How to be attractive to men

The annual Regent Theatre 24 hour second hand book sale, Dunedin, is one of my favorite events of the year. It is one of the biggest second hand book sales in Australasia. It is being held 12 noon Friday 23 May to 12 noon Saturday 24 May this year, 2008.

My annual ritual
Every year at this time I sort out my old books that I do not need and donate them to the sale - usually the ones I bought last year and have never read! Then when the sales starts, I drag the family down to the theatre and spend hours sifting though the books. I usually go down two or three times during the 24 hour period because more books are always being brought out on display.

I love it - it is noisy, crowded and brutal at times. But the atmosphere is fantastic. Everyone is having fun and it is a great social occasion as you often meet up with people you haven't seen for ages. The best time to go is in the middle of the night. There's still a large number of people around, but there is a sense of camaraderie as you battle to keep sharp and alert, and able to spot that rare book before anyone else does!

I specifically look for old midwifery textbooks and anything related to pregnancy and childbirth. This year I will be on the hunt for the first three editions of the Myles Midwifery textbooks.

Sorting though my old books
This brings me to what this post is actually about. The other day when I was sorting out the books I wanted to donate to the sale this year, I came across a book I bought a couple of years ago at the 24 Hour sale. It is called 'How to be attractive', written by Joan Bennett and was published in 1952 by Nicholas Kaye, London. It is packed with good advice for young women, so here is my top five favorite pieces of advice from Joan.

Advice for today's young woman

1. Taking care of your appearance is just plain housekeeping. It's more important than polishing the silver or dusting the furniture.
2. Remember your neck. Creaming is a bore, but it is absolutely necessary.
3. When carrying out your cleaning routine and putting on your makeup, it is advisable to wear a washable make-up smock for this important job. You can then be a lot more thorough than in a dress.
   
4. A bulging tummy is a horrid thing...To try to make a girdle take up the slack is to be down-right lazy...
5. Men like pretty hats, big ones preferred... They like to be blissfully unaware of slips, girdles and brassieres. They do not like a wrinkled stocking or twisted seam.
   

So there you have it, girls. Cover up those bra straps and g-strings. Put away your body shaper that you just bought for hundreds of dollars, and go and do some exercise. And finally, forget Internet dating - start wearing a big, floppy hat!

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