“Respectable ladies in those days were not supposed to rouge; rice powder was as far as you were thought to go. Aunt Julia used to nibble slightly at a petal and rub a delicate bloom onto her cheeks, and would remark on occasion that she had always had color, that was her phrase for it.”
—Stark Young from “The Pavilion,” his book of memories including a Como, Mississippi, childhood
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Deborah, i probably need an honest 5-year-old to tell me that when i “dress up”. I always think i look better with rosy checks!
I also LOVED that Woolsworth on Main Street in McComb. Tina and I used to be allowed to roam up and down on Saturdays when we were pretty young. Happy memories.
Believe me, Emily, this lady’s cheeks far surpassed rosy! Actually, she was very pretty,and always looked nice. But she had a deep, red disc on each cheek like on a doll’s face. I can see her now!
Always enjoy and look forward to the next edition.
Gary, when I was about 5-years-old, Mother and I were standing in the check-out line at Woolworth’s, and much to Mother’s horror, I said to the lady in fromt of us, (obviously parroting Mother) “You wear entirely too much rouge!” Mother was mortified, but after the lady–who I’m sure was embarassed– left, the check-out lady said, “I’ve been wanting to say that for years!”
Too much rouge on a female in those days made you a ‘painted’ lady.
LOL!!