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Weekly Newsletter
BY FLORENCE
WORTH CONSIDERING
HAVE you ever considered what an asset your
voice can be? If it's flat and uninteresting then
that is how your whole conversation will sound, no
matter how fascinating the story you are telling, or
how wise your words.
To make your voice pleasanter, first let your jaw relax.
When you speak, see that the speech movements start at
the back of your jaw and are thrown forward to your
tongue and lips. These should be the carriers of the sound,
not the originators.
Use your breath to the best of its advantage. Never
breathe heavily while you talk, nor let your breath come
in little short pants. Just let it flow sparingly, and always
keep a little in reserve.
Your vowels should be distinct and pleasant to hear, your
consonants clear and sharply enunciated. If you have no
idea how to place these sounds, it would be well worth the
time and money to have a few lessons in speech training.
A voice that is only two-dimensional—loud and soft—is
not nearly as entertaining to hear as one that has a
range of volume, depth, light and shade, tone and expression
as well.
Voices are a give-away. Flat, uninteresting voice . . .
flat, uninteresting personality. Warm, friendly voice . . .
warm, friendly person, and lots of fun too.
For your voice's sake, it is much wiser to observe the
sage old rule of eight hours' sleep every night. Some voices
are sent up a tone or two higher by too many late nights,
while otheres take on a most unattractive rasp.
The voice that makes a good impression is one that
people will remember with pleasure, and it's worth trying
to achieve.
LAUNDRY PROBLEMS
Most people think the bachelor girl has no laundry prob-
lems but—there are always stockings, brassieres and other
undies to put through the suds each night before turning in.
A few hints sometimes help to make the task a tittle easier.
Keep a small brush handy for use on stubborn soiled
parts like slip and brassiere strops, and collars of blouses.
Never forget that rinsing is every bit as important as
sudsing. After the final squeeze, roll in a towel to absorb
moisture.
If drying space is limited, use a miniature clothesline, or
buy a folding clothes drying rack.
Hang blouses on wooden clothes hangers. Wire hangers,
unless painted or galvanised, will leave rust stains.
Never leave girdles hanging around damp for days. Roll
in a dry bath towel to remove most of the moisture, then
stuff with crumpled tissue paper and place on a dry towel
The crumpled tissue separates the girdle so that air can
circulate through it and dry it more quickly.
And remember—it does pay to be a daily-rinser.
NOW YOUR SMILE
Do you remember Hans Andersen's story of the
frigid maiden who turned into stone everyone who
dared to speak to her? It happened a long time
ago—but I've seen it done many a time within my
own circle of acquaintances. Haven't you?
Do you know the neighbour with the pursed-up mouth
which can spare no more than half an inch, or even less,
for a smile?—that flat, cold emotionless voice, and those
dull, expressionless eyes?
How many of us can hardly wait to get away from her
and if there is even a faint likeness to any of my readers,
then its certainly time to start the defrosting.
First, we'll take your smile. Open wide, please. It is no
crime to show your teeth, and there is not a soul alive
who will refuse to warm to the charm of the wide, in-
fectious grin.
Are you afraid to smile? If so, there is plenty of help
waiting for you in the dentist's chair—he can correct ugly
teeth by straightening and recapping, and can remove long-
standing stains with special apparatus.
At first you may find it hard to relax your mouth but
now you have found out the trick or knack, shall we say,
make sure you never lose it again, for a full relaxed mouth
is so much better and far more pleasant to see than a
screwed-up-tight one.
When you are home by yourself, practice a few facial
expressions in front of the mirror, smile at it, and it will
smile back at you, then you can judge whether you would.
respond to the charm if you were meeting yourself for the
first time.
It is the smile of introduction that is so important, because
it is the only clue the stranger has to your character
for there is nothing else to judge you by until you speak,
and that we will leave till next week.
VICTORIAN WOOLIES
Don't be shocked—but Victorian woollen underwear is back
with us in a light-weight, streamlined version. Quietly,
surreptitiously, the London stores have been stocking and
selling red and emerald green vests and pants.
An invigorating change from wishy washy pinks and
blues, and I am told you begin to feel warm just by looking
at the bright colours. Many women in England have
been wearing slacks in the country, and have found it
really comfortable to wear a pair of ankle-length pants
sold in the sports department under them.
What an idea for use here in the very cold weather, it's
a cure thing many of us will be asking for in the next
month or so. How few of us look smart if cold, and starting
from the feet up—look pretty and warm when chill winds
blow?
JUST IN PASSING
In the news today from the United States of America,
women motorists in two cities have been congratulated by
the authorities as being far more careful in their driving
than men.
In fact—they were forty per cent better—and we shall
hear in due course how many of the other principal towns
have the same percentage. It has occurred to me that
women in this State could call on the Safety Council to
show whether we too excel in the care and consideration of
others. WHAT ABOUT TV GIRLS?
* * *
Ron Randell, former "Kissing Chairman," of Britain's TV
Show "What's My Line," is being sued for divorce. His
heiress wife is also suing him for £278 a month alimony
and recovery of a £35,700 loan. She is an Australian, and
accuses her husband of "mistreatment, failure to support
her and desertion."
It will be remembered that in May last year Mr. Ran-
dell kissed a challenger—promised a kiss to Barbara Kelly—
and ended one programme by blowing a kiss to viewers,
Hundreds of letters—for and against—poured in to the BBC.
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