Customer Reviews

Better than Beauty: A Guide to Charm

5 star:		(30)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

I bought this as research for a novel. That being said, there are only a few things that are dated in this book in my opinion-- things like how to make liquid shampoo and rinse it out if you don't have access to unlimited running water, how to use deodorant with dress shields, a balanced diet should include salt, and much advice on how to choose hats. I expected as much. I expected quite a lot more batting eyes and staying mousy-quiet to catch a man, to be honest, considering the time period.

Herein lies the surprise: the emphasis in this book is on how to be a classy individualist without being a stuffy bore. The authors carefully take into account that all women aren't the same, and shouldn't be. They even admit it might be advantageous for a working woman to swear in the office to get things done. What a couple of saucy dames these women are!

The first section encourages women to come up with a personal and practical style without sucking out the fun. They ignore the rules in fashion magazines (which appear to be the same rules in fashion mags today) and present everything you might need to know head-to-toe with simple rules.

For example, the placement and angle of your rouge is not as important as making sure it blends in gradually with your natural color. The only rule for hair is "Does it look like it would be pleasant to touch?" And my favorite, "If being on a diet makes you jumpy and irritable, it probably isn't worth your effort. Everyone prefers a few extra pounds to a shrewish disposition." Bravo!

Similarly, the second part, about charming others, uses this simple rule for etiquette: "The only bad manners are those which are unkind or which contribute to another person's discomfort." There. Emily Post in one line. In addition, remember the simple thank you, treat the waiter as someone helping you, not a robot. Don't let your date drive drunk.

The authors spend a lot of time warning the reader to shy away from conversations involving complaints, what they ate at breakfast, how much sleep they lost, needless tangents and lists of pointless encyclopedic facts. Why? Because they are boring. Need proof? When was the last time you paid attention to a stranger's non-political blog? I rest my case.

Instead they promote a) having fun and laughing and b) reading constantly to to fill yourself with topics of conversation that don't involve gossip. Here's the kicker, they discard the old rule that you shouldn't talk religion, media or politics in company and actually encourage women to watch out for propaganda and to "Read several newspapers with different points of view and get into a violent argument on the obvious coloring of the news." What?!!

In short, many young women would find they'd get and keep the attention of real, live people in the real, live world by emulating the attitudes of Helen Valentine and Alice Thompson FAR better than by posting glam pics on Myspace and complaining about how boys they like are constantly blowing them off "liek there OpInIoNs dont matR".

Someone send this to Paris and Britney, please?

The first half of this book is absolutely antiquated in its beauty and fashion tips, but these are the shallower aspects of charm and are expected to be more or less ephemeral. If you pay attention to the title, Better Than Beauty: A Guide to Charm, it's clear that the authors did not set out to be the once and forever final word on beauty and fashion. Also, if you can get past the advice that changing one's undies every other day is acceptable, you'll still find a lot of timeless advice on how to choose clothes, makeup and hairstyles that flatter you.

You'll find real wisdom in Part 2 of this book, however. This is the portion of the Guide to Charm that speaks to the aspects of culture that transcend clothing, makeup and hair styles. This is where you're going to find advice on how to ACT to get along better. The authors highlight the importance of putting yourself in the place of the people you interact with: treat them the way you want to be treated. Sound familiar? Some of you will still find this advice dated, and that's fine. This book is not for you then. But for those of you who know you can get contemporary fashion and beauty advice elsewhere, but want a friendly reminder on how to be charming on the inside, not artificial, pick up this book and go straight to Part 2. You'll find that real charm never goes out of style.

At a young age I found a beauty and lifestyles manual from the 1930s/1940s in my local public library. Sadly that title is no longer in the stacks. "Better Than Beauty: A Guide to Charm" is a wonderful substitute. To the modern eye, the advice on fashion and exercise may seem out of date. But some basic facts will never change. A well groomed lady is always a welcome creature.

This book was originally published in 1938 and then again in 2002, but 90%-95% of this book's knowledge can still be applied today, proving that class never goes out of style. It is a fun read that reminds you of this fact with nice real life examples. You can obviously tell when some info may not apply. But most of the info is basic manner/etiquette type stuff.

This is such a sweet book and very interesting. It is old fashioned of course but the advice contained is as relevant as ever. Advice such as don't try and be a performer and remain interested in other people without focusing on eclipsing them is never going to go out of style. The essence of charm, according to this book, is really to mind your manners but also be yourself and be considerate of others. A lot of the beauty advice as well is still relevant too. A lovely read for a Sunday afternoon.

Even though some of the wisdom in this book is out of date (like washing hair once a week), there is still plenty of great advice. I loved reading this and have even put some of the advice to work (with great results). If you want to learn how to be a lady of class and charm this is a must read! Not only will you learn a lot, you will laugh at the authors' subtle wit. Definately a great book!

I bought this book, thinking it was written in the present era. I seriously got about halfway through before I realized how old it was. But that in no way took away from my enjoyment of this book. I've read it half a dozen times now, and it's always a complete delight. This book is timeless in its advice (well, mostly) and I believe a lot of people, and not just women, would benefit from reading it. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys their feminity even just a little bit. You'll love it!

This book is one of the best that I have had the fortune of coming across in years. With all the tricky and trite self-help books out there (which I just avoid), it's wonderful to know that really sensible advice can still be found.

I thought it was so funny that the advice re: diet, exercise, dating, manners, and fashion is still the most sound advice you can find today. This book was first published in 1938, but it is as if they are talking to us in the 21st century.

I'm so happy to see this is back in print! When I saw an original copy of this book at a library sale I picked it up more for its kitsch/coffee table value than potential insights. But not only was flipping through this a lot of fun, there is actually a lot of timeless wisdom in the "charm" advice -- basically, treat the people around you with respect and kindness, and they will reciprocate. There's a lot in here that does NOT fall into the timeless wisdom category, of course, but this material is priceless for its entertainment and historic value. This book helped me understand where my grandma got some of her ideas. All in all, I recommend it to anyone with passing interests in social culture, womens studies, the 1930s, and in generally being a nice person.

Before you purchase this book, you may want to know it was first published in 1938. I didn't know this when I bought it, but I am glad I did.

Some of the advice is outdated, such as tips for getting the shampoo out of your hair when you have a limited water supply, and the short section on hats and gloves.

I am suprised at how pertinent this information is to today. It is a timeless book of practical advice that your wouldn't find in a book of style. It covers style, and goes beyond.