1930's, 1940's Cosmopolitan Magazines

[Amapola]

For Mother's Day I received a stack of 8 Cosmopolitans from the 30's and 40's!

I thought about posting some images from them if you're all interested. Or, is this something you've done before? (I searched, but didn't see anything in old threads.)

Just doing a quick scan through them, I saw many interesting ads for makeup, feminine products, cigarettes, and cars. I want to look through them for hopefully makeup how-to and hairstyles. And clothes, of course. It looks like they all had long stories in them back then.

I saw a shoe add where you could get some fabulous 30's shoes for $6.50. Oh, those were the days!

I'll get my scanner going and post one to get us started.

 

[Amapola]

1935 Ad, Woodbury Beauty Cream

I love her dress, hair, and coat!

 

[Amapola]

1935 Hawaii Ad

 

[maisie]

Great pictures! I would love to see some more! And that outfit in the previous picture is gorgeous!!

 

[mysterygal]

what a great mother's day present! By the way, Happy Mother's Day to all the mom's in here!

 

[Amapola]

put on flesh, and get new pep!

Horror of all horrors, an ad to use a product to GAIN WEIGHT!!! It was guaranteed to bring normal, good looking pounds, clear the skin, stop indigestion and constipation, and bring new pep!

I'd like new pep, but not the pounds!

 

[Amapola]

last scan for today--

I would never have that helpless, hopeless feeling again if I had these suits! Has anyone ever worn a scarf with a suit cravat style like in this picture? I love it!

 

[jitterbugdoll]

What a nice present!

I have almost a complete year from 1939-40, and not a one has any beauty tips, aside from some great pictures and ads (a far cry from today's Cosmo!) I had bought them in hopes of finding the same thing, though the stories are actually very good reads...look for Vogue, Mademoiselle, McCall's, and Woman's Day--they are chock full of hair and makeup tips, if that's what you are looking for!

 

[Amapola]

What a nice present!

I have almost a complete year from 1939-40, and not a one has any beauty tips, aside from some great pictures and ads (a far cry from today's Cosmo!) I had bought them in hopes of finding the same thing, though the stories are actually very good reads...look for Vogue, Mademoiselle, McCall's, and Woman's Day--they are chock full of hair and makeup tips, if that's what you are looking for!

I noticed that just now! I've looked through 3 of them, and not one single hair or makeup tip. Just stories, and ads. Lots and lots of laxative ads I noticed.
But I am enjoying the pictures and styles of the era in the pictures shown.

 

[jitterbugdoll]

I like to bring them to work, as the stories are perfect to read on a lunch hour

Do keep posting pictures--the art work featured in Cosmopolitan was always fabulous!

 

[Lauren]

Those are great images! Thanks so much for posting!

 

[LizzieMaine]

Thanks for posting these -- I love everything about old magazines. There were also some really interesting articles in Cosmopolitan back in those days -- they had some pretty high-class writers contributing, and they make for really good reading today. What a swell present!

 

[jitterbugdoll]

And they were writing about high society women, which is always neat to read about! For exmple, there was an article in one of my 1940 magazines that discussed the trend of socialites dating and marrying big band leaders--apparently that was all the rage one year!

 

[RetroMom]

What great ads!

Thanks for posting them. I love the artwork in old ads, so much more interesting than just the photo's in todays ads!

 

[Novella]

Great ads, I'd love to see more. Old weight gain ads are the best - I've been reading some old movie magazines from the 1930s and the first time I saw a weight gain ad it made me laugh. I can't imagine ever seeing an ad like that in one of today's magazines. Sort of sad that today there doesn't seem to be such a thing as too skinny.

 

[Amapola]

Great ads, I'd love to see more. Old weight gain ads are the best - I've been reading some old movie magazines from the 1930s and the first time I saw a weight gain ad it made me laugh. I can't imagine ever seeing an ad like that in one of today's magazines. Sort of sad that today there doesn't seem to be such a thing as too skinny.

Yes, it is sad. Why can't fashion design celebrate our curves these days? But I guess these women in the 30's were coming out of a period where curves were flattened and women were more boyish looking with shorter hair. I saw a yearbook from 1931, and every single girl and teacher in the book had short hair, same exact style! At least nowadays variety is the spice of life!