Oh, that is a treasure. It's amazing how much importance was put on how women looked - how you owed it to your husband to always be pretty. Do any of you watch the TV series Mad Men? You will see this emphasis on appearance over and over.

I would never enjoy my sewing if I had to worry about all that other stuff!!

But there is something to be said for the 'old days'...

I had seen that before.....always a hoot!

Does this mean I can't sew in the morning in my nightgown and slippers with no bra? Well, just shoot me!

Teresa

Glad none of my machines are Singers... I don't even own a dress. (or lipstick) :-/

Wonder if it would void the machine warranty it you tried to sew looking a mess?

Oh oh... I have NOT been following the rules!

Well, I suppose, Theresa, if you're not married you don't need to follow the rules! Hmmm, maybe that's an excuse to not be married....hmmmm, something to think about...

Anyway, rules are made to be broken!
Theresa

Thanks for sharing that manual... What a hoot!
Yes Lois, I'm a major mad men fan, but how on earth did they tolerate those bullet bras and girdles?...Yikes!!! I can't imagine sitting down to sew dressed like that, oh my....
V.

I am old enough to have known women who followed the "rules". Fortunately I didn't understand them very well so saw no need to follow them. Guess I didn't read the instruction book that went with my Singer.

Nanajayne - you are my hero! LOL -

I guess those dirty dishes and dust bunnies are keeping me from enjoying my sewing---actually----I enjoy my sewing more when I am ignoring the "housework".

Bobby~good to hear you don't own a dress or lipstick! :) But, I think you also don't keep a messy place-I know you vacuum!

Thanks for the laugh Rosa.

Marsha, well, there was that one Halloween, but we won't talk about that :o)

I once read a vintage article about how to be a good wife... it said to make sure you are "fixed up" (I'm paraphrasing) when your husband comes home from a hard day at the office, and that a hot dinner is on the table... and not to let the kids bother him as soon as he gets in the door. Times have changed indeed!

Oh my! I think I may have a tube of lipstick rolling around somewhere. Should I bring it to retreat? No powder tho. And, I've named all my dust bunnies so I can't get rid of them now.

Faye

I don't know, Bobby. My husband likes the house to be 'fixed up' (ie. cleaned up), dinner hot and ready, and prefers not to be bothered by me or the kids when he walks in! Hmmm, doesn't sound like much has changed...except he wouldn't dare expect me to be dressed with lipstick/powder! (He'd probably think I'd been out to see someone during the day!)

What a hoot! And, even more surprising to me, I know the shop that reprinted it out in the potatoe fields of southern Oregon. I went to a retreat of theirs long ago. Really nice people.

Unmade beds are healthier. ;) Lets it dry out and cuts down on dust mites.

My machine wants me to dress up? I can remember the days when everyday was a skirt and hose day....and it hasn't been that long ago...unless you think 16 years is a long time. I never thought of it as dressing up, but just my daily attire. Dressing up was another thing altogether! After moving to Florida, it got difficult to pull those pantyhose up over sticky sweaty legs, so went to thigh highs, then knee hi's. Since knee hi-s don't look so good with shorts, I'm now bared legged. But, I wear a skirt once in awhile....DH especially likes to open the car door for me when I do. :-)

Dust bunnies? No, no, no.....it's Angel Hair.....And, none of the house chores urgently needs to be done. It's more important to me that my mind is always free. LOL

SharonG/FL

Love the new name, Angel Hair ;-)
Wonder if she needed to wear spike heels and hose too.
Thank goodness for the improvements to a woman's status and view of herself over our lifetime!
LindaB/CA

LOL! What a great thread. Just what I needed this morning. Thank you, thank you for your posts.
Ginny

Nice to see you around, Ginny!!

It really if funny to think what was expected of women!

That is too funny!! Boy how times have changed.....

Robbi

Bobby, our neighbor and friend in CF always dressed for Halloween complete with balloon boobs, blonde wig, outrageous makeup, but he wore slippers.

I always told him he looked prettier dressed up than I did lol!!!

We could not wear slacks of any kind to school, only dresses or skirts, and I graduated in 70. Starting at about 13 most girls would start wearing girdles to a dressy occasion, like church etc. Always stockings!

I like Angel Hair, I have named too many bunnies to keep them straight lol!!!!