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A 1934 ad for "skinny" women to gain weight
It's hard to imagine a time when it was common for American women to try to put on weight. But thanks to this awesome 1934 ad we know it happened. Yep, body image here isn't all that much different than in Fiji—the transition just happened a lot earlier.
As a skinny person myself, I've always found it funny how 80- and 90-year old women will tell me how much weight I need to gain.... which, granted, may have as much to do about them being 90 and no longer bothering with social niceties as pre-television-era standards of beauty. But I remember meeting the 90-something friend of my man Charles's family for the first time. Upon being introduced, she told me I was too thin, then turned to Charles and said, incredulously, "You like her like that?!?"
(Via Boing Boing and Modern Mechanix)
Posted by Carrie McLaren on 05/30/2007 | Permalink
Comments
Wow. Does Charles's family have many "friends" who think it fine to openly insult people to their faces, then comment on them as if they were a dog being purchased? Hopefully Charles stood up for you and put this rude asshat in her place.
Posted by: GwenR | May 31, 2007 4:16:02 PM
She's 96! I said yes, she turned to Carrie and said "You're a very lucky girl" and we all laughed.
The underlying premise of her comment is not anti-skinny so much as "dudes dig big boobs."
Anyway, if you think 96-year-old women can be put in their place, either you've never met them or you've only met them after their spirit has been broken.
Posted by: Charles Star | May 31, 2007 4:38:12 PM
Yeah, I thought it was funny. Guess you had to be there.
Posted by: carrie | May 31, 2007 6:05:04 PM
Advanced age is no excuse for such awful behavior. People who make these insulting comments 96 were also making them at 36. Even her comment to Carrie that "you're a very lucky girl" is a further insult; that poor Carrie was lucky to get Charles. It sure wasn't that Carrie is lucky to be thin, since Ms. Bigmouth already made it clear she disapproved of that.
Your a good sport Carrie for putting up with this crap.
Posted by: Trisha | Jun 1, 2007 8:16:20 AM
Dude, she's 96! Do you not know any old people? Besides, maybe she was gonna offer her some "Kelp-A-Malt" tablets from her purse.
Posted by: John | Jun 7, 2007 10:11:22 AM
i am 5 ft weight72 pounds i tired of beaing like this they says
Posted by: lisa | Jul 24, 2007 8:49:32 AM
