Vintage Pearls of Beauty Wisdom

“Mom said classic, elegant styles, quality materials, and workmanship are essential to any lady's wardrobe. You can always add trendy pieces from season to season, but find cuts that flatter your figure; not just what’s in style. And, you should always have basic, black garments that you can dress up or down.”

Submitted by daughter Lauren Michelle Carey, from Atlanta, GA

Pictured on New Year’s Eve in Bal Harbour, FL

“Don’t overdo it with the trends. My mother would get up early and get dressed for the day. She was a minimalist concerning makeup but never failed to have rosy cheeks and lipstick.”

Submitted by daughter, Ginny Dupes Wilson, from Decatur, AL

Pictured going to her high school graduation party in Decatur, AL

“Always take care of your skin—moisturize daily, wear sunscreen, and keep your makeup simple. And, always buy good shoes.”

Submitted by daughter Tricia Raines Griffin, from Franklin, AL

Pictured at Beatrice High School working as editor of the yearbook 

“Never, ever go to bed wearing makeup. Wash it off every night and sleep with a clean, fresh face.”

Submitted by granddaughter Amanda Couick Britt, from Atlanta, GA

Pictured with husband, Van Biles, in Charlotte, NC

“My grandmother taught me that less is more. I rarely wear anything more than mascara on my face.”

Submitted by granddaughter Bailey Heldmar, from Memphis, TN

Pictured with husband, Clark Andrew 

“Use lotion everyday. Whether it be a face moisturizer, hand cream, or a body lotion using them regularly will save your skin when the winter comes and everything dries out.”

Submitted by granddaughter Rachel Huggins, from Alexandria, VA

Pictured visiting family in Baltimore, MD

“Momma always wanted us to look our best and advised us to always wear a little lipstick and rouge. Her idea was to keep your look fresh and simple to display your natural beauty.”

Submitted by granddaughter Megan Jeske, from Olney, TX

Pictured posing for a friend’s camera

“Always wear lipstick, it gives you color. My grandma always had perfect makeup—she wore Mary Kay for as along as I can remember. And she always had the perfect shoes on and a matching handbag.”

Submitted by granddaughter Allison Eubanks, from Woodstock, GA

Pictured in downtown Chattanooga, captured by a photographer documenting life around town 

“My late grandmother was a stylish and spirited social butterfly. She believed that a woman's beauty was 'most becoming' in its natural form and passed this belief on to her daughters and granddaughters. The only time you would ever find her without her signature, waist-belt was while working in the yard.”

Submitted by granddaughter Michele Moshell, from Phenix City, AL

Pictured at work in her hometown Martin Theater (now Carmike Cinema)

“Our family did a lot of camping, water skiing, and fishing, and mother knew the sun would damage my skin. She kept me supplied with O.J.'s Beauty Lotion, from Shreveport, for breakouts. I continued to use it even after my teenage years. The ultimate anti-aging treatment that she and my grandmother used was Elizabeth Arden's [Eight Hour Cream Skin Protectant] orange cream. Although I never used it, I remember their bedtime orangey smell.”

Submitted by daughter Molly Cummings, from Dangerfield, TX

Pictured on vacation at Caddo Lake in the Texas-Louisiana border 

“My grandmother always told my mother that the less she touched her face, the fewer wrinkles she would have when she became older.”

Submitted by grandson Patrick Bryant, from Bowling Green

Pictured with husband, Kenneth Spear 

"Sure we used to copy her and wear her lipstick, put on her powder, or flip our hair into curls like hers in the fountain in her back yard, but her beauty was within.”

Submitted by granddaughter Nancy Ratcliffe, from Charlotte, NC

Pictured at a friend’s house in Durham, NC  

“Her cure-all for anything from clear skin to an earache is ‘drink some water.’ Nine times out of 10, she's exactly right. According to mom, you should never have a tan and always buy whatever bright, limited-edition lipstick Chanel has at the counter.”

Submitted by daughters Katie Alice Walker and Susannah Maddux, from Columbia, SC, and Macon, GA

Pictured on vacation in Blowing Rock, NC 

“Always wear a smile—you will look and feel better and make others feel the same way. Of course, that smile should always have lipstick to enhance it. And last but not least, stand and sit up straight. It conveys confidence, and a confident woman is a beautiful woman.”

Submitted by daughter Joy Raine Maples Ledvina, from Birmingham, AL

Pictured on vacation in Daytona Beach, FL  

“Use POND’S Cold Cream on your face every day. Smooth eyebrows with Vaseline. Keep hair clean and off your face. Pinch your cheeks for color. And always wear lipstick."

Submitted by daughter Jennifer Green, from Mountain Brook, AL

Pictured at her mother’s house in Irondale, AL, on Easter

“Take good care of your skin, make sure your makeup looks natural, and don't follow any trends that require you to make a permanent change (like plucking all your eyebrow hairs out).”

Submitted by daughter Rochelle (Rocki) Witmer, from Florence, TX

Pictured at age 16 in her hometown  

“My mother would always wear Playtex gloves while doing the dishes or cleaning to preserve her hands and keep them ‘looking young’. She always used Noxema on her face, and I still do too. I'm 47 and people always guess I’m at least 10 years younger."

Submitted by daughter Melissa Lay, from Sand Springs, OK

Pictured before going to a school dance at Tulsa Central High

“My mom was always impeccably groomed and pulled together. She never left the house without her signature fragrance Quelques Fleurs, which we both still wear.”

Submitted by daughter Martha Leonard, from Dallas, TX

Pictured in Waynesville, MO  

"Comb your hair, tuck in your shirt, and shave. She always looked like a million bucks even if it was to run to the grocery store to get a gallon of milk.”

Submitted by son Frank Frericks, from Austin, TX

Pictured at the Rice Hotel in Houston with husband, Alvin Frericks

“If you feel good, you will look good. Make exercise a part of your life: Don't wait until after you've had your children or are over 35 to start. And, never leave the house without lipstick.”

Submitted by daughter Donna Eisen, from Bethesda, MD

Pictured on her honeymoon in the Bahamas with her husband, Dr. W. Joe Jacumin

“As a little girl, my grandmother would let me pick out a Revlon color and paint my nails in the kitchen, usually while she had something in the oven. To this day, you won’t find me without my nails painted. She also loved Revlon lipstick: Whether it was just for a trip to the grocery store or to go into work, she always had a great color of lipstick on. I carry her old lipstick holders at all times—even if just to hold my Chapstick.”

Submitted by daughter Ashley zumBrunnen, from Houston, TX

Pictured on vacation in Crane Lake, MN

“My mother said that classic look never goes out of style.”

Submitted by daughter, Anna Rosenzweig from Augusta, GA

Pictured on a trip to Wilmington, NC  

“Momma always told us girls to never be seen in public with our hair in rollers. She also said ‘if you must go out without making up your face, for heaven's sake, slap some color on your lips!’ And I always do.”

Submitted by daughter Ellen S. Padgett from Birmingham, AL

Pictured with her daughters on vacation in Destin, FL 

“A woman is most beautiful when she is confident. Be confident in who you are, while exercising character and modesty—she was a true Southern woman.”

Submitted by granddaughter, Kelsey Kennedy from Memphis

Pictured playing dress-up at her older sister’s house

“My mom taught me to take good care of my face and to keep it simple. She used the original Neutrogena face wash and Johnson's Baby Oil to remove her eye make up. It's simple, it works, and she still looks stunningly beautiful today.”

Submitted by daughter Leslie Ann Ackerman from St. Louis, MO

Pictured at her rehearsal dinner with husband, Arthur Ackerman   

“Erval thought Vaseline was a cure-all, especially on lips. She Used POND’S Cold Cream every night, rinsed her hair with vinegar, treated colds with Vicks Vapor Rub under nose and on cloth wrapped around throat, and always kept an aloe plant for treating burns.”

Submitted by daughter-in-law Barbara Griffith from Fort Smith, AR

Pictured on a Sunday afternoon after church, when she was approximately 20 years old 

“No matter your dress, always have clean shiny hair, teeth, and shoes. Match your style to your lifestyle—dress your age, stay classic, and pop in some color.”

Submitted by daughter Charlotte Smith Lewis from Athens, GA

Pictured on Easter Sunday in Rockwell, TX 

“Stand up straight and be proud of being tall. Also, the best beauty products are the ones that work for you; not necessarily the fancy or most expensive brands.”

Submitted by daughter LuAnn Cutshaw from Tallahassee, FL

Pictured second from right, on her wedding day in Madison, IN 

“One: You are never too old to enjoy a good bubble bath. Two: You can never have too many beautiful coats for every season.”

Submitted by daughter Jill Bartscht from Arlington, VA

Pictured on her birthday in July 

“My mother is such a natural beauty—she reminds me of Jackie Kennedy. She really worked the red lipstick and always wore Chanel No. 5 perfume.”

Submitted by daughter Tricia Hatcher Argabrite, from Kingsport, TN

Pictured with husband, Dr. Edgar Claude Hatcher, Jr., at the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond 

“Always take pride in yourself. I always knew we were ‘going to town’ when I would find her in her bathroom doing her hair and makeup. In these days of rushing around in workout clothes, I still do that as well—even if it’s just to meet a girlfriend for lunch or run errands.”

Submitted by daughter Yvonne Berkeley, from Beaufort, SC

Pictured with husband, Harry Mullins, Jr.

“My grandmother would say: ‘Never does a day go by that a lady doesn’t wear pearls.’ Even when wearing her house coat and bedroom shoes, she always had a strand of pearls around her neck.”

Submitted by granddaughter Cissie Lynch from Fort Myers, FL

Pictured with husband, minister Billy Graham 

“The best beauty advice my mom, grandmother, and great grandmother before her ever gave me was to wash and moisturize or ‘cream’ my face as they called it, every night before bed. My grandmother used Avon’s Carnation cream in her early years and later switched to POND’S.”

Submitted by granddaughter Kelli Renfro, from Frisco, TX

Pictured is a glamour shot taken of Opal when she was 20-years-old in Houston, TX

“My great grandmother never left the house without being properly dressed. Her nails were always manicured, hair in a classic chignon, and she always wore a fabulous hat. She believed in great skincare and wore eye cream nightly; she said you should ‘apply it gently with your pinky.’”

Submitted by great-granddaughter Candace Carroll, from Canton, GA

Pictured in a classic 1950s dress and hat  

“She always said: ’You only have one face, take care of it.’ To her, moisturizing was the fountain of youth. Without fail, she would wash and moisturize her face before bedtime every night.

Submitted by granddaughter Chancy Martin, from Greenville, SC

Pictured with her sister Sara Muse on a shopping trip in Atlanta, GA 

“My grandmother believed foundation was bad for your skin, so she hardly ever wore it. But she did love her lipstick. She had beautifully shaped lips and she knew how best to accentuate them.”

Submitted by granddaughter Jennifer Maddox from Las Vegas, NV

Pictured en route to her high school graduation 

“She told me to always purchase quality clothing as it lasted longer and made a difference. To work on my posture, she would have me stand against a wall so that my heels, shoulders, head, and small of my back (suck in your stomach for this!) all touched the wall. That was tough.”

Submitted by daughter Kathy Bullington Cigala, from Vero Beach, FL

Pictured is a photo from Eula’s yearbook, when she attended Frank Evans High School in Spartanburg, SC   

“Never leave the house without your red lipstick! Now I know she didn't mean literally wear red lipstick everyday, but she instilled in me that you should leave your home looking and feeling your best. Also you never know where the day can take you, so it's always good to be prepared!”

Submitted by daughter Lauren Lagarde, from New Orleans, LA

Pictured during a summer day on the lake, in her hometown of Lake Arthur, LA  

“My grandmother always said ‘pretty is as pretty does.’ It still resonates with me today.”

Submitted by granddaughter, Elise Lagarde Smith, from Baton Rouge

Pictured with her husband, Bubba, on their second date in Baton Rouge 

“For my mom, it was never about the latest fashion or makeup tip. It was about taking care of your skin by eating healthy, exercising, and getting rest. Nothing is more beautiful than a healthy, happy woman.”

Submitted by granddaughter Niki Lim from, Birmingham, AL

Pictured in Manila, Philippines before leaving for the States 

“You need to make the effort each morning to be presentable—put on your face and ear bobs. “

Submitted by granddaughter Melissa Couch Miller, from Spartanburg, SC.

Pictured on a trip to Texas the summer of her wedding

“She used to tell me never to overpluck my eyebrows, because the natural look was most beautiful. And she swore by Merle Norman makeup—especially its eyebrow filler.”

Submitted by granddaughter Christy Turnipseed, from Birmingham, AL

Always dressed to the nines, Marie was a regular in Birmingham’s society papers

“The best piece of style advice my mom ever gave me was ‘Do not wear anything where the stripes go around your body. It’ll make you look fat. Stripes must always be vertical.”

Submitted by daughter Sandra Harris, from Tallahassee, FL

Pictured on vacation in White Lake, NC 

“When I was 15 years old mom took me to the Clinique counter at Wanamaker’s, the local department store. She treated me to the entire skincare collection and said it was important for a woman to use good products. She also said makeup should only enhance one's natural beauty.”

Submitted by daughter Christine Goncalves-Bedder from Bethel, CT

Pictured on her honeymoon in Cape Cod, MA

“Mom said to always moisturize, and to be sure to do your elbows as well when you put lotion on your hands. Her signature fragrance was Estee Lauder’s Youth Dew.”

Submitted by daughter Susan Haley, from Naruda, TX

Pictured with husband, Bill Wagner, on a night out in San Antonio 

“My grandmother was always well put together. She always carried a nice purse and wore statement jewelry. She taught me to embrace my femininity and to boldly be myself. “

Submitted by granddaughter Tamara Eckles from Atlanta, GA

Pictured in New York, while attending cosmetology school 

"The only female on a baseball team at about this age, Mama has always been more tomboy than fashionista. She's been a great role model to create fun outdoors, smile and laugh often, and be confident and genuine. I think when you do those things—taking care of yourself and others, seeking joy, and finding inner peace—you're just naturally more beautiful."

Submitted by daughter and granddaughter SL Copy Chief Susan Alison from Birmingham, AL

Big Hen and little Hen enjoying a pretty day near Charleston, SC

“The best piece of style advice my mom ever gave me was: ‘Mix and match your clothing pieces—it’ll make your outfits go further.’ Also: ‘Know what colors look best on you and wear them near your face.’”

Submitted by daughter SL Office Manager Nellah Bailey McGough from Birmingham, AL

A school picture from Greenwood High School 

“Moo taught me the importance of defining your personal colors and wearing them often. Knowing what colors work with your skin tone is the key to fail-proof, effortless beauty.”

Submitted by granddaughter SL Production Director Mary Elizabeth McGinn from Birmingham, AL

Pictured with husband, George McGinn, at the Penguin Ball in Spring Hill College 

“Weetie was the quintessential Southern lady, always gracious with her time and a cookie and a coke. She and my grandmother, Deetsie, were the best of friends and I will always remember her by her kindness and charm. “

Submitted by great niece SL Associate Photo Editor Kate Robertson from Brimingham, AL

Pictured with three of her boys