than the fluff kind. You can use lighter powder on the hands and arms as well as the face. Wipe off loose powder of course before you leave the dressing table.

Skin beauty

Facial exercise vitalizes tissue. Apply your face cream generously to both face and neck before beginning these exercises.
1. Let the head drop back sideways until resting on the back. Tense the muscles from the chin to the bust.

2. Slowly drop the head backwards, then raise slowly and bend forward till the chin presses against the throat. Tense the neck muscles throughout this exercise. Do this for 20 counts.

Arms and Face Toning

Left:Stand erect, arms held out horizontally at shoulder parallel in front, palms facing. Inhale slowly, counting 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8 as you move the arms backwards forcing your shoulder blades outward and back till you force your shoulder blades as near together as they will go without discomfort. Exhale slowly counting to 8 as you move your arms back tot he starting position.
Right: The weeping willow exercise. Standing erect, let the body bend forward from the waist and hang in a relaxed position, with arms and head flopping inert. Inhale slowly as you lift and straighten first the waist, then shoulders, then neck, raising the arms and straightening the elbows and wrists till you are stretching body and arms to their fullest height. Exhale slowly, while relaxing first the fingers, then wrists, elbows, shoulders, neck and waist. Repeat 5 times.

Leg and Tummy Toning

Left:Stand erect, head up, chin in, chest up, abdomen in, feet parallel, hands on hips. Bend the trunk forward as far as comfortable, bending from the waist. Feel the pull in the back of the legs. Feel the squeeze in the abdomen. On count 2, raise the trunk to the original position. Now bend the trunk sideways right, bending from the waist but keeping the head and trunk in a line and in the same plane as the legs. On count 2, raise the trunk to the first position. Now repeat but bending sideways left !
Right: Stand erect, with hands on hips. On count 1, raise the right leg, bending the knee. Your thigh should be horizontal, the toe pointing down to stretch the foot. On count 2, lower the leg again. Repeat this 8 times, then do the same with your left leg.

Download to your device an original 1920s Beauty Guide