Four Week Beauty and Charm Course

A young starlet's ideal measurements in 1952:

Height: 5ft6 (1,68m)
Wrist: 6 1/4 inches (15,8cm)
Bust: 35 inches (88.9cm
Waist: 10 inches smaller (not over 26) (63.5cm)
Hips: 35 (not over 36) (88.9cm)
Calf: 4 or 5 inches larger than ankle (30.6)
Ankle: 8 1/4 inches (20.9 cm)

I wonder what these vital statistics would be in today's Hollywood?

Day 1 Cleansing and Posture.

You will clean, lubricate and stimulate your skin every day, every single day, two or three times. You will make your beauty routine constant, regular

The equipment required:
Fanatically clean, hospital clean hands
A pure bland soap (no!)
Soft water
A clean fluffy washcloth (my beauty routine staple already!)

First you need to identify your skin type from one of these three categories:

Normal
Very Oily
Very Dry

I decide my combination skins fits under normal, so my cleansing programme will be: Cleansing my face, by first using a hot washcloth on nose and chin and then gently massaging with soap, with circular upward motions, rinse three times, last with cold water.

This I need to repeat at least twice a day, every day.

Anita Colby firmly believes soap and water are best, well they probably were back then, but I don’t want to risk it so will stick to my modern day cleanser, toner and moisturiser. I promise to use them twice a day, religiously, whether I’m wearing any make up or not.

After your face is glowing it’s time to fix your posture

She recommends hanging a weighed string down the centre of a long mirror, the aim being to get this line to bisect the body through middle of head, ear lobe and running straight through the main six joints:

Shoulder
Elbow
Wrist
Hip
Knee
Ankle

Hmm, I tend to lean forward when I’m walking (headfirst to new adventures as my dad used to say), so need to pay attention to fix this.

Diet:
I have a problem with the 14-day diet. I have been poring over it for days but I cannot see a glass of wine or champagne anywhere! What kind of diet misses out a complete food group?

So after careful consideration I’ve decided to swap some of the milk (there's gallons of it) to glasses of wine, it works better for me and the calorie content is about the same.

I will also add some snacks (nuts, seeds and fruit), to the recommended 3 meals a day as I need to be fed and watered in regular intervals or all hell breaks lose!

Hmmm, it's only day 1 and I am already rebelling...

I'll talk more about the diet and exercise plan 1950's style, tomorrow.

About Anita Colby:
Anita Colby was a model and actress who became the Feminine director of David O. Selznik Studios, her job was to teach young starlets comportment and earned her a nickname “one woman charm school".

Anita Colby c.1943