'How to get a husband': Cringeworthy 1950s dating article advises women to 'cry softly in a corner' and 'stumble into a room' to attract eligible men
A 1958 magazine article advising women on how to attract a partner has surfaced on the internet, triggering a frenzy across social media.
Titled '129 Ways to Get a Husband', the feature in American magazine McCall's included a varied body of tips ranging from bizarre and desperate to downright sexist and politically incorrect.
One of the more outrageous instructions told women to be flexible about their potential partner's decisions: 'If he decides to skip the dance and go rowing on the lake, GO – even if you are wearing your best evening gown'.
The post, which had been shared 13,750 times at the time of writing, caused widespread controversy on Facebook, quickly racking up more than 4,600 likes and thousands of comments from shocked and amused users.
#112 - Get a hunting license.
Seriously? LOL!
Or at least a fishing license. That way when he wants to go rowing you can stay behind and fish!
I like the way you think. LOL!
Good advice like this is timeless.
"Get a dog and walk it" is timeless. A woman gets companionship, loyalty and exercise.
Yep the dog works as a good ice breaker for the boy. It’s less intimidating for the male when he can use the dog as a conversation starter.
If a male cannot converse with a female about topics that interest her, then there is really no basis for even a short term relationship.
Healthy relationships require shared interests and goals.
Entrapment and superficiality are not a basis for successful long term relationships.
I think he meant the dog was the icebreaker and the interest would be owning a dog to open a conversation.
I know.
In today's world, more women in the US are pursuing degrees and hopefully won't have to resort to attracting strangers to find dates.
Now we have a gazillion websites for that.
I have heard this. In fact, a neighbor met her current boyfriend on one. He lives several hours away so they see each other probably less than 8 days a month. This seems to be working for them as it has lasted for over 4 years.
I have known women like that. I doubt that they are anywhere close to the majority in today's world where women have far more opportunities to pursue careers that interest them.
If a male cannot converse with a female about topics that interest her, then there is really no basis for even a short term relationship.
Well, based upon the conversations I've seen in online discussion forums, most people are incapable of much intelligent conversation (& of course that applies to all 5 sexes-- not just women).
In the unlikely event that a fairly intelligent conversation somehow begins-- the vast majority of the "intellectually-challenged" individuals who spend much time there are incapable of participating in a real discussion, so they attempt to derail the discussion by turning it into a nasty personal attack on one or more participants.
(Of course the good news is that that sort of thing rarely,if ever, occurs here on NT! Thank goodness for that! )
People seem to need some type of validation and/or praise for existing. The neediest seem to be the nastiest. It seems to be hardwired in their brain functions - possibly a heritable trait.
Nice to see such common sense suggestions as "take a bicycle trip through Europe".
Although, I admit that I'm guilty of supporting (part of) one of the suggestions: 'Wear high heels most of the time – they're sexier! Unless he happens to be shorter than you.' I'm short enough that a woman would need to be really short to attract me in high heels. This just looks ridiculous imo.
Serious question - What makes you uncomfortable about being with a woman that is taller than you?
I ask because I am 5' tall and just about all adults are taller than me. I honestly rarely notice, but it might have something to do with working with large animals all of my life.
Serious question - What makes you uncomfortable about being with a woman that is taller than you?
Honest answer: I don't know, I just am. I've only dated a couple women who were slightly taller than me, and I knew right away that it wasn't going to work out. Shallow, maybe, but it is what it is. I feel like a child when a woman has to lean down to kiss me. I'm good friends with a married couple who are both very tall. We always hug when we see each other, and laugh about how far she has to bend down to do so (and I'm 5'6").
I don't think it is shallow. Just curious.
I have known men who were mostly attracted to women that were taller than them.
Reminds of that movie "Shallow Hal"
I have known men who were mostly attracted to women that were taller than them.
An excellent point!
I know it may be "politically incorrect" to say this inan online discussion-- but I think that many people-- of both sexes-- differ in what they like!
For example, some men are really attracted to a women with really large-- I mean a really YUGE-- pair of tatas! Other are turned on by a more sleek, even somewhat skinny body. Some go crazy over blondes-- other prefer brunettes. Some are turned off-- even threatened-- by women who earn more than they do-- but others prefer that. Some men don't like intelligent women-- others prefer that.
The list goes on and on. (And of course there are men who don't care either way about any of those things-- they may have some other quality that they really like-- or really find to be a turn-off).
And different women also have various likes and dislikes.
Internet discussions is often people feel a need to over-generalize-- some even think that all people in any given category are all the same--which is one reason so many online discussions are so...well, whatever!
Sexual attraction is a taboo subject to discuss in terms of what physical features are required to gain notice, but our media is filled with discussions and advertisements on how to paint, squeeze and dress one's body to gain notice.
Relationships based solely on sex can be physically satisfying, but some of us require our intellectual needs be met, also if we are going to commit to a monogamous relationship.
Lol go get your old 70's disco platform shoes out of the closet, that's an extra 2 or 3 inches easy
Awwwwww yeeeaaaa
Reading the obituaries seems rather sickening.
Women who had never worked had no retirement of their own. In the 1950s, the population of the US was still mostly rural. It is doubtful that widows of farmers, or even the average working class male, were drawing enough social security to survive on.
Today there are still elderly women who have no retirement of their own and are struggling to survive.
So I agree that it is rather sickening that women must resort to husband hunting (at any age) to survive.
Yes...it is sad that they have no family to depend on either.
Their family is probably struggling to support their own family and maybe even fund their own retirement instead of expecting their children to support themselves, their children and their parents.
Some people either have no children or their children don't work or have already died. These people rely on other people and their children to pay for their food, lodging and ever expanding medical bills through social services.
Today there are still elderly women who have no retirement of their own and are struggling to survive.
Actually that's true of many men as well. (In my experience it seems that more and more people in general don't take responsibility for their own lives-- in fact there are numerous articles with stattistics re: the amount of money (if any!) people have saved for retirement. The results are pretty shocking.
However, that being said-- I see your point. The common Weltanschauung* for so many years was that a man should work and earn income to support the family, while "a women's place was in the kitchen". Since many (most?) families don't save enough for retirement, when the husband died, many older women had no experience in the workplace.... (and in any event, many businesses didn't want to train someone in their 60s or 70s..)
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*Weltanschauung? WTF Weltanschauung?!!!?? Occasionally I like to use a big word ..in a futile attempt to impress everyone. But here's a little secret-- more often than not I haven't the slightest idea what those words mean-- they just sound impressive, LOL!
A variation is "A women's place is in the home"
I think many people have seen signs of change such as this.
(Available in different sty;es and colours at other vendors)
Low wages and the 2008 financial meltdown are factors that should not be ignored. Since the 1990s, wages and benefits have declined as money has been concentrated from the 1 percent to the .01 percent.
Because of the problem of low wages or retirement savings lost in 2008, we can expect more seniors to live out their lives dependent on increasing taxes on the working class to keep them alive.
At some point, the working class is going to have to demand changes to the ponzi scheme that has created this mess.
My mother managed to find two husbands without any of that nonsense.
She graduated high school in 1949. Went to nursing school directly, back then a four year degree was required to be a Registered Nurse. She came from a poor family, but still somehow manage to pay for her education. She worked, raised two children through the fifties and sixties. and early seventies. A lot of wives did. My best friend growing up mother was a school teacher. A lot of women had careers or jobs.
It is just a stupid magazine article...we still have them.
Unfortunately, our species doesn't seem to be able to communicate openly and honestly with each other in ways that foster healthy friendships.
On behalf of today's women:
Fuck that shit.
Sandy! I like the new ‘tude!
Locking article because I am logging off.