Ladies with cigarettes

[Lena_Horne]

Hm, I admired this photograph from Cuba the moment I saw it, once I realized she was smoking a cigar I liked it even more:

L_H

 

[Miss Neecerie]

To me, at least, there's something vulgar-looking about a woman smoking a big, fat cigar in public. Luckily, that hardly happens anymore.

You wern't at the QM last year were you now?

Not that any of our ladies looked vulgar...not at all, but there were several smoking cigars.

 

[Shaul-Ike Cohen]

To me, at least, there's something vulgar-looking about a woman smoking a big, fat cigar in public. Luckily, that hardly happens anymore.

To me, there's nothing intrinsically vulgar in that. But nothing intrinsically steamy either.

 

[mysterygal]

Studies have actually shown that smoking does cause wrinkles, and more wrinkles than the average joe. Plus, I"ve noticed that people who are 'heavy smokers' get that hacking cough.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

You wern't at the QM last year were you now?

Sadly, I wasn't.

I prefer to see a lady smoking a pipe. Believe it or not, from the 1920s to the '50s, a few of the more daring city gals did smoke pipes. Below are some vintage ones (bakelite, briar and meerschaum) made especially for women. Nice!

 

[John in Covina]

Laff

I"ve noticed that people who are 'heavy smokers' get that hacking cough.

************
I always worry when they get to the point where if a joke is told the smokers start laughing and end up coughing.lol

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Hm, I admired this photograph from Cuba the moment I saw it, once I realized she was smoking a cigar I liked it even more.

It's true that cigars, women and the Caribbean go together. Santeria, Voodoo and Macumba are also part of the mix.

 

["Doc" Devereux]

It's true that cigars, women and the Caribbean go together. Santeria, Voodoo and Macumba are also part of the mix.

Although a lady doesn't necessarily need any skill in those arts to enjoy a fine cigar.

 

[Lena_Horne]

It's true that cigars, women and the Caribbean go together. Santeria, Voodoo and Macumba are also part of the mix.

The atmosphere itself tends to lend itself to things looking (somehow) more beautiful than the "naked" charm of the United States. Or maybe its the other way around. Has anyone seen Motorcycle Diaries? I'd give an arm and a leg (figuratively speaking of course) to live in that Doctor's house in (if I remember correctly) Peru. Sorry for going off topic.

L_H

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Lena, I know exactly what you mean. It's what led me to leave my home country and live in Chile for nearly a decade. Places like these don't demolish old diners to "make room" for new diners that look like the old -- only shinier and more expensive.

 

[Paul]

In the UK I think I am in saying that more ladies smoke now than men, is that the same in the USA or other countries as well.
I think is strange because not only the damage to your general health but also to the completion smoking can do. I do not want to get into a anti or pro debate as it's down to individual choose in the end.

In classic movies, a lady would sometimes be seen with a cigarette hanging about, so with what was considered 'classy' then, is it still viewed as 'classy' or 'sexy' now?

I do think that today you do very very occasionally today see a lady (not always on the big or small screen) who I would <b>not </b> describe as looking classy or sexy but I would more describe it as smoking a cigarette really suite her look, but she would be the exception.
Teenager and especially young ladies are reported saying "they start smoking because it make them look older and more adult"
Would any of the lady smokers here say the main reason for smoking is for the image or look I do not know[huh] , possibly smoking for other reasons.

 

[Daisy Buchanan]

In the UK I think I am in saying that more ladies smoke now than men, is that the same in the USA or other countries as well.
I think is strange because not only the damage to your general health but also to the completion smoking can do. I do not want to get into a anti or pro debate as it's down to individual choose in the end.



I do think that today you do very very occasionally today see a lady (not always on the big or small screen) who I would <b>not </b> describe as looking classy or sexy but I would more describe it as smoking a cigarette really suite her look, but she would be the exception.
Teenager and especially young ladies are reported saying "they start smoking because it make them look older and more adult"
Would any of the lady smokers here say the main reason for smoking is for the image or look I do not know[huh] , possibly smoking for other reasons.

I don't know why I started smoking. The first time I tried it, it was disgusting. I was a kid, and my friends and I did think it would be cool to try. I didn't do it again until I was in college. I wish I had never started. I don't think I look classy or sexy, and I often do it in private. I know I should stop, especially since I am in the health field and am required to lecture my patients on all of the negative effects of smoking. I have made myself a promise, that when I start working again, I will stop smoking. It's a horrible habit, and very hard to kick. I think I do it out of boredom. I don't smoke a lot, and rarely finish an entire cigarette, but still, it's terrible. Sometimes I smoke cloves, and those taste good. I don't think an ocassional one is that bad. I have a few friends who enjoy a cigarette when they have a few drinks. I must stop. It isn't flattering, or sexy, and it definitely isn't healthy. They are very addictive, and it is very difficult to quit, at least I find it is.

 

[Samsa]

if she's a lady then she's a lady, no matter what she does.

A lady is a lady because of what she does, or does not do. I have known many women, but only one lady.

That said, I don't think smoking is un-ladylike, but I also find it unattractive.

 

[Paisley]

Studies have actually shown that smoking does cause wrinkles, and more wrinkles than the average joe. Plus, I"ve noticed that people who are 'heavy smokers' get that hacking cough.

My sisters are/were both smokers. Both look(ed) older than our non-smoking mother.

 

[Paisley]

They are very addictive, and it is very difficult to quit, at least I find it is.

Daisy, I've heard ex-smokers say that when they were ready to quit, when they said to themselves, "I don't need this," it was easy.

 

[LizzieMaine]

I once asked my grandmother why she started smoking -- she'd taken it up as a teenager in the late '20s, the very height of the flapper era -- and yes, at first it was simply a style thing. And then it became a peer thing -- all her friends were smoking, so even after the trendiness wore off, she did it to be social.

And then she had her first heart attack when she was 35 years old and tried to quit and couldn't. So it was finally an addiction thing -- one which she didn't finally stop until 25 years and three more heart attacks later. But even after all that, she'd talk about how sophisticated and stylish it made her feel back when she'd first started...

 

[Paul]

Thanks for a very honest post Daisy, I do think it would be hard to find a lady who say she smokes for the image only.
But I have noticed that some go out of the way and make it obvious they are smoking a sort of way of attracting attention from the opposite gender .
I am not saying that meaning any one here just a general observation of what I think and see when I go shopping etc.
I think it would be hard to find a smoker who is not regretting taking it up in the first place now . I wish you luck along any one else who is trying to stop.

 

[Senator Jack]

I'd rather have them smoking than chewing gum.

 

[Paul]

I once asked my grandmother why she started smoking -- she'd taken it up as a teenager in the late '20s, the very height of the flapper era -- and yes, at first it was simply a style thing. ..

Back in the 20's smoking for ladies was all about Equality, been stylish, a daring thing for a flapper to do smoke in public, tobacco companies markets ladies cigarettes with red tip to match the lipstick.
also as a way to keep slim,
"Have a ciggarette instead of a sweet"
How things have changed. not that I am conplaining

 

[Braxton36]

This is probably outdated now or perhaps it was just a Southern thing but I recall that ladies had different smoking "rules" than men. I clearly recall being told that ladies "never smoke on the street" - meaning walking along with a lit cigarette. To this day it registers negatively when I see it and that was something my grandmothers told me (along with about 3,927 other dictums) many years ago. Similarly, ladies never walk around anywhere - period - with a lit cigarette - as in, say, a party. If you'll notice in many golden era movies, the herione is seated while she smokes.

When I was growing up smoking was so prevalent that cigarette boxes were on the coffee or cocktail tables in most homes. We had very few sidetables in our house that didn't have an ashtray among the bibelots. I remember seeing the dining room table set for parties with little silver urn things (I use them as small vases) that held cigarettes between places and small individual ashtrays at each place. There are even some small silver monogrammed "sleeves" floating around our house that cover matchboxes to put on the table. I guess the idea was to dress up in silver an otherwise dirty habit and that made it nicer!

<Oops, sort of threw in an opinion there at the end.>