Saturday, September 16, 2006

Psyche's Ankles Wouldn't Pass Inspection TODAY

"The most mythological thing about Psyche was the fabled charm of her ankle lines. Psyche's beauty may have excited Venus to green-eyed flights of jealousy, but, when one considers her ankle-girth, she'd never cause the modern girl to miss a heart-beat--UNLESS Psyche wore "Onyx Pointex". For, Psyche's ankles were FAT! They would be as much out of place on a country club porch today as a bustle or a leg o' mutton sleeve.

"This is, as remarked before--UNLESS she wore "Onyx Pointex".

"For, "Pointex" is that little wonder-working slenderizer at the back of the heel that accentuates every graceful charm that Nature places in ankles. "Pointex" allows ankles to look their best--stockings to wear their best. You will find this little worker of ankle miracles ONLY in "Onyx"."
The New Yorker, October 9, 1926
Reading these old New Yorker magazines, I'm getting increasingly interested in the "age of scary advertising" ushered in during the '20s. Before that, advertisements made grand claims...but they didn't often try to make you feel insecure. In the '20s, advertising agencies discovered the power of scaring the hell out of you, a power that we're very much in thrall to today.

So ladies...have you thought about your FAT ANKLES lately?

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

i've thought of my fat everything today. sigh.

Adam Thornton said...

Time to get that bustle out of the closet! And that diva dress with the leg o' mutton sleeves...

Anonymous said...

don't laugh - everything old IS new again (hope for Ivanna yet...lol)

But seriously, check this out!

http://www.simplicity.com/index.cfm?cat=4&type=19&sec=45&startrow=1

Adam Thornton said...

Wow! Some of them make me think of ye olde Renaissance Faire, but 4947 and 5457 are cute!

Anonymous said...

but nothing can top Victoria, Muffy and Annie

http://www.simplicity.com/index.cfm?cat=4&type=19&sec=46&startrow=1

Adam Thornton said...

Yes, it was very fun being Blenda the Good Housewitch!