How’s that for a straight forward title? Well, this little pamphlet came from a straight forward company, the Woman’s Institute of Scranton, Pa. The Women’s Institute was the brainchild of Mary Brooks Picken, sewing guide author, the first woman trustee of FIT, and and one of the five founding members of what was to become the Costume Institute of the Met.
Picken was a very busy woman who accomplished much in her 95 years, but the Woman’s Institute was how she spread her influence across the country. It was basically a mail order business, and a woman could take a course of study in home dressmaking, professional dressmaking, millinery or cookery. Much of the sewing course material was written by Picken herself.
Reading through the promotional literature put out by the Woman’s Institute, you get the distinct feeling that it was Picken’s mission in life to stamp out UGLY.
If you would like to be able to plan and design clothes that will always be a charming expression of your own individuality – to select the lines, colors and materials that will bring out your natural beauty and minimize any little defect – if you would like to have all the pretty things your heart desires at only the cost of the materials – then check below the subject in which you are most interested…
As a sample of the types of things the Woman’s Institute could help with, this folder has an actual chart that helps one select the colors that are most becoming:
The problem is I can’t really decide where I fit in on the chart. I’m sort of between a Pale Brunette and a Blonde-Brunette. I guess that means more options for me!
This is certainly fascinating! Thank you for sharing!
Well, I’m kind of screwed! No red hair and green eyes on the chart. Perhaps they were proponents of the whole “gingers have no souls” thing or the red hair is not attractive thing. Whatsa matter with green eyes though? Poor me! Neat references.
I love this chart! I’m no. 2 on the list and I’m bad, I still wear red, lol!
You rebel!
I would have such a hard time picking out which color to choose! lols, someone help me :p
Apparently, green eyes did not exist.
Fabulous!
I’m a pale brunette and it seems pale brunettes look good in most colours… except purple, which I’ve never been that fond of anyway.
I’m with Ruthanne and Brianna. In my youth, anyway, I had bright copper colored hair and still have the green eyes. Now that all the white hairs have come in, mixed with the few red that are left, everyone says that I’m a blonde. And I wear a lot of red now, to make up for all the years I didn’t.
This is the second of these vintage “best colors for you” things I’ve seen that doesn’t mention green eyes! (Teresa posted one on Bess Georgette…but hers was from the 1950s or 1960s, I think.) Weird. And apparently one can be “auburn” but no further red than that!
Add me to the list of Green Eyed Ladies who don’t appear on this list, but color me relieved that I’m not a Sallow Mature Woman – eek!
And apparently freckles aren’t allowed either, LOL!
Um, apparently I can’t wear black (I’m an olive brunette)? Having worked in an art museum and worn nothing but black for days on end, I’m kind of offended. Also, I like how purple is “permissible”, which means Picken would probably give me side-eye if I wore it…