Customer Reviews

Hello Gorgeous!: Beauty Products in America '40s-'60s

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Not only is it the prettiest little coffee table book (it entices you to pick it up every day), but it's filled with cool, entertaining, historical facts. I'd venture to say that any woman would love this book as a gift.

I never really gave much thought to beauty advertising until I read this book. I've always been fascinated by cosmetics, and this slim and GORGEOUS volume gave me a funny and in depth understanding of how the modern era of makeup came to be. The pictures are so pretty and the ads are fun to read. I really enjoyed this mini treasure chest of beauty industry secrets and will proudly display it in my guest room.

This book is so well designed it practically jumped off the shelf and into my hands. I loved the historical perspective on the beauty industry -- the retro ads, the trivia, and the idea that beauty is fun (easy to forget in today's society where people will carve themselves up in the name of beauty). I think it'd be a great gift for the bombshell in your life -- including yourself.

I thoroughly enjoyed "Hello Gorgeous!" not only for the memories it brought back of products around our house during my teenage years--soaps, toothpastes, my mother's compacts, powders, lipsticks, etc--and the many more I had seen advertised in the magazines she subscribed to (which I had leafed through for the seductiveness of their intimate-apparel ads), but also for the quality of writing in the book that kept me wanting to read on and the reader-friendly layout--mostly short paragraphs set against photos of women using the various products (including ecstatic-looking women in deodorant ads) and reflecting changing advertising styles over the years--as well as the tips that the author sprinkles in: e.g., that "good perfume counters contain a bowl of coffee beans to help neutralize the effects of the heady scents that you've just inhaled, allowing you to process new ones," and a description of which scents most effectively aroused men. In short, I can't imagine a better book on the subject.

OKay, so now I know that the first hairdryer was a modified vacuum cleaner. I really enjoyed this chic little book. It is well written, full of funny little tidbits of information and nicely designed. The old ads are hilarious and the text is bright and witty. I loved it!

I loved it the first time I read it but there was so much fun information, I went back and am reading all the funny and interesting anecdotes and info AGAIN! It's made me want to watch all those old movies to check out the beauty styles. And oh yeah - strangely enough my husband is reading it too! (He says he like the advertising info - yeah, yeah...)

It's soooo much fun - I'm getting one for my mother too!
Read it and enjoy it!

This is a lovely and fun book. I really enjoyed going through the "ages" with all the ads and of course the lively commentary provided by the author.

It is beautifully packaged as well -- love the colors.

I got this book after seeing it mentioned in the New York Times and am now in love with the whole retro thing - what a fantastic treat....

I'm not quite sure how to describe it, but unlike other beauty books that I have read, this one doesn't fit into just one category.It also makes me want to rent some of the old movies to see the actresses that it mentions.

It's very witty and has funny comments about the whole cosmetics industry, but also talks about the whole bombshells thing in a very loving way. I liked all the trivia bubbles on every page and looking at all of the advertisements. It's hard to believe that there was a time when these ads convinced women to buy things though! I'm only disappointed that there wasn't more commentary on the individual ads, I would have been very interested to know what the author thought of more of the ads.

The coolest part was the comments by Grace Kelly's bridesmaids!

What a marvelous little book. I remember these products and actresses from my girlhood. The writing is snappy and the pictures bring back many memories. Who knew that about hairdryers and vacuum cleaners? Highly recommend for anyone interested in fashion and beauty. I can't wait to read more by this author.

I'm an advertising fanatic and expected this book to be more of the same- slick ads with a minimal amount of commentary.I was astounded at the wit and genuine insider information that I picked up in this slim volume, and oh the trivia. Hello Gorgeous is by turns funny and bittersweet and then it whalops you with a sharp observation on advertising in our own times. I wish there would have been more to read though, as visually stunning as this book is- and it is, I really enjoyed the razor sharp running comments. USA Today's Whitney Matheson is right on target- this is one of the better pop culture books I've read, certainly the most fun this year.

A+ all around- brava Ms. Weingarten! (please come do a reading in Boston)